‘It’s part of who we are’
Kings Volunteer Resource Centre plays a vital role in the community
April 17 to 23 is National Volunteer Week. It’s an opportunity to recognize the importance of volunteer service and the power of the volunteer spirit to tackle society’s greatest challenges.
Across the country the efforts of volunteers will be celebrated with thousands of special events.
With a mission to inspire and lead the growth of a volunteer culture, the Kings Volunteer Resource Centre (KVRC) plays a leading role in the local community.
“We’re here to help build the capacity of non-profit organizations who need volunteers,” explains Karrie-Ann Wilkie, program co-ordinator with Kings Volunteer Resource Centre. “We’re a non-profit that helps other non-profits. Most organizations rely on volunteers for their core mission so we are here to help support what they do for the community.”
Registered as a non-profit since 2015, KVRC offers many workshops throughout the year on topics such as recruitment strategies, event planning and volunteer recognition.
“We’re still doing them virtually but we hope to be back to in-person workshops by the fall,” Wilkie adds.
Volunteer recruitment is a major issue for most nonprofit groups and organizations. KVRC assists with these efforts as the host of a provincial database, VolunteerNS. It’s a free service offered to all not-for-profit and volunteer organizations in the province.
“We’re a small rural volunteer centre and we’re proud of our Kings County roots,” Wilkie says. “So, we were very happy and privileged to be chosen to host this province-wide database.”
VolunteerNS can connect organizations in need of volunteers with people who are looking for volunteer opportunities. The free searchable database allows non-profit organizations to create their own profile and post volunteer opportunities as often as needed. Potential volunteers can receive notifications as new opportunities open.
“There are hundreds of listings of opportunities with hundreds of member organizations,” Wilkie says. “It’s an important tool to help everybody get the word out.”
The database is easy to use and support is available if needed. Users can also share individual opportunities on their own social media networks directly from the website.
While VolunteerNS is an important tool, effective volunteer recruitment requires a multi-faceted strategy, Wilkie adds.
“Word-of-mouth is so important,” she says. “You need to make a plan and have a strategy. You can’t sit back and assume that volunteers are going to come to you.”
Recognizing the efforts and contributions of its volunteers is vital to any organization’s recruitment and retention strategy, Wilkie says.
“It has to be a two-way relationship,” she says. “As an organization you need to show that you value and respect the time and energy that your volunteers are donating.”
The pandemic illustrated the importance of volunteers, Wilkie adds, as people stepped forward to care for vulnerable populations. From food banks to community development projects, volunteers lend their time and talent to make a difference in their communities.
“Volunteerism touches all aspects of the community, especially here in Nova Scotia, where volunteering is a natural thing to do,” Wilkie says. “It’s part of who we are.”