Moving can be daunting – whether it’s to a new city or an entirely new country. The good news? Volunteering can be a great way to settle into a new community, meet people, and learn valuable skills.

Kajal Patil moved to the United States from India in February 2017. Having previously volunteered for two years as an assistant yoga teacher in her home country, Kajal was enthusiastic about volunteering and began looking for volunteer opportunities that match her interests. She was drawn to a volunteer opportunity to review applications on behalf of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI), which aims to help Latin American and Caribbean business to bring positive changes to their societies and contribute more fully to economic development, prosperity and security in those places.

After connecting with the opportunity and successfully completing the application process, Kajal got to work. Her role involved reviewing 44 in-depth applications from potential candidates across Latin America and the Caribbean for a four-week fellowship in the U.S.. She was responsible for describing the business ideas presented by these candidates, assessing the social impact of their businesses, and determining the strength of candidates to carry out their plans. With almost 4,000 applicants in 2017, volunteers like Kajal were important members of the YLAI team.

Kajal says that this volunteer opportunity super-charged her existing skills, while helping her build new ones such as time management, business analysis, decision-making, planning, and presenting.

She is now looking for her next volunteer opportunity and reflects positively on her experience with YLAI. “A new country brings in a lot of new experiences and volunteering helped me to settle into a new environment,” adds Kajal. “By helping others, I felt needed in society. It promoted my confidence, and other people benefited too. Volunteering is a great opportunity to improve yourself, others, and the whole society.”

Whether you recently moved to a new place or are looking to expand your influence on your current community, find a volunteer opportunity to empower yourself, and others.

【小题1】What do we know about Kajal?

A．She is an experienced volunteer.

B．She received education in the U.S..

C．She founded a volunteer organization.

D．She worked as a professional yoga teacher.

【小题2】What was included in Kajal’s voluntary work for YLAI?

A．Carrying out the selected business plans.

B．Assessing the applications of candidates.

C．Helping candidates think up business ideas.

D．Simplifying candidates’ application process.

【小题3】What does Kajal think of volunteering?

A．It contributes to local economy.

B．It focuses on skills development.

C．It helps develop people’s interests.

D．It benefits individuals and society.

【小题4】What is the purpose of this text?

A．To share experience of volunteering.

B．To recognize the contribution of YLAI.

C．To suggest a way to settle into a new place.

D．To evaluate the benefits of volunteering abroad.