Interview by Julie Gagné, Canadian Red Cross, Quebec, Communications Department
In a way, it was a desire to learn more about the Canadian Red Cross that led Dourrice Adamson to fill out her form in 2017 to work there as a volunteer. That first step marked the beginning of a great adventure that has been ongoing ever since!
While taking a class on poverty as part of her International Studies and Modern Languages program at Université Laval in Quebec City, she noticed that the Red Cross was often popping up in her notes. “It was summertime, and I wanted to get practical experience with an international humanitarian organization that would take me away from my more theoretical courses. In my free time, I did some research to find out more about the many services offered by the Red Cross in Quebec City,” says Dourrice Adamson. “I very quickly felt like I belonged with them. That’s all it took for me to visit the website and sign up as a fundraising volunteer. After a short phone interview, I was given a few hours of training. That’s how I got my start with the Red Cross.”
“For two years, I fundraised for the Red Cross, mostly at malls and grocery stores. I’d spend about three hours on my feet each time, talking to people. I met some great people and had some really interesting conversations,” adds Dourrice, who is originally from Ghana and came to Quebec City at age 6 as a refugee with her parents and five brothers.
“In 2018,” she continues, “I had the pleasure of meeting Pierre Gratton at an event we were volunteering at. He invited me to join the volunteer committee for the Red Cross in Quebec, which needed both young people and individuals from diverse backgrounds. I soon got involved in organizing a volunteer recognition activity, the conference Histoire de la présence et de l’esclavage des Noirs en Nouvelle-France (History of the Black Presence and Slavery in New France), given by historian Aly Ndiaye, also known as Webster, which our target audience really enjoyed. Lots of volunteers came out, and the conference elicited many questions,” Dourrice says with infectious enthusiasm.
That same year, a strategic advisor from the Communications team invited her to join a Canada-wide committee of passionate university-aged youth who were involved in social and cultural projects. “The discussions we had were fascinating,” she remembers. “We were involved in organizing the second Red Cross Social Innovation Challenge that was held in February 2019. I helped mobilize nearly 60 students from Université Laval in a classroom on campus. Our challenge was to foster the development of innovative approaches to tackle the Ebola epidemic that had been raging in the Congo since summer 2018. That day was full of heated discussions.”
“Since winter 2019, I’ve been on the Red Cross social media volunteer team,” she says with evident pride. “I was given specific training for this role, which is to answer questions, point people in the right direction, and help monitor comments, amongst other things. The Communications team members support me in my work, which I find really gratifying. Although I was more active at the beginning of the pandemic, I’m still on duty on Thursday evenings, since I have a full-time job.”
“Through my various tasks, I came to realize just how much the Red Cross is respected as an organization,” she concludes. “What I like most? Definitely the confidence that the Red Cross has in young people and their constant efforts to adapt to their reality. I feel very privileged to volunteer with this big, amazing team. I personally encourage people in the National Capital region who come from diverse backgrounds to get involved with this wonderful organization.”