New Policy on Criminal Record Checks

As we have been hearing from our agencies, this screening enhancement has had a significant impact on their volunteer recruitment process.

Due to the extra work volume generated, there have been lengthy delays in getting criminal records checks processed. This has resulted in programming delays and in some cases loss of prospective volunteers.

Apparently, there have also been some challenges at the other end for the RCMP who manage this piece. There have been issues, in particular, where private screening companies are contracted by the agency to process the PRCs. Other issues are with regard to incomplete information provided by the agency/volunteer.

Volunteer …

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Telling Your Organization’s Story

We recently held a very successful  ”Story Skills and Telling Tales” day-long workshop, facilitated by Victoria-based storyteller Norma Cameron.  In this post, Norma herself gives readers some resources to turn to while learning how to tell your organization’s stories.

In 2005, after years of being a storyteller and a fundraising/communications consultant, I decided to marry these two pursuits and build more effective communication strategies and tools.  After all, a well-told story is the shortest distance between two people and telling your organization’s story is really no different than the stories we share with each other every day. 

However, it does require a wee bit …

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Victoria Foundation Vital Signs Report

Earlier this week, the Victoria Foundation released the fifth anniversary edition of Vital Signs®, an annual report card that provides a snapshot of the livability and well-being of life in the Capital Region.  A combination of public opinion and statistics, the report is presented in an easy to read format aimed at stimulating conversation around 11 issue areas deemed critical to quality of life. 
 
“As a report card, Vital Signs® has steadily proven its value to the community since 2006,” says Victoria Foundation CEO Sandra Richardson. “Its importance was especially elevated during the economic challenges of recent years, …

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Using Social Media to Promote Events

Sincere thanks to our guest blogger Janis La Couvée for sharing her thoughts on using social media to promote events. Janis is passionate about bridging online and offline communities to effect positive social change. You can follow her on Twitter at @lacouvee.

 

In April 2009, like many other individuals in the community, I was a social media neophyte; but when an acquaintance at a business breakfast mentioned that people using Twitter in Victoria were actually meeting face to face, I had an “aha” moment.

For over 20 years I have been actively involved in the community, organizing events, …

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AGM Awards

Volunteer Victoria welcomed over 80 guests (funders, supporters, member agencies, Coordinators of Volunteers, etc) to celebrate our35th Annual General Meeting on June 24th. The agenda consisted of a delicious breakfast, guest speakers, agency awards and ended with a brief meeting. The theme for the day was Embracing the Future – Leading for Change.      

Sandra Richardson (Victoria Foundation) presented Val Green (Volunteer Victoria) with a plaque recognizing our accomplishments over the past 35 years and thanking Volunteer Victoria for ‘giving heart to our community for 35 years’.      

Each year our Youth Program Coordinator and Access Program Coordinator present Agency Awards to …

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