A volunteer action is like a stone thrown in a lake: its effect has a direct impact. At the same time, like ripples, volunteer efforts reach out far and wide to improve communities.
National Volunteer Week 2015 (NVW), supported by Volunteer Canada and Investors Group, is a time to recognize, celebrate and thank Canada’s volunteers when it takes place April 12-18.
Volunteers have a real impact in their communities.
They lead local boards. They plan events. Volunteers run summer barbecues and oversee neighbourhood safety programs.
Volunteers work with the government to address key issues in the community.
Local initiatives such as these bring people together to create a common vision for the future.
Getting involved in a neighbourhood/community association, group or board is one of the best ways to improve and maintain the quality of life in your immediate surroundings.
Local activities bring people together to build stronger communities.
They allow everyone to have a say in shaping the community.
Through volunteering, everyone has a voice.
“Volunteers form the bedrock of Canadian communities. With each of the two billion hours Canadians volunteer each year, people are reaching their potential, organizations are stronger, communities are healthier and more resilient and society is more inclusive and just,” says Paula Speevak, President and CEO of Volunteer Canada. “National Volunteer Week 2015 (NVW) spotlights the ripple effect of every voluntary action taken. The impact of volunteering goes well beyond the hours given, the values shared or the skills contributed.
“It can be found in smiles exchanged, bold new directions taken by agencies, revitalized neighbourhoods and major shifts in public attitudes. Our NVW theme, ‘Volunteers are part of the ripple effect’, has many dimensions and we urge you to make it your own.”
Volunteer Canada provides national leadership and expertise on volunteerism in Canada. Their aim is to increase the participation, quality and diversity of volunteer experiences in Canada in order to help build healthy and resilient communities.
They work with volunteer centres, not-for-profits, businesses, governments and educational institutions to build their individual and collective capacity to promote, celebrate and support volunteerism.
For more information about volunteerism in Canada, go to: http://volunteer.ca