Playing It Forward

Mirzet Alekic was nine years old when war broke out in his home country of Bosnia. His family was devastated by loss and separation as they fled to the safety of Croatia, eventually reuniting and relocating to Canada.

"We were emotionally drained and it all seemed like one long nightmare that I was hoping I would wake up from," says Mirzet.

Haunted by the ordeal and struggling to overcome barriers of communication and culture, Mirzet discovered the Victor Mager Club, part of a network of United Way funded Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg. Mirzet got involved in club run activities and built relationships with the mentors and other youth there. It was a safe place, he recalls, where he could overcome barriers that may have lead him down a very different path.

"I could have made some bad decisions, but with help from the staff at the Club, I made the right decisions," Mirzet says. "Now I know the importance of having people in your life who encourage you and want you to be successful."

Eventually the club hired Mirzet as a mentor where he learned leadership and communication skills, as well as respect and teamwork. Working with the young visitors, he observed that with boredom and lack of structure, kids exhibited destructive behaviours, difficulty controlling emotions and a misguided sense of right and wrong.

"They would entertain themselves by play fighting, throwing things or defacing property," says Mirzet.

With the blessing of club supervisors, Mirzet organized a basketball team. He believed the structure would provide an environment in which to impart lessons of teamwork, communication and decision making. Practice sessions often went far beyond as kids would stop to ask questions about drugs, alcohol, smoking, relationships and school.

"I would gather the players in a circle and ask them what they thought of the topic," says Mirzet. "I would also share some of my own personal experiences and through discussion try to get the youth to understand that while it may seem fun at the time, a bad choice can be damaging to them or those they care for."

After high-school, Mirzet enrolled in the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba and has since graduated with a double major in Finance and International Business.

In spite of taking time to travel, and beginning his career, Mirzet continues to volunteer at the Victor Mager Club. This July he launched a soccer program, the first-ever for Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg. With over 40 kids registered, Mirzet is enthusiastic about its potential.

"I want to continue being a leader for our city's youth. They need to know there is a reason they are here and that our entire community is working together to help them succeed."

Through the direct support of United Way, over 100 000 youth visits occur at mentoring programs and a wide range of after school and recreation activities in Winnipeg each year.