Daya is one of the founding members of SocialSport, a Surrey-based local initiative which helps young refugees integrate into Canadian societies.
Daya Bhogal is a well-rounded young woman who has taken significant strides for her career as a recruiter and for creating an impact in the community. She is one of the founding members of SocialSport, a Surrey-based local initiative which helps young refugees integrate into Canadian societies. The organization provides new immigrant, refugee, and vulnerable youth with the opportunity to take part in sports and recreation programs in their community. The main objective of the team at SocialSport is to make these people feel included and provide resources to help them settle in.
SocialSport deals with immigration, youth and mental health organizations and offers their services to the people who need it the most. Their process starts with meeting the families. SocialSport assists children from age five all the way to age 22. Adjusting to a new country and culture can be extremely difficult, Daya sees that the best way to help is to “put yourself in their shoes. My family came to Canada as refugees so I can empathize with their plights and I can create a connection with these kids and show them that we can help.” The organization plans to expand into Vancouver and the Tri-Cities.
SocialSport collaborates with established programs for youth teams and activities. Sports hold a significant place in the fabric of our society. It can also be seen as the healthiest way for immigrants to integrate. There are a few crucial skills and concepts that need to be learned and understood by people in our society. Teamwork is highly important for young kids to learn as they grow up in school as well as while collaborating with others in their careers. Communication is another instrumental value picked up from sports. Daya affirms that this skill “works hand in hand with teamwork as communicating with people is necessary. For these young international kids specifically, communication will lay a solid foundation for successfully merging into our society.” There are also the rules and regulations of sports that teach kids structure and discipline outside of the home.
In 2016, Daya was able to procure an internship with the United Nations, headquarterd in New York, where she worked in international affairs and education. She recalls how she “worked with foreign students of all different literacy levels to educate them about the United Nations. This experience invigorated my humanitarian interest and led me to SocialSport.”
As a recruiter, Daya has moved from getting interviewed to conducting interviews. Moving to the other side of the table definitely requires a different mindset. For the most part, you are still aiming to sound and present very professionally. When you are being interviewed, you don’t know what will be asked and what the recruiter is looking for in your answers. However, as an interviewer you have objectives for what you are looking for and what to ask candidates. Giving a few tips, Daya asserts, “You just have to be yourself. You may think your qualifications aren’t enough but everyone has something to bring to the table that others don’t.” She also specifies that “interpersonal skills separate you from the rest in interviews and curiosity is received very positively by interviewers.” Another strategy she recommends is to ask many questions and treat it as if you are interviewing the recruiter and the company.
At the end of the day, career moves are among one of the biggest decisions we make aside from marriage, buying a house and having children, so when you are interviewing to make a move you want to show as much engagement in your own best interest as much as their interest in hiring you.
Daya is currently a recruiter at Matchbox Consulting Group. She recruits some of the top talents in the engineering, technical and finance fields. Going forward, the young achiever hopes to complete her MBA while progressing in her career. However, she still wants to ensure that she will always volunteer. With a very diverse background and a strong work ethic to back it up, Daya will surely continue to progress in her career and in her volunteer engagement. “Getting involved in volunteer work through school or organizations is an incredibly rewarding experience. You will meet new people, make new friends and encounter tremendous experiences along the way,” she exclaims in conclusion.
