By: Pastor Sam
In my late teens, I went to my first NHL game watching the Leafs play against the Senators at the Corel Centre (now Scotiabank Place). After seeing professional hockey live, I found it difficult to go back to just watching on TV or listening to the play-by-play on the radio. On TV, I only got to watch where the camera led me; and on the radio, I only got to hear what the commentator was focused on. When I watched live, I could catch the little nuances of the game like the line changes and the fans’ actual reactions. I eventually concluded that there is no amount of TV or radio that could come close to comparing with being at the game live.
In a similar way, there is a case for being present at the Hub – no amount of emails, phone calls or pictures compares to physically being present. When I work at the Hub office, I get a sense of how Victoria Village is doing: I meet placement students and I talk to other agencies about their experiences; I am here for the volunteer farewells, the birthday announcements and the youth who drop by to do their homework at the computer lab.
Recently, the Hub manager dropped by to check in as she often does. She discussed her work struggles informally, specifically in the area of room booking. At the Hub, due to the number of collaborating agencies, the residents and other outside agencies, room booking is a hot topic. The Hub needs an easy-to-use, efficient method of room booking for multiple groups with various needs. The manager asked me to help take the lead on the room booking process and tool, and to assist in coaching the admin staff. I believe I was asked to help due to a strong trust relationship built over time, largely from being present at the Hub. They may not have happened if ETCBC were not consistently present at the Hub. The more we become involved at the Hub, the more ETCBC members have opportunities to use their diverse skills and contribute in Victoria Village with positive transformation.
There is something about being physically present in the community that shows ETCBC cares. When we are present, we have more opportunities to build relationships, more opportunities to be involved and it is much easier to engage. People often ask me what it is like at the Hub – I usually tell them “come see for yourself.”