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The Volunteer Perspective - dig deeper with me!

In response to the narrative that volunteers aren’t around and ready to support community - we see a deeper story in the reams of data we have. It still speaks to stress of nonprofits that need to adapt … but we see plenty of volunteers!

Three key trends inform volunteerism right now:

1. Formal volunteer programs that rely on an aging volunteer base that is stepping back are struggling to adapt.
   • This was happening prior to the pandemic and, anecdotally, we heard stories of baby boomers stepping back due to volunteer burnout as soon as pandemic began. This means this volunteer base is not returning the same way.
2. A highly engaged new generation of volunteer in Gen Z that is careful about how they spend their time.
   • Important to this demographic is that their volunteer efforts be connected to social justice and/or climate action. If an organization can’t clearly demonstrate their connection to these two causes then these volunteers are willing to look elsewhere for their opportunity to engage in their community.
3. Grassroots initiatives have been growing, possibly at the expense of formal volunteering in organizations that uphold the barriers to community engagement.
   • There are many barriers that still exist related to volunteer engagement. Because of that, and the expectation that volunteers want to connect to their preferred cause (not organization), grassroots initiatives have been on the rise. (Barriers are covered in our report An Anti Racist Approach to Volunteering).

It is definitely challenging for organizations to adapt to these changing trends, especially as increase demand for services further stresses out staff. There are probably no end of organizations that could provide the perspective that volunteering is down.

But from the volunteer perspective #impact #connections and #belonging have never been more important!

Finally ... 

Our data, based on volunteer behaviour all over the nation is something we have been able to track throughout the pandemic. Briefly the pandemic story has been:

1. A hastening of the above trends
2. A surge of volunteer interest at the beginning of the pandemic which we attribute to neighbours wanting to care for neighbours
3. Tiny blips of volunteer interest that coincided with the various levels of government putting out conflicting messages of “stay home and distance” and “get back to normal . . . maybe”. But even then they were tiny blips that lasted only a week or two.

Happy to connect to dig deeper with anyone interested in telling the story for the volunteer!

Ramadan Mubarak to everyone observing! Some things to consider as an organization or if you are the person who engages volunteers at this time of year: 

Learn about this observance and what it means to community. Google is your friend, avoid putting the labour on the human. 

Have considerate/open conversations with volunteers and their unique needs. 

Provide time and space for daily prayers.  

If a volunteer opportunity time overlaps with sunset, make sure to provide time for people to break their fast (this will vary depending on where you are in Canada)

Be conscious of physically demanding work during the month. 

Check out these organizations doing awesome work (let us know if we can add you to the list) 
Project Ramadan is a project of Muslim Welfare Canada, they work with First Nations communities, shelters and food banks to support families during Ramadan. 
Muslim Foodbank began small in a garage and now delivers meals across Canada as well as providing daily meals to those who need them. 

We love to share some things that we are listening to, reading and watching! Feel free to get in touch if there is something you are enjoying!

Watch.  If you were a fan of the podcast by Canadaland then this docuseries is going to be for you. Ryan McMahon once turns his gaze to Thunder Bay, Ontario. 

Listen. Some of our team is already working in the earth, preparing the ground and starting the planting process. Join grower Poppy Okotcha as she is saving the world with gardening. 

Read. Sam Smith describes this book as love. It is truly a beautiful read by Alok Vaid-Menon “Beyond the Gender Binary” 

The World Happiness Report was released this week and not surprisingly it has some great things to say about volunteerism how it impacts a persons’ happiness. There are two things we want to draw your attention to from the report that should make you feel good. 

Firstly, despite being a rough couple years (anyone celebrate the 3 year anniversary of the COVID lockdown last week? Oh memories) there has been a global surge in benevolence which began in 2020, really got going in 2021 and according to the data is still going strong in 2022. This is a world that cares more about each other than previous years. This is showing up in volunteerism as more grassroots organizing, more neighbours helping neighbours and more people identifying gaps in their communities and finding a way to respond to it. This is good news. 

Secondly, there is new data in the World Happiness Report around the link between positive social connections and happiness. Positive social support was strongly tied to “how satisfied people are with their relationships with other people.” The takeaway is that people are more resilient in crisis when they have relationships. For people who engage volunteers this is a reminder that the space you create in your volunteer program might be the only place that human is finding belonging and connection in their life. Your cause is important but the interaction between the humans engaged with your cause is just as valuable. 

You can read the full report here.

Spring feels like it could be just around the corner on this side of the country. The snow is melting, the birds are singing, the warm sun is making a coffee on the patio possible. Spring is all about growth and so here are two simple wishes for volunteerism and organizations this week. They might seem like little things but best believe they could make a massive difference in the experience of a volunteer inside an organization. 

