Blogs and Articles
Blogs and Articles
A collection of thought pieces written by the Volunteer Alberta Team and our collaborators.
Call For Pension Experts: Help advance retirement security for Alberta’s nonprofit workforce
ABNN and Volunteer Alberta are seeking individuals with expertise in pensions, policy, finance, or nonprofit leadership to join a Pension Project Task Force as part of a...
Recognition as a Verb: Helping Volunteers Feel Seen and Valued Through Meaningful Volunteer Recognition
In every community, there is a volunteer who shows up for every single shift and sometimes takes on extra work without being asked. There are board members who have offered...
Save the date! VA's 2026 AGM
You’re invited to Volunteer Alberta’s virtual Annual General Meeting on June 10, 2026, 2:00-4:00pm, via Zoom! Be sure to check this webpage for more details coming soon....
A Month of Kindness
This past February, our team explored how acts of kindness can support wellbeing. Our month-long initiative, Winter Whimsy, gave VA staff the chance to show kindness and...
Meaningful Volunteer Experiences
This post wraps up our Volunteer Participation Learning Series, where we’ve been sharing insights from our national volunteer participation study conducted in partnership...
Intersectionality and Building Communities
with Joyce Parenteau and Micheal McOuat Over the last few years, Volunteer Alberta has been exploring the concept of Inclusive Engagement by asking how organizations can...
More Than a Role: Volunteering As a Spectrum
About This Series This post is the second installment in our learning series exploring insights from our national volunteer participation study, conducted in partnership with...
Volunteering as Care, Connection, and Contribution
About This Series This post is the first in a three-part learning series exploring the insights from our national volunteer participation research conducted in partnership...
Rethinking Vulnerable Sector Checks: A Restorative Approach
By Jose Guevarra Vulnerable Sector Checks are intended to protect communities, but overreliance on them can unintentionally exclude potential volunteers—especially those from...
Leduc's Strategy for Community Engagement and Growth
Leduc stands out for its volunteer programming by integrating a dedicated volunteer strategy into its city plan. The Leduc City Council prioritizes volunteerism through its...
Rethinking Background Checks: An Intersectional Approach to Equity
By Jose Guevarra Though background checks are intended to protect vulnerable populations, they often uphold systemic barriers, especially for folks navigating inequities tied...
(Re)Engaged 101: The What, Why, and How
Re-imagining Volunteerism: Bridging the Gap Between Formal Service and Community Care Our friends from InWithForward have written this informative post about the focus of...
(Re)Engaged: A Historical Perspective on Volunteerism
What does it mean to be a volunteer? When you think of volunteering today, you probably conjure up images of organizations, of application forms, and criminal record checks....
Cultivating Connections: Enhancing Volunteer Retention Through Inclusion, Training, and Recognition
Volunteer management is an integral part of any nonprofit organization. At its core, a volunteer manager’s role involves ensuring that volunteers are actively engaged through...
Tips for Boosting Your Volunteer Recruitment Strategy
Okay, so you need volunteers – but what makes people want to volunteer? It’s important to recognize that there are different types of volunteer motivations. Understanding...
Rapid Fire Theatre on Inclusive and Accessible Spaces
Written by Alison Besecker (Senior Coordinator, Networks & Engagement) & Eunice Doroni (Manager, Engagement & Relationships) In 2022, Volunteer Alberta started the work of...
Flowing Fridays: Staff Reflection
One of the most challenging aspects of playing pool, at least in my experience, is eye strain and fatigue. Pool isn’t an activity that is very hard on the body, but when...
Screening Youth IN, Not OUT
Youth are an integral part of the volunteering and civic engagement landscape. The 2018 General Survey on Giving, Volunteering, and Participating showed that approximately...