Ashley’s Reflection
Our experience working at New Circles was one I will never forget. When we first learned about the organization this past spring at Humber College’s Slow Fashion event hosted by the Sustainable Fashion Committee, we fell in love with what they stood for. Most often clothing banks give assorted clothes to families without much of an option. At New Circles, they have created a retail space for clients to essentially shop for their clothes. It allows for personal expression and experience much like the shopping experiences consumers often take for granted. It is such a unique and forward-thinking organization and at this point in time, I cannot sing their praise enough.
On the first day of our volunteering, we were brought into a volunteer orientation, learning the background, functions, and future goals of the organization. From there, we were given a tour of the facility and brought to GLOW. After learning the ins and outs of operation, we were all separated and allocated specific duties. Being the tallest of the group, I was stationed in the men’s department, having the highest racks in the space (pictured to the right). I then spent the afternoon cleaning up the space, reorganizing the sizing sections, and assisting customers when necessary. Majority of my time went to the reorganization. The men’s section is comprised of an upper and lower rack that spans an entire wall, as well as a row of hanging pants opposite. Because the section is so long, sizes were often misplaced and out of order. With a love for organizing, I spent the entire afternoon going garment by garment to ensure not only were they on the correct location but that they also looked visually appealing. Having worked retail previously as well as attending the various visual merchandising classes and lectures in our program, this was a simple but time-consuming task. Ensuring clients receive the best experience possible, we wanted to make sure that the space was appealing and organized in a manner that makes it easy to browse and shop.
On our second visit, Kelly and myself were predominantly stationed in the back room of GLOW (pictured). Having already had our orientation, we went straight to meet the store manager and she had us inspecting donations, sizing them, and putting them all on hangers to go out on the floor. It was an interesting contrast to working on the floor the week previous. It provided a full learning experience on how the facility operates. One of the meaningful guidelines of GLOW is the quality and care put into what goes out on the floor. Volunteers such as ourselves, sort through preorganized bins of clothing to check of stains, holes, or any other type of flaw that would write off a piece of clothing. The purpose of this is to ensure clients are getting the best possible clothing and again removing the stigma of a clothing bank. Pictured is the sample clothing they have volunteers inspect to better understand the quality that they are looking for. The rejected clothing then gets gathered and collected by the Kidney Foundation, sold by the pound. This is a viable source of income for the organization. While sorting through the clothes may not have seemed like a big task. GLOW has a donation room overflowing with unsorted bags dropped off at the centre (pictured to the right).
On the same day, we opened rather than closed, so before the first clients came in, we went around to ensure the space was organized and orderly. I spent the majority of my time in the children’s section that day, hanging up clothes and organizing sizing by age. I also assisted in the women’s dress section and the maternity section. The only area we did not assist in at the end of our volunteering was the cash desk.
Personal Highlights
I loved the entire volunteer experience at New Circles. Seeing the impact that your own efforts can make is indescribable. Some of the notable highlights for me were the interactions with clients, seeing the first-hand impact of such a unique organization, and the reaction of the staff for our contribution.
Working in the men’s department the first day, I did not get as much customer interaction when compared to the second day. The first day, being an afternoon, most of the clients in my section just wanted to browse at their own pace and do so by themselves. On the second day, while working in the children’s section, I had a lot more interaction, helping clients find items that they were looking for or simply offering an opinion. In one particular interaction that stood out, a mother was looking at Halloween costumes and involved me in the decision-making process. Knowing that a customer in this scenario trusts your opinion and is willing to build a rapport with you to do so is such a rewarding feeling. Having to come in during scheduled appointments, oftentimes these clients do not get the experience of shopping with a friend so to be able to step in and offer that interaction was so much fun.
The reason New Circles was our organization of choice was because of the way they operate. We are all Fashion Management students, we have all worked retail, we shop, we know the ins and outs of that whole operation. To get to turn that knowledge and experience around and use it to help a community was such a unique experience. GLOW offers a retail experience for those who otherwise cannot sustain one on their own. It humanizes an interaction that can often be frustrating for some. I think one of my biggest highlights was seeing the look on a mother’s face as her son was excitedly looking through a clothing rack, picking out his favourite items. She seemed emotional yet happy. That was the moment that I knew this organization was making a bigger impact than you could imagine.
Prior to our volunteer experience, in our entrepreneurship class, we worked in a larger group to create a product and sell it for a profit. Collectively we decided to donate all of our profits to New Circles. When the four of us arrived for our first day, we got the opportunity to present the ladies in the office with our donation. This was an interaction that will stay with me forever. Oftentimes, especially as a student, you feel as though you could never make a big enough contribution so you do not try. We raised over $500 in our venture and the reception of that donation was of the utmost gratitude. It made all of our efforts worthwhile to see the smiles on the faces of the staff and to hear about the plans for the money. It changes your perspective of an organization to see first-hand how grateful they were for a donation. Often when donating online or dropping off clothing donations, you do not get the one-on-one interaction in which emotion can be felt. I can safely say that while this donation was not a part of this assignment, it was inspired by it and it was one of my favourite moments.
