Many volunteers spend their time with non-profit organizations because the purpose and vision of what you’re doing in your communities resonates with their own goals, passions, and motivation to give back. Having volunteers comes with benefits and risks. Having youth volunteers may invite different benefits and risks than having only adult volunteers. As an organization,…
Launched this year, Youth @ the Table is Volunteer Alberta’s new youth engagement initiative. The program aims to create governance opportunities for young people ages 18 to 30 who are interested in the nonprofit sector. Participants will be paired with a nonprofit board in their community and spend six months learning directly from a mentor…
In a time where virtual volunteering is the new norm, young people looking for opportunities to give back or connect may wonder what being part of a virtual community is like. How do you keep people engaged online? What about tech issues? In its pilot year, Youth @ the Table convened eight youth from regional…
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 @…
“What do you want to do when you graduate?” September means a few things: green leaves and grass begin turning yellow and gold, the wind is a little crisper, pumpkin-spiced drinks are back, and of course, students are back in school. As a recent grad, I reflect on my post-secondary and employment journey often. The…
Has the belief that youth can change the world disappeared? Nowadays, people seem more pessimistic than ever towards youth – that youth today are more apathetic and consumed by their phones and social networks. As a result, a lot of people tend to overlook how to motivate youth to participate. But, 4-H Alberta still believes…
Youth engagement has been a hot topic in the nonprofit sector and community for the last several years. Nonprofits want to know how to reach young people and keep them engaged. Especially when it comes to getting young people at decision-making tables to support succession planning for the nonprofit sector. But, youth engagement goes beyond…
Finding solutions that suit your community may not be easy. But, when you approach solving complex issues with a mindset of abundance versus scarcity, multiple solutions tend to present themselves. This is how Volunteer Airdrie approached redesigning their programs and services within the past few years. By looking at what opportunities were available and identifying…
Volunteer Lethbridge’s unique approach to community collaboration Network leaders play an important role within the nonprofit sector. They create spaces for citizens, volunteers and organizations to collaborate and support one another. Volunteer Lethbridge is a nonprofit Network Leader in Alberta that promotes and fosters the value of volunteerism, community and the nonprofit sector. Currently, Volunteer…
What does Volunteer Alberta mean by skilled volunteerism? At Volunteer Alberta, we often speak of and promote skilled volunteerism and the value skilled volunteers can bring to nonprofit organizations. But what do we mean by “highly skilled volunteers”? Highly skilled volunteers include any volunteer that offers specific skills, knowledge, or expertise in an area where…