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Volunteer Matters

A thorough check-up of your volunteer program is vital

A thorough check-up of your volunteer program is vital

Aug 25, 2022 / 4:00 am

The word “audit” is a dirty word for a lot of people, but really, it just means “to review methodically and in detail”. It’s...

Volunteer shortages are squeezing not-for-profits

Volunteer shortages are squeezing not-for-profits

Aug 18, 2022 / 4:00 am

I saw a very discouraging post on Facebook today. It was written by a leader of volunteers in an organization dealing with staff shortages. He was writing about...

Lists can help you organize your day and get things done

Lists can help you organize your day and get things done

Aug 11, 2022 / 4:00 am

As professionals in the not-for-profit sector, we are often overloaded with work. And yet we often look back at the end of the day and ask ourselves what we...

Supercharge your volunteer training

Supercharge your volunteer training

Aug 4, 2022 / 4:00 am

I hear a lot of grumbling about volunteer training, both from leaders of volunteers and from volunteers themselves. Leaders are concerned volunteers won’t...

Volunteers aren’t free

Volunteers aren’t free

Jul 28, 2022 / 4:00 am

We fund what we value. Your organization says it values its volunteers. But does it? Think carefully. Volunteers are not simply free labour. In fact, volunteers...

Favourite volunteer quotes

Favourite volunteer quotes

Jul 21, 2022 / 4:00 am

I came across a volunteer quote today that I hadn’t heard before: “Without volunteers, we’d be a nation without a soul.” Rosalyn Carter....

We need boundaries in the workplace and volunteer space

We need boundaries in the workplace and volunteer space

Jul 14, 2022 / 4:00 am

We need to start enforcing boundaries. I hear about it again and again. A volunteer assumes because you’re working from home, it’s OK to phone you...

Dealing with technology in the volunteer sector

Dealing with technology in the volunteer sector

Jul 7, 2022 / 4:00 am

There is a growing trend toward increased automation and technology in the workforce, and the social impact sector is no exception. A year or so ago, I was...

Volunteering without ‘saviourism’

Volunteering without ‘saviourism’

Jun 30, 2022 / 4:00 am

I’m a lucky person. Actually, let’s use the real word. I’m privileged. I’m white, cisgendered, well-off financially and fully...

Finding and using corporate volunteers

Finding and using corporate volunteers

Jun 23, 2022 / 4:00 am

Are corporate volunteers part of your program’s strategy? You might want them to be. Good journalism starts with answering the five Ws – who, what,...

Dealing with unappreciative clients

Dealing with unappreciative clients

Jun 16, 2022 / 4:00 am

It happened near the end of a long, stressful shift. A client came up to the registration desk, and blasted the volunteer for the length of time it took to get...

'AIDA' is a good process to follow when recruiting volunteers

'AIDA' is a good process to follow when recruiting volunteers

Jun 9, 2022 / 4:00 am

There is a simple acronym that marketing people use—AIDA—that can help you recruit volunteers. AIDA stands for attention, interest, desire and...

Ways to help volunteers become more resilient

Ways to help volunteers become more resilient

Jun 2, 2022 / 4:00 am

If you google “resilient volunteers”, you will get thousands of articles, blogs, videos, etc on how volunteering can help build resilience in...

Enhance your influence as a leader of volunteers

Enhance your influence as a leader of volunteers

May 26, 2022 / 4:00 am

The position of volunteer engagement specialist, or whatever your particular title is, is often seen as a lower-level position, without a lot of influence. ...

Language used when talking about volunteers is important

Language used when talking about volunteers is important

May 19, 2022 / 4:00 am

How aware are you of issues around the language of volunteering? I had some interesting questions posed to me this week: “How does language act as a...

Sometimes it's necessary to 'fire' volunteers

Sometimes it's necessary to 'fire' volunteers

May 12, 2022 / 4:00 am

Is "firing" a volunteer OK? The short answer is, absolutely. Not only can you fire a volunteer, in many cases you must. I know, lots of people say you...

Ways to deal with problematic volunteers

Ways to deal with problematic volunteers

May 5, 2022 / 4:00 am

Ann really wanted the position. She did whatever it took to get it, but once she had it, things started to fall apart. Other things took priority for her. She...

Five tips to attract young volunteers

Five tips to attract young volunteers

Apr 28, 2022 / 4:00 am

Are you frustrated in your attempts to attract young volunteers? A common concern among not-for-profits is the “aging out” of their volunteer...

Creating strong volunteer programs

Creating strong volunteer programs

Apr 21, 2022 / 4:00 am

Castanet presents our newest regular columnist, Karen Knight, who will focus on volunteer issues. Volunteering is a huge part of Canadian culture. According to...

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