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This week marks National Truth and Reconciliation Day. We know this work is not just a single day, it is daily and generational work. 

For Organizations, The 94 Calls to Action, if you want an example of how these calls can be actioned. We would encourage you to read the Canadian Museums Association’s Moved to Action: Activating UNDRIP in Canadian Museums. 

For individuals, check out 4 Seasons of Indigenous Learning.

We love meaningful conversations so please reach out if you want to chat further about please do reach out. Please take time to breathe deeply and reflect over the course of the weekend, we look forward to connecting further. 

Volunteer Alberta and Volunteer Canada are conducting a national survey to understand what volunteering looks like today in different parts of Canada. This research will explore why people volunteer, how they're volunteering, and what barriers or challenges they might face (or be hindered by) when looking to participate in volunteering efforts. 

Objectives 

Inventory of Motivations: Identify a list of motivations that drive Canadians to volunteer and understand the variations in these motivations. 

Volunteer (Non)Participation Today: Gain insights into volunteer participation today, including the challenges and barriers faced by (potential) volunteers. 

Organizational Support: Identify ways in which organizations can better support and encourage volunteerism. 

Two Surveys 

For volunteers: This survey will help us learn directly from the experiences of volunteers (and non-volunteers) about trends in volunteer participation, key motivations, and barriers.  

For organizations: We also want to learn from the organizational perspective and better understand what organizational representatives think and see regarding this topic. 

National Volunteer Survey

National Organization Survey

We love seeing cool volunteer things in the wild and this sign made the list. Shout out to Bike Cochrane! Here are some reasons we think this sign is awesome: 

You are meeting people where they are at. The humans who are using the pump track are the ones who care and are invested in its ongoing maintenance. 

The commitment is short and flexible, especially during the summer when schedules are out of whack. People who don’t have a lot of time in other seasons might have time in the summer, and life in the summer can sometime vary week to week. This allows people to make a commitment that fits in their schedule. 

The expectations are clear and reflect the urgent need of the organization. The organization gets to keep a list of the things that need done for everyone to enjoy the space and people get to contribute in a meaningful way. 

The connection is instant. A person can immediately go to the site, check their schedule and sign up for a week that works. 

Humans can do this as a family unit and that set up is encouraged! We get inquiries to our email from people looking to experience the benefits of volunteerism as a family so it is awesome to see an opportunity that fits that need!

This week we welcome guest blog writer Ashley. Ashley lived and worked in Calgary for more than 25 years, but now resides in B.C. She volunteered with the 39th Rangers in Calgary for three years. Ashley loves all things outdoors and adventure, is meticulously organized with a safety mindset, so Girl Guides was a natural fit. She loves to travel, write anything and everything and truly believe in the power of volunteering and education to better the world. Ashley currently work as a substitute teacher, tutor and freelance communications specialist in Vernon. She firmly believes her dog, while a menace, is also the cutest dog ever.

When I first began volunteering with Girl Guides, it was a way to fill my free time and give back to the community. Little did I know, it was the beginning of a transformative journey. 

I had just left my corporate office job and was searching for a career path with more meaning when a friend had suggested joining her in leading a Ranger unit (girls aged 15-17) in need of Guiders. I had no idea how much saying yes would change the trajectory of my life. Through volunteering with Girl Guides, I rediscovered my passion for mentoring and teaching, which led me to pursue a career in education. 

I was a little intimidated to be joining an organization I had not been a part of growing up - I worried that I didn’t know as much as the girls I’d be leading, as most of them had been in Guides since they were young. I couldn’t have been more wrong! They were so welcoming and I was amazed by the enthusiasm, openness and supportiveness they brought to every meeting. Guiding them through their planning, helping them develop new skills and watching their confidence grow reignited a spark in me. It was in these moments that I realized how much I had to offer and how deeply I enjoyed inspiring young minds and witnessing the girls become empowered. 

Encouraged by my experience with the Rangers, I took the leap and went back to school (well into my late 30s) to earn my Bachelor of Education. It was a busy and rewarding two years of intense learning, and I remained a volunteer guide leader throughout. My ongoing involvement with the Rangers was so beneficial to my classroom learning - they taught me so much about inclusiveness, equity and capability, and patiently bore with me as I tried new teaching tools and techniques with them. 

After graduating, I began working full-time as a substitute teacher and had to take a step back from guiding as I navigated a new and challenging career. Looking back, I am so grateful to the friend that extended her hand and the people that guided me along this path. Volunteering with the Girl Guides was the catalyst that ignited a passion for teaching. Each day brings new challenges and rewards. When it gets tough, I take a deep breath and remember what volunteering with the Rangers taught me - be positive, supportive and inclusive and your students can surprise and amaze you.

