Volunteering with North Simcoe Victim Services (NSVS) has been life changing for Tracie Atkinson-Carney.
After her mother participated in the volunteer training class of NSVS in 2015, Atkinson-Carney decided to follow suit and lend her time to the local not-for-profit organization.
"I wanted to give back to the community," she explained. "I wanted to do something by volunteering."
In the past, Atkinson-Carney had volunteered to assist disabled skiers. She's always had a passion for supporting people when they need it most.
"There's a lot of people that don't have good support systems, especially women who are victims of domestic violence," she explained. "Being able to help those who don't have a lot of support around them really enticed me."
While Atkinson-Carney acknowledges that volunteering with NSVS may not be for everyone, it's been the perfect fit for her.
"When chaos and trauma is going on, I tend to get a little calmer," she explained. "When there's a bit of chaos, I can come in and help calm things down."
Though Atkinson-Carney has attended to countless "heartbreaking" situations over the past nine years, she has learned to put her feelings aside to compartmentalize and provide the needed support.
To be a volunteer with NSVS, Atkinson-Carney says you must have "a heart" for people in the community.
"You have to be empathetic," she said. "One of the key things is to just have the ability to listen."
Being an NSVS volunteer doesn't require a ton of skill, Atkinson-Carney says. Instead, it's more about being a compassionate individual.
"You tend to do a lot of listening and just sort of react with what the victim needs at the time," she explained. "You have to have an understanding of your surroundings and be able to read the room."
Having an NSVS volunteer on the scene to help those who are facing tragedy can be "instrumental," she explained.
"The victims may never remember us," Atkinson-Carney said. "But they'll remember that someone was there and that they cared."
While volunteers could make a major difference for somebody dealing with tragedy, Atkinson-Carney says the experience of helping someone can also leave a lasting impact on volunteers.
"Sometimes it does hurt to see what they've gone through," she said. "But it can be impactful."
