Losing weight, gaining purpose
Fitness classes and volunteering at the YMCA helped young mom find a new lease on life by helping others
Pam Shirran credits the Brampton YMCA with helping her to lose weight, get off antidepressants and give back to her community.
The 28-year-old mother of four says the decision to join the Y twoand-a-half years ago changed her life for the better. “I’m healthier, happier and able to be a better parent.”
Shirran weighed 250 pounds when she signed up for her first fitness class at the Y. She had low energy — partly due to her excess weight but also because of postpartum depression — and had trouble staying active with her young kids, all of whom are under 10.
“I felt horrible and I couldn’t even keep up with my kids when they played soccer in the backyard,” she says.
She signed up for daily fitness classes, walking the 40 minutes each way from her home to the Y with three of her kids in tow (the fourth was in school).
While her kids were looked after in the on-site child-care program, she got busy getting herself back in shape.
A personal trainer showed her how to use the weight machines in the gym, she took intense “boot camp” classes and also walked around the Y’s outside fitness track. But she enjoyed the Arriba Latin dance-based fitness classes best.
“You’re dancing away and you don’t even realize how many calories you’re burning because it’s so much fun,” says Shirran.
Soon, the extra weight was sliding off and within a year she’d lost 80 pounds. Not only that, her mood improved dramatically — to the point where she was able to go off antidepressants.
“Exercise releases endorphins and, because I was also losing weight, I was feeling so much better about myself.”
Her kids were benefitting from being part of the YMCA too. Shirran signed them up for swimming, ballet and hip-hop classes.
The positive changes she was experiencing did not go unnoticed by YMCA staff who asked her to consider teaching Arriba classes herself.
At first she said no — “I didn’t feel I had the confidence to get up and teach in front of others” — but she eventually took on the challenge and now teaches three classes a week for groups of 15-30 participants.
“The YMCA has done so much for me and my family, it just seemed right to give back and offer my time — and I’m so glad I did,” says Shirran, who is currently receiving training from the Y to teach a ballet-inspired fitness class. “Now, I never have to take a break when I play soccer with my kids. And I can even outrun them sometimes.”
Shirran’s story is typical of volunteers at the Y, says Faiza Venzant, general manager of volunteer development for the YMCA of Greater Toronto.
“Pam is a great example of the type of volunteer who comes to the YMCA for their own purpose — in her case to feel healthier and have a sense of belonging — and then decides to help others do the same. By taking care of herself, she became a better mom. I don’t think she ever expected she’d end up helping so many others, as well.” There are thousands of others like Shirran — in fact, there are more than 6,500 volunteers who contribute some 325,000 hours of service annually at 300 YMCA locations in the GTA. They take on roles such as leading fitness classes, assisting with childcare and after-school programs, acting as referral specialists to help newcomers to Canada access programs and resources, providing mentorship to new entrepreneurs, and leading workshops for those seeking employment. There are also plenty of unique volunteering opportunities that fall out- side of these categories — the diversity of tasks can include everything from being a literacy test scribe for new Canadians, to environmental blogging, organic gardening, and acting as a fundraising ambassador. Volunteer opportunities abound for both individuals and groups. For example, a group of 200 corporate volunteers from Tangerine regularly helps out at Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre in Schomberg, Ont., to get the camp ready for summer. Intergenerational volunteering is common at the Y — many grandparents drop off their grandkids at the Y’s child-care centres and then stick around to help with programs and services. And newcomers to Canada are also frequent volunteers. “People come to the Y as early as their first week in Canada,” says Venzant. “They access our newcomer program to find work or settlement and within weeks they are volunteering themselves. These newcomers are often highly skilled, quick to become civically engaged and are also seeking a sense of belonging, which the Y provides.”
Volunteers are provided with appropriate training and staff support and are invited to an annual professional development day to enhance their skills and leadership.
“It doesn’t matter why someone wants to volunteer — every reason is valid and we have room for everyone, whether they can offer two hours a week or 20,” says Venzant. “We’re committed to helping volunteers find the role that’s right for them.” To find out about volunteer opportunities at a Y near you, visit ymcagta.org/en/volunteer/volunteeropport/index.html.