National Volunteer Action Strategy Gathering in St. John’s, NL – October 2025
In October, we were grateful to convene alongside the Community Sector Council, NL and Volunteer Canada in St. John’s, NL and come together with sector leaders from across Canada to discuss:
- The rapidly shifting volunteering landscape
- Regional innovations in research, data, volunteer engagement and volunteer mobilization
- The critical role of Provincial and Territorial volunteer centers, volunteer center networks and capacity builders in advocacy and creating an enabling environment for volunteering in their respective regions
- The critical role of volunteering in promoting health and well-being of Canadian communities
- Building the muscle for capacity and innovation within the sector
- Coordination, collaboration and co-creation Planning for International Volunteer Year (IVY 2026)
Together, we’re proud to be advancing the National Volunteer Action Strategy, strengthening Canada’s volunteer ecosystem, and co-creating a vision for volunteering that values collaboration, innovation, and community well-being. We’re excited for what’s ahead!
Reflections from the Banff/Canmore NVAS Roundtable – October 2025
We wrapped up the in-person NVAS Alberta Round Tables with Volunteer Canada in beautiful Banff, AB, and what an incredible day of collaboration it was! We heard about:
- The necessity of thinking about building our collective ability to care for our aging communities
- The critical role that trust based philanthropy plays in supporting community impact
- The ways that neighborhood block parties and social spaces are being used to build emergency preparedness
- The supports needed for volunteer managers and volunteer engagers
- The importance of understanding what meaningful volunteer appreciation looks like
The impact of local solutions that are empowered through Pan-Canadian and regional advocacy and coordination. - The importance of understanding volunteering, civic engagement, and participation as a core component of community health outcomes
Big thanks to all the local leaders and organizations who shared what makes the Banff-Canmore volunteer ecosystem so resilient and strong. We were so grateful to be a part of all the thoughtful, creative, and inspiring conversations. The insights we heard will be brought into the larger National Strategy to help volunteers and volunteer-engaging organizations continue to make meaningful contributions in communities across Canada.
Reflections from the Calgary NVAS Roundtable – October 2025
We were thrilled to kick off the in-person NVAS Alberta Round Tables with Volunteer Canada and the Calgary Foundation in Calgary on October 14th. A heartfelt thank you to all the participants who brought depth, complexity, and local context to the emerging recommendations.
Here’s what we heard:
Volunteering is the gift that people give to their communities.
It’s important to show volunteers that we value their time and presence. Volunteering isn’t transactional—it’s about valuing the gift of time and volunteers as whole human beings.
Volunteering can be seen as a privilege, but it doesn’t have to be.
Many Canadians are currently focused on meeting their basic needs. We should consider how we can:
- Remove barriers to volunteering for low-income communities and people facing economic hardship
- Validate informal contributions such as neighbourhood initiatives, community care, and mutual aid.
- Ensure community charities and nonprofits have the volunteers and support they need to meet growing demand.
Social determinants of health and volunteering.
The NVAS envisions a volunteer ecosystem where everyone can experience the health benefits of connection and purpose. Inclusive, accessible volunteer pathways build stronger, more resilient communities. We’re grateful to everyone who helped co-create this vision of a more inclusive, resilient volunteer ecosystem.
Thank you for joining our Alberta NVAS Round Tables. These sessions are now complete.
Volunteer Alberta and Volunteer Canada held the National Volunteer Action Strategy (NVAS) Round Tables—virtual and in-person conversations designed for non-profits, charities, volunteer centres, and volunteer-engaging organizations across Alberta in September and October 2025.
What’s NVAS?
The National Volunteer Action Strategy is a Canada-wide initiative to reimagine and strengthen volunteering. It aims to build a more inclusive, coordinated, and resilient volunteer ecosystem. Together, we explored what’s working well, where support is most needed, and how we can collectively strengthen volunteerism and the non-profit ecosystem.
Why join?
These sessions are your chance to:
- Share your insights and experience
- Explore emerging data from NVAS consultations
- Co-create recommendations
- Discuss how we can collectively strengthen and shape the future of volunteering in Alberta and across Canada
- The in-person sessions in October built on the online round tables hosted in September and offered a unique opportunity to connect face-to-face with peers, share local insights, and directly inform national recommendations.
Completed Sessions
Urban-Based Organizations
September 15, 1:00 – 2:30 PM MDT
Northern Albertan Rural Organizations
September 16, 1:00 – 2:30 PM MDT
Southern Albertan Rural Organizations
September 18, 1:00 – 2:30 PM MDT
Calgary In-person Session
October 14, 1 – 3:30 PM MDT
Banff/Canmore In-person Session
October 16, 2025 | 12 – 4 PM MDT