Wish 1: Be specific in your asks 

In the past couple months I have seen a couple posts on our local community page asking for volunteers and it goes something like this "looking for volunteers to help with XYZ event, date, time, email address" This is an awesome first step but volunteers are humans with a million things going on in their lives so the more information you can provide up front the better. It saves everyone time and energy in the beginning and fills in the blanks and questions you might not even know exist (ps our opportunity posting page does a great job of walking through this if you need some help!) Volunteers need to not just know where to be and when but everything that is involved. Sometimes it is hard to think about those people who are not yet swimming in the water of your organization. 

Wish 2: Show gratitude to the humans 

I recently read a volunteer info page that has been living rent free in my head for the past 2 months, one line in particular "if there is food leftover the volunteers at this event can have some". While there is absolutely no ill intent meant by this and I am 100% certain this is a simple logistical issue, meant to be interpreted as a 'perk' to volunteering I can assure you as a potential volunteer it is not. If having a meal provided is indeed a bonafide perk of a volunteer role - wonderful brag about it! Put it all in caps! If it is not than simply do not include it, and instead include the long list of very legitimate benefits that someone will get from giving their time to your organization. Think about what this perk/benefit will mean to the volunteer because dedicating time to an organization is a massive gift which deserves more than a maybe sandwich.  

Do you have wishes for volunteerism? We would love to hear info@volunteerconnector.org 

We don't often talk about the $$$ required to run the VolunteerConnector. The last few years have been especially lean, requiring our board to approve targeted investments into the life of the Connector. What you may not realize is that, as a registered charity, we are almost 100% funded through grants and donations. It also means that every upgraded subscription goes right back into the development of the features and future plans of the platform.

Every single investment in the the VolunteerConnector enriches the lives of every Albertan as barriers to volunteering get further reduced. These investments echo not just this year or next but through to the next generation of volunteers looking to engage in community.

Yesterday we received some welcome news. We were approved for an Alberta CIP Grant! Thanks to the team at the Alberta Ministry of Culture.

So, ever wonder what happens when the government grants to a cool place like the Connector … it means improved access to volunteering for everyone! Not only that, thanks to our many and growing Regional Partners across the country it means that access to volunteering improves for all Canadians!

Here's a sample of our 2022 Year in Review:

Looking forward to even more to celebrate in 2023! Its off to a great start!!

Your VolunteerConnector Team

The benefits of volunteerism

Volunteering is often heralded as an act of selflessness—a way of serving your community. Give of your time and make the world around you better! On many levels, this is true. Of course, we should do what we can to help others in need and contribute to our community. But what mustn’t be overlooked are the secondary benefits of volunteering — self-improvement and personal growth.

What's in it for me?

Volunteering is a way to give back to your community, build relationships, and improve your well-being. It can also provide personal development and growth; volunteering can be a tremendous building block, personally and professionally.

Additionally, if you are an organization that relies on volunteers, you should be conscious of the personal benefits of volunteering. The volunteer retention rate is significantly higher when individual volunteers are engaged personally, focusing on their skills and interests.

Three benefits to the volunteer

Personal Fulfillment

Some individuals spend their whole lives in search of meaning and purpose. The ultimate question then becomes — where do you find it? Are you fulfilled by your job and success in your career? Do purpose and fulfillment come from family or community? Do you derive purpose from a religious belief? Research suggests that in the same way we find fulfillment at work, we can find personal fulfillment and meaning through volunteering (Caraveo, 2022). If you are considering volunteering or wondering where to serve, consider the things that provide you with personal fulfillment and look for an opportunity to serve in a related area.

Skill Development

Have you ever tried to get a job that requires more experience than you have? How are you meant to obtain said experience? Volunteering is the answer. In a Deloitte survey, 86% of respondents stated that putting volunteer activities on your resume improves your chance of getting hired.

Even if you’re not looking to bolster your resume, if you are a person committed to life-long learning and growth, volunteering can be an excellent tool for personal development. Research on skill-based volunteering tells us two things — volunteers are more fulfilled when they serve based on their skill set, and there is an opportunity in volunteering to learn or develop more skills. (Dempsey-Branch & Shantz 2022).

Building Community

If you are part of a friend group, religious group, or co-workers who have volunteered together, you understand the camaraderie of serving together. If you want to find a community or make friends, volunteering can be the perfect place. If you want to spend time helping at an organization you are passionate about, the odds are high that you will meet someone there with like-minded passions and interests. Meeting new people can also provide an opportunity to grow your professional circle. You never know whom you are going to meet when you volunteer.

