The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will bring thousands of visitors, including athletes, their supporters, officials, and spectators from all over the world to Canada.

In addition to some good old Canadian warmth and hospitality, what would make our guests feel even more welcome? Perhaps being greeted by someone who speaks the same language or shares the same cultural traditions. Canada is known for its multiculturalism and our newcomers can play a significant role in enhancing the Olympic experience for international visitors.

That is the idea behind the Vancouver Organizing Committee’s efforts to reach out to Canadian immigrants to help fill thousands of volunteer positions for the 2010 Winter Games.

Nick Noorani, a member of VANOC’s Board Advisory Committee on Sustainability Performance (BACSP) and founder and publisher of Canadian Immigrant Magazine, has been spreading the word about volunteer opportunities to immigrants across Canada through the magazine, a radio show on the CBC and various immigrant organizations that he volunteers for.

His message is clear — volunteering benefits everyone.

With 25,000 volunteer positions, the 2010 Winter Games needs dedicated people to contribute their time and skills to hosting such an extraordinary event. And without Canadian experience, many immigrants have difficulty finding employment.

“The opportunity to work for a professional organization like VANOC will look good on a resume and is a great opportunity for immigrants to be a part of something big,” Noorani says.

As an immigrant himself, Noorani endured the many hardships that newcomers face when they arrive in Canada from language barriers to social isolation to low-paying jobs or unemployment. As an advocate for immigrants, Noorani travels across Canada, speaking at conferences and events to shed light on his experiences and the challenges that continue to plague new Canadians, particularly when it comes to entering the workforce.

“I’ve been in this country for 10 years and I haven’t seen this situation change much unfortunately. Canadian corporations are not willing to take a chance and this creates the problem that immigrants aren’t getting jobs.”

With an aging population, a skilled labour shortage and a growing immigrant population, tapping into this underutilized talent pool seems to be a natural and necessary step.

“All the reasons are there but it still hasn’t translated into a policy change at the corporate level,” he says.

Noorani has even met with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration to advocate for the integration of immigrants into the workforce.

“It has started happening in some sense, in Western Canada where there is a labour shortage,” Noorani says. “But we need governments, not just federal but cities and provinces, to take action on this.”

To help support and encourage immigrants through their challenges, Noorani offers seven success secrets: learn the language, stay positive despite challenges, have an alternative plan, move out of your comfort zone and avoid ethnic silos, take risks, embrace Canada, and get involved in volunteering, mentoring and networking.

“If I had known these particular secrets when I came here from Dubai, I would have been successful before my time. These secrets will help immigrants get on the right track.”

Taking part in the 2010 Winter Games is one way new Canadians can put Noorani’s valuable secrets into action. By volunteering, they are practicing their English language skills, watching true stories of inspiration and motivation unfold, discovering other skills or interests, interacting with people from all over the world, and embracing Canada and its love for winter sports.

Canadians, new and old, who are interested in volunteering at the 2010 Winter Games can still find all the tools to get them started at www.vancouver2010.com

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