Points of Reflection
Reflecting on our experience, the point that stands out the most to me was that we as consumers take so much for granted, such as something as simple as a shopping experience. When I have to go to an event, for example, I can easily run to the mall and buy shoes to match my outfit. Seeing the individuals and families come in and strategize a purchase to ensure the clothing they were taking would serve multiple needs really stuck with me. I always hear and donate to clothing drives but to witness first-hand the impact that they make and the gratitude expressed by the clients, it makes me want to do more, donate more, and volunteer more.
The staff were also so incredible and I feel as though they deserve more recognition. Besides a handful of staff that run the administrative side of the organization, all the workers are volunteers and even clients. They are people who give their time to make someone else’s day better. Upon our initial arrival, we were greeted with such warm smiles and friendly personalities. When working in the store, the regular volunteers were interacting with regular clients, catching up, and assisting with sizing. They walked around with smiles on their faces and an approachable demeanour. It was so heartening. As we learn in retail operations, a good salesperson is one that is approachable, personable, and knowledgeable. These workers were all of those and more, and they were not even being paid. Having staff that work so hard out of the goodness of their heart truly sets a place like this apart from anywhere else.
My final point of reflection is regarding an additional program offered by New Circles that we were taught about. On top of the GLOW operations, the organization also offers a retail operations course and a computer course, free of charge. The courses work in collaboration with a professor and at the end of the 6-14 week period, participants walk away with a certificate. The retail program works to offer the in-class theory with real-life practice, having the class integrated into GLOW as volunteers. The purpose of these programs is to offer an advantage to clients and to help them get back on their feet. During our orientation, it was explained to us that while this is a community service, the goal is not to have clients coming for long periods of time, rather helping them with the appropriate skills and attire to achieve their goals. On our second day of volunteering, we got to work with some of the participants in the retail program and it was such a cool experience. We got to take our knowledge and offer them some tips and learn from them ourselves. It is something, again, that we often take for granted. A full education is not always accessible to everyone, so to see an organization such as New Circles offer free courses to community members who could use them, it is incredible. Being in fashion especially, retail has become so integrated into our everyday lives that we often forget that it is a skill that makes job searching easier. We also learned that New Circles plan to expand their course offerings in the future which is remarkable.
Sustainability
Focusing on sustainability, it was another reason why New Circles was the organization we wanted so badly to work with. In the fashion industry, waste is a huge issue. We are the second-largest polluting industry on a global scale. With the trend of fast fashion being ever-present, eco-conscious consumers have been turning to sustainable clothing. This can come in the form of sustainably sourced and manufactured goods or second-hand shopping. This is where New Circles comes into play. They use second-hand clothing in GLOW, coming in via donations. They also do not throw out any unusable garments, rather selling them to the Kidney Foundation who in turn uses those clothes to raise money for research. It is an incredibly sustainable cycle. On average, New Circles redirects 300,000 pounds of clothing from landfills every year. This clothing is then given back to those in need within the community.
The emerging consumer trend is focusing on an increased awareness of sustainability, despite the prevalence of fast fashion. That being said, knowing an organization such as this uses sustainable practices, it is a draw for more consumer awareness and the potential for increased loyalty and donations. I know personally, New Circles is now my charitable organization of choice when donating clothes.
In regards to sustainable business practices, New Circles is aware of their impact on the environment and the community. They accept volunteers for community service and they offer courses to build employable skills. Together those attributes work to promote a sustainable work environment in the community and increase the candidate pool to contribute to the local economy. They are also conscious of where their clothing is coming from and where it is going. They also hold high standards for the health and safety of their staff and volunteers. On our tour of the facility, we were briefed on safety procedures and who to report any concerns to should we come across them. The working conditions are a top priority for the organization.
Conclusion
Overall, New Circles provided us with an incredible learning experience and we were lucky enough to contribute back to the community at the same time. From their sustainable efforts to their care for the community, this organization is honourable, to say the least. I would highly recommend reaching out to volunteer and/or donate if possible. They are a team of superheroes who make a huge difference. I would like to take this moment to once again, thank everyone at New Circles for taking the time to meet with us and let us learn about your organization. To Aleksandra, the volunteer program manager, thank you for working with us to set everything up and to check in on us to ensure everything was going well. We wish all of you nothing but the best and we look forward to working with you again in the future!
-Ashley Freiheit
To learn more about Ashley, click here to visit her Introduction post!
