It’s not just fun and Games: The volunteer legacy of large-scale sporting events

More than a thousand colour-coordinated volunteers came together to sing the theme song at the opening ceremonies of the 1988 Calgary Olympics, standing where they were told to stand. One of the volunteers said later, “We made a flag standing...

Giving, Volunteering and Participating: Latest survey results from Statistics Canada

In late January, Statistics Canada released the results of its 2013 General Social Survey – Giving, Volunteering and Participating (GSS GVP). The bottom line: Giving and volunteering are up; total number of givers and volunteers are down. And the population...

Waiting but not idle: How to keep potential volunteers engaged with your organization

Janine had been out of the work force for a few years when she decided to ease back into work by volunteering for a local organization whose work she admired. She sent an email enquiry about volunteering. Weeks passed and...

How to recruit paid volunteers

Did that title grab you?? I sure hope it did. Because today, I have a quick guide about something I think could be one of the most revolutionary things to hit volunteering since its invention - get this - more...

A skills-based volunteering model that delivers value to both companies and communities

Reduce costs or invest in professional development? Seems more organizations are wrestling with this question every day. With economic uncertainty and fiscal restraint the new norm, business leaders are justifiably concerned about costs and demands on resources. A recent pilot...

The tool that every volunteer coordinator needs

How often has this happened to you - you interview a prospective volunteer, love their background, love what they offer, and love what they could bring to your movement, but you never hear from them beyond the initial interview? If...

Focusing on shared value: The changing nature of nonprofit and business partnerships

It wasn’t that long ago that nonprofits and charities had the corner on doing social good, and their relation to businesses simply revolved around asking them for money. In the last few years, however, the relationship between nonprofits and businesses...

The changing face of volunteering in Canada

The recent Global Volunteer Conference addressed the vital role of volunteers in an increasingly polarized and fragmented world, calling on all sectors to make volunteering a priority and to recognize the contribution of volunteers in making the world a better...

The science of motivation

“Ah, you studied psychology.” “Yes.” Nervous twitch. Sudden refusal to make eye contact, like they realized I have X-ray vision or can read the darkest secrets of their soul. The squirming is a definite perk of the degree. But what...

Getting ready for the skilled volunteer

A new kind of volunteer is emerging. More today than ever before, people with high-level skills are offering their services to respected nonprofits. The “skilled volunteer” is someone who has specialized professional skills to offer, skills that do not fall...