Volunteer with the Vancouver Mokuyokai Society

The Vancouver Mokuyokai Society was established in 1982. As one of the organizations that aims at connecting Japanese and Canadians in Vancouver, Mokuyokai tries to gather people of all nationalities with a strong professional or personal interest in Japan through various social events. Therefore, their membership is very diverse, including teachers, students, lawyers, diplomats and others. Mokuyokai has an endeavor to foster a greater cultural, linguistic and economic understanding between Japanese people and Canadian people.

As an organization run by a group of committed volunteers, Mokuyokai Society is always looking for dedicated and energetic people to join their team. There are four types of positions open.

First, volunteers at the events. Mokuyokai Society has seasonal events every year such as Ohanami (Cherry Blossom viewing), Summer BBQ, as well as Bonenkai, which is an annual dinner where people gather and have fun. Other events are like Sakura Days Japan Fair and Powell Street Festival. Volunteers need to assist in setup and takedown during the events. Their duties also include registration, event promotion etc.

The second type of position is event coordinator. Mokuyokai seeks volunteers who can help them with event planning and event promotion. In the meantime, the Board of Directors will also help organize the events. This could be a very exciting position because not only you have a chance of meeting new friends, but you can also get touched with the members at the board and foster your personal network.

The third type of volunteer position is a bit more special. It is the volunteer position for a specific program, which is called “Speaker’s Program”. Mokuyokai’s Speaker’s Program is a monthly event typically held at lunch, but occasionally they have breakfast and dinner sessions as well. They invite speakers from all backgrounds to share their knowledge or expertise about Canada or Japan with Vancouver Mokuyokai Society Members. Volunteers are encouraged to share and participate.

Last but not least, is becoming a member of the board of directors. Board members are responsible for planning events as well as providing with administrative support for the Society. The working language is the board is mainly English, however bilingual members are also welcome. Every year Mokuyokai Society has an election the Mokuyokai members to elect their new board members at the Annual General Meeting. It is recommended to attend several events and get to know people in the society before going for an election. The board members need to commit for around 10 hours a month for one year.

I highly recommend Mokuyokai Society if you are interested in Japanese culture or dedicated to building up a multi-cultural network. Mokuyokai Society offers great events every year and you can definitely make new friends there.  For more information, please check out their website.