Volunteer screening is not only about screening people out as a form of risk mitigation; it is also about screening people in, finding the right fit for any volunteer role. Volunteer screening is a crucial part of recruiting volunteers for any nonprofit organization. However, the screening process can be complex and time-consuming. A collaboration between…
We believe volunteerism and civic engagement are crucial for health and well-being. We need people with different cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs to create a vibrant community and transform our lives and the lives of others through active participation. “(Being) Canadian is like being part of a big family. By having an enormous volunteer culture, we…
Background How do we create a community online? Volunteer Alberta’s Youth @ the Table (Y@TT) program asked this question when we moved to virtual programming because of the pandemic. Supported by Canada Service Corps, Y@TT is a province-wide initiative seeking to engage youth ages 18-30 at the governance level of nonprofit organizations. Our in-person gatherings…
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown everyone a curveball of some kind this past year. And, National Volunteer Week is no exception. Many communities are struggling with how to pivot volunteer recognition and engagement for safety and social distancing purposes. But! There are many ways communities can still recognize volunteers in their communities during National Volunteer…
Strategic planning is a significant part of determining where your organization is and where it needs to go. By developing a strategic plan, your organization can clarify and determine its priorities and what you need to achieve these priorities. In 2020, Volunteer Alberta undertook the task of developing our new mission and vision statements and…
What is a ‘volunteer centre’? A personal and short story At Volunteer Alberta, we connect Volunteer Centres with each other and with any resources they need to help make an impact in their communities. What is a volunteer centre you ask? Let me tell you! In high school, we were required to complete 120 volunteer…
As volunteers, our first instinct is to focus on how we can help. We want to be good neighbours and support our community through a crisis, but it is a bit more difficult now as we’re working to flatten the curve. In this blog, Daniela Seiferling from Volunteer Alberta and Ilya Ushakov from ECVO share examples of…
As COVID-19 has reached pandemic levels and physical distancing has become the best defence to stop the spread, many nonprofits have suspended volunteer recruitment efforts, modified frontline service delivery, or are searching for new ways to recruit or engage volunteers. We all have a role to play in flattening the curve, and, while the process…
As volunteer engagement specialists, it’s essential to recognize and respond to trends. Understanding who the volunteers are in the community and what types of opportunities they’re interested in helps engage and find volunteers in the current climate. This doesn’t change in a pandemic. In fact, we need to be more responsive and open to change…
Many nonprofits and charities experience challenges in recruiting young volunteers. What kind of language appeals to youth? What channels can you reach them on? And what type of opportunities are they looking for? Luckily, at Volunteer Alberta, we’ve created a unique volunteer matching program that connects youth with nonprofit boards across the province: Youth @…