Our experience working at New Circles was one I will never forget. When we first learned about the organization this past spring at Humber College’s Slow Fashion event hosted by the Sustainable Fashion Committee, we fell in love with what they stood for. Most often clothing banks give assorted clothes to families without much of an option. At New Circles, they have created a retail space for clients to essentially shop for their clothes. It allows for personal expression and experience much like the shopping experiences consumers often take for granted. It is such a unique and forward-thinking organization and at this point in time, I cannot sing their praise enough.
On the first day of our volunteering, we were brought into a volunteer orientation, learning the background, functions, and future goals of the organization. From there, we were given a tour of the facility and brought to GLOW. After learning the ins and outs of operation, we were all separated and allocated specific duties. Being the tallest of the group, I was stationed in the men’s department, having the highest racks in the space (pictured to the right). I then spent the afternoon cleaning up the space, reorganizing the sizing sections, and assisting customers when necessary. Majority of my time went to the reorganization. The men’s section is comprised of an upper and lower rack that spans an entire wall, as well as a row of hanging pants opposite. Because the section is so long, sizes were often misplaced and out of order. With a love for organizing, I spent the entire afternoon going garment by garment to ensure not only were they on the correct location but that they also looked visually appealing. Having worked retail previously as well as attending the various visual merchandising classes and lectures in our program, this was a simple but time-consuming task. Ensuring clients receive the best experience possible, we wanted to make sure that the space was appealing and organized in a manner that makes it easy to browse and shop.On our second visit, Kelly and myself were predominantly stationed in the back room of GLOW (pictured). Having already had our orientation, we went straight to meet the store manager and she had us inspecting donations, sizing them, and putting them all on hangers to go out on the floor. It was an interesting contrast to working on the floor the week previous. It provided a full learning experience on how the facility operates. One of the meaningful guidelines of GLOW is the quality and care put into what goes out on the floor. Volunteers such as ourselves, sort through preorganized bins of clothing to check of stains, holes, or any other type of flaw that would write off a piece of clothing. The purpose of this is to ensure clients are getting the best possible clothing and again removing the stigma of a clothing bank. Pictured is the sample clothing they have volunteers inspect to better understand the quality that they are looking for. The rejected clothing then gets gathered and collected by the Kidney Foundation, sold by the pound. This is a viable source of income for the organization. While sorting through the clothes may not have seemed like a big task. GLOW has a donation room overflowing with unsorted bags dropped off at the centre (pictured to the right).On the same day, we opened rather than closed, so before the first clients came in, we went around to ensure the space was organized and orderly. I spent the majority of my time in the children’s section that day, hanging up clothes and organizing sizing by age. I also assisted in the women’s dress section and the maternity section. The only area we did not assist in at the end of our volunteering was the cash desk.Personal Highlights
I loved the entire volunteer experience at New Circles. Seeing the impact that your own efforts can make is indescribable. Some of the notable highlights for me were the interactions with clients, seeing the first-hand impact of such a unique organization, and the reaction of the staff for our contribution.
Working in the men’s department the first day, I did not get as much customer interaction when compared to the second day. The first day, being an afternoon, most of the clients in my section just wanted to browse at their own pace and do so by themselves. On the second day, while working in the children’s section, I had a lot more interaction, helping clients find items that they were looking for or simply offering an opinion. In one particular interaction that stood out, a mother was looking at Halloween costumes and involved me in the decision-making process. Knowing that a customer in this scenario trusts your opinion and is willing to build a rapport with you to do so is such a rewarding feeling. Having to come in during scheduled appointments, oftentimes these clients do not get the experience of shopping with a friend so to be able to step in and offer that interaction was so much fun.
The reason New Circles was our organization of choice was because of the way they operate. We are all Fashion Management students, we have all worked retail, we shop, we know the ins and outs of that whole operation. To get to turn that knowledge and experience around and use it to help a community was such a unique experience. GLOW offers a retail experience for those who otherwise cannot sustain one on their own. It humanizes an interaction that can often be frustrating for some. I think one of my biggest highlights was seeing the look on a mother’s face as her son was excitedly looking through a clothing rack, picking out his favourite items. She seemed emotional yet happy. That was the moment that I knew this organization was making a bigger impact than you could imagine.
Prior to our volunteer experience, in our entrepreneurship class, we worked in a larger group to create a product and sell it for a profit. Collectively we decided to donate all of our profits to New Circles. When the four of us arrived for our first day, we got the opportunity to present the ladies in the office with our donation. This was an interaction that will stay with me forever. Oftentimes, especially as a student, you feel as though you could never make a big enough contribution so you do not try. We raised over $500 in our venture and the reception of that donation was of the utmost gratitude. It made all of our efforts worthwhile to see the smiles on the faces of the staff and to hear about the plans for the money. It changes your perspective of an organization to see first-hand how grateful they were for a donation. Often when donating online or dropping off clothing donations, you do not get the one-on-one interaction in which emotion can be felt. I can safely say that while this donation was not a part of this assignment, it was inspired by it and it was one of my favourite moments.
