Sharing stories to inspire Edmonton’s next generation of volunteers
Edmonton has always been a volunteer town.
One need only look at any of our long-running and acclaimed festivals, our uniquely active community league network, or our response to the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire for proof that Edmontonians have always been fiercely eager to give up their time for the sake of their communities.
Each year, National Volunteer Week gives an opportunity for us at the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (ECVO) to recognize volunteers and volunteer-based organizations for all they do to make Edmonton a vibrant place to live. Almost every day, we catch wind of a unique volunteer opportunity, an organization inspiring leadership in citizens, or a personal story of how a volunteer has touched the life of a peer or a stranger.
Volunteers and their stories too often go unrecognized. We should all be more aware of their contributions and eager to spread these stories to the masses. It’s our best option for inspiring similar action in future generations.
This year, National Volunteer Week is April 15-21. In Edmonton, it begins one day earlier on Saturday, April 14 at the eighth annual Edmonton Volunteer Fair.
As Edmonton’s largest volunteer fair with 70+ organizations in attendance, it’s the first step in inspiring new volunteer connections. It’s the perfect time for volunteer hopefuls to lock in a great summer volunteer position, or take a stab at an entirely new volunteer role. Having an opportunity to chat directly with volunteer managers can help eliminate fear and uncertainty about one’s volunteer potential.
Throughout National Volunteer Week, ECVO will be collecting stories and perspectives from Edmonton volunteers and sharing across our networks. We’re publishing daily content to the ECVO blog and starting conversations on social media. There may even be a few contests scattered throughout.
We’ll ask the questions. If you volunteer in Edmonton, we would love to hear from you. Your story can help inspiring an up-and-coming volunteer into action.
WHY VOLUNTEER?
Last year, ECVO celebrated Canada’s 150th birthday by asking 150 local volunteers what keeps their volunteer fire alight. Despite such a large sample, we heard a lot of common themes.
Many focused on how good they feel knowing that they’re helping others. Even more explained that they felt it was essential to creating safe, healthy and connected communities.
We also heard many unique answers and themes tied to particular demographics. Youth and young adults, for example, tended to emphasise how volunteering has helped build skills, expand their networks and increase their confidence to become leaders in their communities. We heard from newcomers that volunteering helps with settlement – providing pathways to community supports and local culture.
Others valued the opportunity to gain exposure to different communities and cultures within their city, or even abroad.
We recently learned about Global Shapers, an international network of young leaders working to offer creative solutions for global challenges. The Edmonton chapter is currently working on reducing urban isolation in Edmonton by creating accessible events for young Edmontonians to mix and mingle. They also benefit from access to a massive international network of like-minded youth across 378 city hubs worldwide.
Groups like Global Shapers are helping our next generations become strong leaders on the local and international stages.
WHERE AND HOW CAN YOU VOLUNTEER?
Edmonton is home to more than 4,000 non-profit organizations, many of which survive on the energy of volunteers. You can find volunteer roles with organizations as prominent as the City of Edmonton or as small as a neighbourhood museum or arts collective.
And that doesn’t even include opportunities with informal groups you can find or create within your school, neighbourhood or household. Even a simple act like cooking a hot meal for your grandparents or organizing a regular bike ride with your neighbours is a valuable act of volunteering that should be recognized.
Most people think of volunteers as those that help with support organizations, working to deliver hot meals to less fortunate Edmontonians, organizing donations at a food bank, or mentoring youth. These opportunities are generally available year-round, though occasionally you can find interesting initiatives to climb aboard.
One example is the Coldest Night of the Year. Every winter, cities across Canada host community walks inviting the public to raise money and awareness for their city’s homeless.
This past February, Edmonton’s Coldest Night of the Year was hosted by the Bissell Centre. Locals raised more than $79,000, shattering Bissell’s original goal of $45,000. Even better, we heard from organizers that events like this allow Edmontonians to explore their city and see what life can be like for the less fortunate, and be inspired by the myriad organizations and volunteer working to give them a comfortable life.
HOW CAN YOU GET STARTED?
We understand that starting your volunteer adventure can be just as nerve-wracking as it is exciting. You’ll undoubtedly be exposed to new things and new people, and you may sometimes feel like you’re in over your head. But the beauty of volunteering is that it allows you to take risks you otherwise couldn’t at school or on the job.
Nevertheless, it’s important to eliminate as many barriers to volunteering is possible.
Volunteer Connector is a brand new online database with a constantly-growing list of current volunteer opportunities. You can browse through the listings until you find something that catches your eye, or you can filter results based on your commitment level or interests. Visit www.volunteerconnector.org to get started.
HOW CAN I SHARE MY STORY?
Everybody has an interesting volunteer story to share. We invite you to share yours during National Volunteer Week. It could help inspire a future leader into action for the first time. Visit www.ecvo.ca throughout National Volunteer Week to read stories from Edmonton’s volunteer community.
Add your voice to the conversations by following the hashtags #yegvolunteers and #NVW2018 on Twitter and Instagram.