The privilege of finding purpose

Remembering that we volunteer out of a position of privilege is important. Not only do we volunteer out of our spare time, but we can also seek meaning, purpose, and community through these activities because we can meet our basic daily needs. Because we don’t lack the necessary support to help us meet certain responsibilities. Because we don’t live under the threat of famine and war. We must understand that it’s out of privilege that we can seek out and ponder the answers to these existential questions of self-fulfillment and growth.

So next time you want to better yourself, learn a new skill, or make a new friend, consider finding a place to volunteer and do some good in the process.

This blog post is a two parter - shout out to boards and highlighting some cool opportunities on VolunteerConnector so here we go! 

We are heading into board recruitment season, lots of organizations and causes are looking for lots of positions. If you are reading this and don’t think you belong on a board or you don’t have the “right” qualifications, you are EXACTLY the person who should be there! So think about using that board filter at the top of the page and finding a cause that resonates with you. If a board feels like too much commitment- hooray for being honest about how much energy you must commit. Many boards also have committees where you can lend your expertise, perspective and lived experience. 

Alright, part two - here are some opportunities that we don’t see every day and sound cool to us:

Love the term “relational rockstar” -

Social Media Coordinator

Use your design skills to help an awesome national organization - 

Volunteer with Canada Confesses' Design Team!

Give some time and enjoy the theatre - 

Theatre Attendant

Volunteer as a family! - 

Literacy for Life Foundation

Happy Volunteering,

Your VolunteerConnector Team

My Personal Journey of Giving Back and Making Lifelong Connections

Volunteering has always been a big part of my life. I believe that giving back to the community and helping others is a fulfilling experience that can bring people together and build a strong community. My volunteering journey started when I was in college and it has been an incredible journey so far.

One of my most memorable volunteer experiences was when I joined a local food bank to distribute food to the homeless and families in need. It was a challenging task as we had to sort and distribute food to a large number of people in a short amount of time. Despite the challenges, it was a fulfilling experience. I got to interact with many people from different walks of life, and it was heartwarming to see how grateful they were for the food.

Through volunteering, I have met people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Volunteering has given me the opportunity to connect with people on a personal level, and I have made some lifelong friends. I remember meeting a woman named Susan at the food bank who was struggling to make ends meet. She was so grateful for the food and we got talking. Over time, we became good friends and continue to support each other. I feel grateful to have met her and to have made a positive impact in her life.

Another experience that I cherish was volunteering at a local animal shelter. I have always had a love for animals, and this opportunity was a dream come true for me. I got to spend time with the animals, playing with them, feeding them and giving them the love and attention they needed. I was amazed at how each animal had its own personality and how they brought so much joy to everyone who visited the shelter. Through volunteering at the shelter, I got to connect with other animal lovers, and we bonded over our love for animals.

Volunteering has also given me the opportunity to develop new skills and interests. For example, I joined a local community garden where I learned how to grow and maintain a garden. I had no prior experience in gardening, but I was eager to learn and get my hands dirty. Through volunteering, I learned so much about gardening, and I even started growing my own vegetables at home.

In conclusion, volunteering is a great way to build community. It gives us the opportunity to connect with people, make a positive impact in someone’s life, and develop new skills and interests. I believe that by volunteering, we can create a sense of community and bring people together. Whether it is helping at a food bank, animal shelter, or community garden, every volunteer experience is unique and fulfilling in its own way. So, if you haven’t already, I encourage you to find a volunteer opportunity that aligns with your passions and values and join the journey to building a stronger community.

Guest Blogger

Panos Kalsos

Making sure the people who give their time and energy to a cause that they are passionate about are celebrated is a vital part of any organization! The research suggests that burnout and turnover are at historically high rates in the charitable sector so it is more important than ever that we are valuing the humans that make all the work possible. This is especially vital in organizations that are made of solely of volunteers. Board members - you have to appreciate each other too! Many organizations tether their volunteer appreciation to National Volunteer Week and that is great if it works, if there is another time and space that makes more sense than do that - there are no rules to making other humans feel appreciated! We do recognize that this can all feel overwhelming and add to the stress that many are already feeling so we have done a couple things to help you out:

Volunteer Celebration Worksheet 

A template to help you get the information from your volunteers about the things that make them feel special! Find it on our Get Support and Learn page. 

Volunteer Recognition Learning Circle

 We are hosting a learning circle on volunteer recognition come prepared to share with your community peers things that are working or not working for you. We all learn more from failure than success! Join us March 15 at 11:00 MST, Register here on Eventbrite

Individual Coaching

If neither of these work for you or you feel like you need more specialized support or conversation, please do not hesitate to reach out for personalized coaching from one of our awesome team members (Coaching Intro Survey & Booking)