VolunteerConnector is a platform that exists on the world wide web, which is very cool! It also offers a hyper-local solution to people looking to be connected inside their community! It is the best of both worlds helps humans to build thriving community whatever that version is for them! There are three spots when posting your opportunity that can help ensure the humans you want to see your postings are. We have this handy little sheet to help you make the best out of those features!

Remote- use this toggle if it does not matter where a volunteer is located. Remote means someone can be in a different time zone and at a coffee shop or in their living room! It does not mean 

Address- use this for the physical location of role. If you are needing humans live and, in the flesh, (think a festival, museum greeter, youth programming, fitness instructor) use the most accurate location for where this work is occurring. People need to know where they need to be and if that works for them. 

Audience- you get to choose where your opportunity will show up for people. If you are thinking the humans, you need are in your postal code select local. If you are looking for someone who lives anywhere across the country than national is the space, you need. If you are looking for support in different provinces or territories, you can directly target them as well. Choose the option that works best for you and what is reasonable for the person seeing this opportunity

This week we are pleased to welcome Guest Blog Writer Dakshita Saraswat. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to volunteer with the Calgary Immigrant Women's Association (CIWA), a dedicated organization that supports immigrant women and their families. My role involved working at their summer camp for children, an experience that resonated deeply with me and brought back memories of my own immigration journey. 

From a young age, my family moved frequently due to my father's work. Each move meant starting over in a new country, with new schools, new friends, and a new culture to navigate. These frequent relocations were challenging, and I often felt a profound sense of loneliness. I vividly recall many days when I would retreat to the bathroom at school to cry, overwhelmed by the difficulty of adjusting to a new environment and the struggle to communicate in a different language. 

As I volunteered at the summer camp, I encountered children who had recently arrived from Ukraine. Their experiences mirrored my own in many ways. These young immigrants faced numerous barriers, the most significant being the language barrier. Many of them could not speak English fluently, which made it difficult for them to interact with their peers and fully participate in camp activities. Watching them struggle with this reminded me of my own feelings of isolation and frustration. 

When I first tried to engage with the children, they were understandably shy and nervous. It was clear that they were still adapting to their new surroundings and the challenges that came with it. However, as I spent more time with them, I began to see their resilience and adaptability. Despite their initial hesitation, they gradually opened up and started to share their thoughts and feelings. 

One of the most enlightening moments came when I asked the children how they were adjusting to life in Canada. To my surprise, their responses were overwhelmingly positive. They spoke about how welcoming Canada had been to them and their families. Many of them mentioned that they liked Canada even more than their home country, a sentiment I found both surprising and heartwarming. They appreciated the safety, the kindness of the people, and the opportunities they had here. 

This experience was incredibly eye-opening for me. It highlighted the importance of creating supportive and inclusive environments for immigrant children. These children, despite facing significant challenges, demonstrated remarkable strength and optimism. Their positive outlook on life in Canada showed me that with the right support, immigrant children can thrive and find happiness in their new homes. 

Volunteering at the CIWA summer camp also reinforced the value of empathy and understanding. As someone who has gone through the immigrant experience, I was able to connect with these children on a deeper level. I understood their fears, their frustrations, and their hopes. This connection allowed me to provide the support and encouragement they needed. 

Moreover, this experience reminded me of the importance of community. The children felt welcomed and accepted in Canada largely because of the support they received from organizations like CIWA and the broader community. It underscored the crucial role that community support plays in helping immigrants integrate and feel at home in a new country. 

In conclusion, my time volunteering with CIWA was not just about giving back; it was a journey of reflection and learning. It reminded me of my own struggles and triumphs as an immigrant and allowed me to witness firsthand the resilience and adaptability of immigrant children. This experience has inspired me to continue advocating for and supporting immigrant communities, ensuring that they have the resources and support they need to succeed and thrive in their new environments. 

If you are looking to help support the people of Jasper as they move forward after the devastating wildfire that is still active in their community, there are a couple of different approaches you can take. 

Immediately 

Jasper Community Team Society is the primary organization that the municipality is asking that funds be directed towards. Jasper Community Team Society works directly with the Municipality of Jasper’s Community Development Department to ensure a thriving community. Donations can be made directly to them through their website. 

There are webs of connections in the province of Alberta, if you have a specific offer put it out into the community via friends/family and community pages. You never know who knows someone, who knows someone who needs a hand. The needs of individuals and families will shift and vary as time progresses. 

In the future 

Follow Jasper Community Team Society on their social media channels and stay updated on the needs of the people in Jasper.

Check back on VolunteerConnector regularly to see what opportunities come available to support the community of Jasper. Fundraising events require volunteers and there will undoubtedly be those needs in the future. 