Points of Reflection Reflecting on our experience, the point that stands out the most to me was that we as consumers take so much for granted, such as something as simple as a shopping experience. When I have to go to an event, for example, I can easily run to the mall and buy shoes to match my outfit. Seeing the individuals and families come in and strategize a purchase to ensure the clothing they were taking would serve multiple needs really stuck with me. I always hear and donate to clothing drives but to witness first-hand the impact that they make and the gratitude expressed by the clients, it makes me want to do more, donate more, and volunteer more.
The staff were also so incredible and I feel as though they deserve more recognition. Besides a handful of staff that run the administrative side of the organization, all the workers are volunteers and even clients. They are people who give their time to make someone else’s day better. Upon our initial arrival, we were greeted with such warm smiles and friendly personalities. When working in the store, the regular volunteers were interacting with regular clients, catching up, and assisting with sizing. They walked around with smiles on their faces and an approachable demeanour. It was so heartening. As we learn in retail operations, a good salesperson is one that is approachable, personable, and knowledgeable. These workers were all of those and more, and they were not even being paid. Having staff that work so hard out of the goodness of their heart truly sets a place like this apart from anywhere else.
My final point of reflection is regarding an additional program offered by New Circles that we were taught about. On top of the GLOW operations, the organization also offers a retail operations course and a computer course, free of charge. The courses work in collaboration with a professor and at the end of the 6-14 week period, participants walk away with a certificate. The retail program works to offer the in-class theory with real-life practice, having the class integrated into GLOW as volunteers. The purpose of these programs is to offer an advantage to clients and to help them get back on their feet. During our orientation, it was explained to us that while this is a community service, the goal is not to have clients coming for long periods of time, rather helping them with the appropriate skills and attire to achieve their goals. On our second day of volunteering, we got to work with some of the participants in the retail program and it was such a cool experience. We got to take our knowledge and offer them some tips and learn from them ourselves. It is something, again, that we often take for granted. A full education is not always accessible to everyone, so to see an organization such as New Circles offer free courses to community members who could use them, it is incredible. Being in fashion especially, retail has become so integrated into our everyday lives that we often forget that it is a skill that makes job searching easier. We also learned that New Circles plan to expand their course offerings in the future which is remarkable.
Sustainability
Focusing on sustainability, it was another reason why New Circles was the organization we wanted so badly to work with. In the fashion industry, waste is a huge issue. We are the second-largest polluting industry on a global scale. With the trend of fast fashion being ever-present, eco-conscious consumers have been turning to sustainable clothing. This can come in the form of sustainably sourced and manufactured goods or second-hand shopping. This is where New Circles comes into play. They use second-hand clothing in GLOW, coming in via donations. They also do not throw out any unusable garments, rather selling them to the Kidney Foundation who in turn uses those clothes to raise money for research. It is an incredibly sustainable cycle. On average, New Circles redirects 300,000 pounds of clothing from landfills every year. This clothing is then given back to those in need within the community.
The emerging consumer trend is focusing on an increased awareness of sustainability, despite the prevalence of fast fashion. That being said, knowing an organization such as this uses sustainable practices, it is a draw for more consumer awareness and the potential for increased loyalty and donations. I know personally, New Circles is now my charitable organization of choice when donating clothes.
In regards to sustainable business practices, New Circles is aware of their impact on the environment and the community. They accept volunteers for community service and they offer courses to build employable skills. Together those attributes work to promote a sustainable work environment in the community and increase the candidate pool to contribute to the local economy. They are also conscious of where their clothing is coming from and where it is going. They also hold high standards for the health and safety of their staff and volunteers. On our tour of the facility, we were briefed on safety procedures and who to report any concerns to should we come across them. The working conditions are a top priority for the organization.
Conclusion
Overall, New Circles provided us with an incredible learning experience and we were lucky enough to contribute back to the community at the same time. From their sustainable efforts to their care for the community, this organization is honourable, to say the least. I would highly recommend reaching out to volunteer and/or donate if possible. They are a team of superheroes who make a huge difference. I would like to take this moment to once again, thank everyone at New Circles for taking the time to meet with us and let us learn about your organization. To Aleksandra, the volunteer program manager, thank you for working with us to set everything up and to check in on us to ensure everything was going well. We wish all of you nothing but the best and we look forward to working with you again in the future!
-Ashley Freiheit
To learn more about Ashley, click here to visit her Introduction post!
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