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From Canada to Cameroon, Glenn Dodge has devoted himself to making a difference in the lives of others whenever and wherever he can.

“When you give back, there’s a sense that you’re helping people in difficult situations feel like human beings again,” says the 2016 Dalhousie Alumni Association Volunteerism Award honouree.

“Just showing you care does so much in terms of restoring a level of self-esteem in their lives. That’s the most rewarding aspect of volunteering for me.”

As Dodge’s Class of ’94 colleagues will tell you, giving back has been his passion since the days when he was organizing Dalhousie Law School toy drives for Bryony House. “Volunteering for Glenn was his work,” says John Le Blanc, Scotiabank senior legal counsel. “Those of us who knew him never made the distinction. He was always doing things for others.”

But Dodge will tell you it was the example set by his classmates, and the Dalhousie Law School environment, that really inspired him to make the world a better place.

“For the first time in my life, I was surrounded by passionate, intelligent individuals very engaged in debating the issues of the day. It really opened my eyes to what was going on in the world. The work that classmates were doing through Dalhousie Legal Aid Service also got me thinking about what I could do to help others as well.”

Dodge found the answer, in part, by travelling the world, which opened his eyes to challenges that people were facing in other countries. Realizing his legal and subsequent project management training could be of benefit in addressing these challenges, he left the corporate world in 2007 for full-time overseas volunteer assignments.

Over the next eight years, he worked mainly with the Voluntary Service Overseas organization and the outcomes are impressive. He helped develop an advocacy centre for children’s rights in Nigeria with the Fantsuam Foundation. In Bangladesh, he created a Monitoring and Evaluation system for Young Power in Social Action. He assisted with coordinating the development and relief response efforts for malnutrition and seasonal flooding in Laos with the United Nations. And Dodge served as project manager with the Muslim Students Association of Bamenda (MUSAB) for an initiative to eradicate the abuse of widows in northwest Cameroon.

These experiences proved as transformative for Dodge as they were for the people and organizations he served, in particular the Cameroon initiative.

“This was the first opportunity I had to work directly with beneficiaries,” says Dodge. “For generations, widows there have been shunned in their communities and subjected to the most horrible treatment you can imagine. To go out into the field, raise awareness about the impacts of this abuse and see how these efforts changed attitudes and improved prospects for these widows was particularly gratifying for me.”  

Since returning to Canada in 2015, Dodge has continued his career of advocacy and community involvement as BC Program Director for the Justice Education Society of BC, an organization dedicated to enhancing access to the province’s justice system.

“It’s the ideal position for me because it combines my backgrounds in law and community involvement,” says Dodge.

“We work with youth, immigrants and Indigenous Peoples to make the legal system more approachable. I know from my experience that, for many, particularly immigrants, the justice system is something to be feared, and not trusted. Being able to make the experience less frightening or intimidating for someone, that’s what makes me happy.”

It means so much to Dodge that his classmates and fellow alumni have honoured him with the Volunteerism Award, but he says his efforts pale in comparison to the individuals he’s worked with over the years.

“There are people with these organizations, both overseas and here, who have dedicated their lives to do what they’re doing. While it’s humbling to be recognized for what I’ve done, they’ve made far greater sacrifices than I ever have.”

For Dodge, the award is a welcome opportunity to encourage others to follow his example and consider volunteering, here or internationally. That, he says, is what he would like his legacy to be.

“There is a world of wonders out there that you really have to experience first-hand in order to appreciate it, and volunteering is a great way to do that. Whether you make a big difference, or just change one life, what you give cannot begin to compare with the feeling of fulfillment you get from it.”