In Alberta’s nonprofit voluntary sector, usually, our top priority is social good. We try our best to make our communities more vibrant, safe and overall better places to live for all Albertans. But, while we have good intentions, we may not always realize the unintended risk that comes with the work we do. Risk for…
When I give skilled volunteerism presentations, I feel there is always a little bit of a disparity between how we talk about conventional volunteering as opposed to “skilled volunteering”. We frame skilled volunteering as this newfangled, shiny amazing thing. And while the term is new, skilled volunteering is not a new phenomenon. So, it is…
It is essential for towns and cities to have a place to go for volunteer matching to create vibrant communities. And, St. Albert Community Information and Volunteer Centre (CIVC) does exactly this. Also known as St. Albert’s hidden gem, St. Albert CIVC is celebrating their 40th birthday this year as the go-to place for volunteer…
Growing up, December was the season of giving. My family celebrated Christmas by sharing with the community. Early on, my parents instilled the lessons that Christmas was not about the presents under the tree, it was about gifting our time and creating joyful memories for those around us. I recall many a December preparing shoeboxes…
Imagine trees wrapped in hand-knitted scarves on a cold winter’s day or children handing out lemonade on a hot summer day. In Hinton, you can easily come across informal volunteering or random acts of kindness. And, Hinton’s Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) is no different. One of Hinton FCSS’s main goals is to foster…
There is a misconception that volunteer screening is only about screening people out as a form of risk mitigation. And to a certain extent, volunteer screening is meant to accomplish this; but, screening is also about screening people in, finding the right fit for any type of volunteer role. However, volunteer screening – and screening…
As the holidays draw near, you can feel that the spirit of giving is in the air. It’s a great time of year that reminds us of how powerful giving back and spreading kindness can be. But, Alberta nonprofits remind us each day; they model this spirit of giving by voluntarily and selflessly giving back…
Often times when we think of social impact, we think of the grand gestures that are at the forefront of the sector and the most talked about. We think about impact in terms of financial donations, advocacy, and formal volunteering because these are the easiest stories to tell (and the ones our funders usually want…
Strengthening and equipping communities with outreach programs can be key in connecting and creating a local network. And, when communities are connected through a local network, they know how and what type of resources they can access, as well as identify opportunities for collaboration. Creating a ‘local network’ to end family violence Through its various…
A big part of retaining volunteers is finding new and innovative ways to engage them. By helping volunteers to develop soft skills, nonprofits can enrich volunteers’ experiences. Soft skills such as the ability to gel well in a team, make sound and/or quick decisions and communicate effectively are important for any nonprofit volunteer to successfully…