Posts Tagged: Community

Coping After Natural Disasters – Care for your community with Psychological First Aid

Guest post by Owen Thompson, Alberta Museums Association Albertans are no strangers to natural disasters. We have been faced with the threat of wildfire, flood, avalanche, extreme storms, extreme heat, tornados, the list goes on. Yet, even within the framework of an experienced and professional infrastructure, the unprecedented flooding in summer of 2013 left a…

2015 Federal Election – Vote with nonprofits in mind

Earlier this year, we encouraged Albertans to go to the polls in the Provincial Election. Once again we are calling on all Albertans and Canadians to vote, and to vote with nonprofits in mind in the Canadian Federal Election on Monday, October 19. After all, we are all impacted by the work of nonprofits. The…

Is the New Era Already Here?

The emergence of a new era is arriving in the form what some are calling the “fourth sector”. Entrepreneurs, driven by a desire to contribute to the social good, are ushering in the arrival of this era by developing sustainable, social purpose business models or as referred to in the Harvard Business Review, For-Benefit Enterprises….

Working to create vibrant communities is complex work

People working across the province in government, business, nonprofit, and community all face Alberta’s 21st century reality. When looking forward to the future, we’re asking ourselves, what relationships need to exist to create the conditions to collectively make a positive impact in Alberta’s communities? To begin to answer this question is no simple feat. It…

Alberta’s Minimum Wage Increase – Why I’m Embracing It!

The following are my thoughts and reflections and may not represent the official position of Volunteer Alberta. The Government of Alberta has pledged to increase the minimum wage to $15/hr by 2018. The plan includes an increase this fall from $10.20 to $11.20 for most workers, and from $9.20 to $10.20 for employees serving liquor…

The Greatest Roller-Coaster – Volunteerism

Being dedicated to changing the world is like riding a roller-coaster of emotions. Sometimes it’s the kiddie-coaster in a mall parking lot, other times it is the biggest, fastest, most flashy roller-coaster in the world. For me, I choose to ride the change-the-world-roller-coaster by volunteering my time, talent and energy. My entire life I’ve been…

The Nonprofit Narrative: Are We Sharing The Whole Story?

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of the narrative in the nonprofit sector. More and more, we are being told to tell our stories, and with good reason. The story is the core of an organization; it is both an organization’s raison d’être and its most significant tool. With the breadth of…

Who will you be thinking of on Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday is a spin-off event from American Thanksgiving that serves as a response to consumer-driven days Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It may have originated in the United States in 2012, but Canadians enthusiastically embraced the Giving Tuesday concept and brought it north of the border last year. December 2 will mark the 2nd…

Can nonprofits influence economic development?

The other day on my way into work I stopped at a new coffee shop here in Edmonton. Besides the good quality coffee and tasty breakfast sandwich, the unique location of Burrow Central Station is what sets this cafe apart. It is the first business of its kind in Edmonton to be located underground, connected…

Nonprofit Experiences: It’s Personal

Our experiences with nonprofits are varied: we may work or volunteer in the sector, or donate to our favourite organizations. Some of us find a sense of community through cultural and religious expression, or enjoy sports, arts, and entertainment through the sector. Our education is often provided by the sector. Perhaps most importantly, the sector…