We were recently having a conversation with what we call a legacy organization. An organization that has existed for a long time and through that time has engaged volunteers in similar manners, meaning for them volunteers are at the core of what they do and how they do it. They rely on volunteers to do a bulk of their good in community, the labour of their organization and it has not shifted much. We were discussing the communities across the country and how things look different but also the same in terms of the volunteerism landscape. That there are things that happen in Smith’s Settlement, Nova Scotia, that are also happening in Golden, British Columbia to foster an engaged and thriving community.  That what is needed is that print off sign on the grocery store bulletin board AND a digital footprint on VolunteerConnector. There is lots of commentary out there around increasing polarization. Humans seem to love a clear and easy solution when in fact engaging people and meeting community need is far more dynamic a process. If you are involved in an organization and are needing to bring more people into the fold you should get an opportunity up on VolunteerConnector even if you have previously relied on that bulletin board and even if it has worked well for you in the past. You never know who is out and about, new in the community who cares about the work you are doing! You can still get the poster up around town to catch those humans! If you have more questions or need support in getting your opportunity from poster format onto VolunteerConnector, please get in touch! We love to help. 

This week we welcome guest blogger Nirali Bhati.Nirali Bhate is a financial professional with a decade of corporate experience and a blend of marketing skills. Recently, Nirali moved to Canada for a better life and is passionate about writing and sharing her insights. She runs a quotes page on Instagram and loves nature, art, and music. After living in Calgary, she now calls beautiful British Columbia home. As the wife of a seafarer, she treasures family time as one of the most important things in life. 

Embracing Volunteering as a Newcomer in Canada 

Moving to a new country is both exciting and challenging. When I, Nirali, came to Canada, I was eager to immerse myself in this new world. Canada was so different from my home country, but one thing helped me settle in quickly: Volunteering. 

Starting Out 
As an immigrant, the transition to Canada was a mix of emotions. Everything was new, from the landscapes to the weather. Despite these changes, the warmth of the Canadian community stood out to me. One of the best decisions I made was to start volunteering at my child's school. I began helping with school events, and it was a wonderful way to meet other parents and teachers. Whether it was going on field trips or assisting in the classroom, each activity helped me feel more connected. 

Building Community 
Volunteering helped me understand the importance Canadians place on community service. This was different from my previous experiences and gave me a deeper appreciation for the culture here. It wasn't just about giving back; it was about becoming part of the community. 

Personal and Professional Growth 
Volunteering also benefited my professional life. This made my transition into the Canadian job market smoother. 

Making Connections 
One of the most rewarding parts of volunteering has been the relationships I've built. As the wife of a merchant navy officer, family time is precious and sometimes limited. Volunteering helped me create a support network and form friendships that have been invaluable during my husband's time away. This sense of community has made Canada feel like home. 

Encouraging Others 
I encourage other newcomers to volunteer. It helps you understand and integrate into the local culture, and it opens up opportunities for personal and professional growth. Whether at schools, local charities, or community events, each volunteering opportunity is a chance to learn, grow, and contribute. 

A Journey of Discovery 
My journey from a bustling financial career in my home country to volunteering in the schools and communities of beautiful British Columbia has been one of discovery. Embracing the values of service and community has not only helped me integrate into Canadian society but has also enriched my family's life in countless ways. 

Discovering VolunteerConnector.org 
Last but not the least .....! I also discovered VolunteerConnector.org, an incredible resource that helps people find volunteering opportunities. Through this platform, I found a unique opportunity to write letters to pen pals. This was perfect for me because I could do it from the comfort of my home and it involved my passion for writing. Writing these letters not only allowed me to connect with others but also gave me a sense of fulfillment and purpose. 

Volunteering has been a cornerstone in my journey as an immigrant, and I encourage everyone, whether new to the country or a lifelong resident, to explore the opportunities it offers. It's a pathway to making meaningful connections and truly experiencing the heart of Canada. 

We have been engaged in a lot of chatter recently around time. Who has it, who does it, how long things take, how to have more of it, where to spend it. 

Someone once told me that “time is an allocatable resource”, that everyone can decide how their time is spent and where they spend it. This same sentiment was recently shared again (probably 20 years after the first time) and this time it fell on wiser ears. There is a danger in this over simplistic version of assessing another person’s capacity and it is rooted in privilege, ignoring systems and realities. In both these scenarios the speaker was white man, in his middle aged with employment that fairly compensates. Both these men would have considered themselves with the times and aware of social justice issues and yet this massive blind spot exists and persists. The added danger of this view are the spaces that are controlled by this mindset and the trickle down in attitudes that happen across organizations. That then also shows up in norms, practices and policies. This of course shows up in the discourse around volunteerism. It puts the onus on the individual and absolves the organization of thinking deeper about who makes up their community and how much “allocatable time” actually exists for them and when that “allocatable time” occurs. For those individuals that have autonomy over their time let this serve as an important reminder that that reality is the abnormal one.