Interviewing potential volunteers is one of the greatest parts of the volunteer recruitment process. Think about it. Someone has come out of nowhere, and they want to donate their time to you. Not just any time, but their priceless, unwaged,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Any volunteer can become a great volunteer, but sometimes you just won't know how wonderful they truly are until after they are involved with your charity or nonprofit. In my experience, attracting volunteers is relatively easy but learning to retain...
Volunteers face many challenges in organizing a successful nonprofit group. Balancing the growth and demands of an organization with family, career, and a personal life can be incredibly difficult. According to Tina Patterson, president of the Fraser Valley FiT Network,...
If volunteers mobilized through social media can make a difference in who gets elected as president of the United States, surely any nonprofit organization looking to be effective has to look at all the ways social media can be used...
For a year now, Vicky Mah and Jillian Walsh, both second-year medical students at the University of Calgary, have been volunteering their time running the student-run medical clinic at the Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre in the city's downtown core....
Why is volunteer recognition so important? Why do we leave it to once a year to recognize our volunteers? How can we make a difference throughout the year? These are key questions we should be asking ourselves as we plan...
