We, in the Youth Volunteer Connections Program at Volunteer Victoria, have been wondering how to best communicate online with the young people who seek our support in finding meaningful volunteer opportunities. The blog post below was forwarded to us, and it has changed how we do things. It’s time: we are now ready to include facebook as a communication option with youth who prefer it. Each youth staff is creating his/her own professional profile, for example, you can find me at facebook/Leanna at Volunteer Victoria. So we’ll see how it works!

In the hopes that you ...

[Continue reading Communicating over Facebook: Will it work for us too?]

The following is a guest blog post written and researched by one of Volunteer Victoria’s volunteer writers, Kate Lautens. Kate is one of two Volunteer Victoria Media Copy Writers that have been with us for over a year. Enjoy! !

The Youth Volunteer Connections Program (YVCP), Volunteer Victoria’s program supporting young people 15-29 in finding meaningful and rewarding volunteer opportunities, recently added three new staff members, Vik Dhindsa, Ebony Logins and Amy Hartzenberg. Under the leadership of Leanna Hill, program coordinator of the YVCP and ...

[Continue reading Meet our new Youth Team!]

We are very pleased to announce that our valued colleague, and friend, Leanna Hill recently won The Vancity Youth Award at The Victoria Leadership Awards.

This award recognizes a young leader between the ages of 20 and 30 who demonstrates community leadership in one or more of the following areas:

People: Building wealth with those who need it most; Planet: Sustaining our environment; Places: Promoting community growth and change.

There were so many deserving and inspirational nominees in this category, so we are especially proud of Leanna’s accomplishment!

Volunteer Victoria also wishes to acknowledge and thank all of the other incredible nominees for their outstanding contributions to our ...

[Continue reading Volunteer Victoria’s Leanna Hill Wins Youth Leadership Award]

Volunteering with Benefits at the Marriott Inner Harbour

Volunteer Victoria had the great pleasure of supporting Volunteering with Benefits, the UnitedNOW signature event on April 15th, 2011. It was a super event, with over 500 volunteer hours raised in three short hours! Check out Ashley Kelbough’s photos of the event.

It was particularly awesome to see how much volunteering is valued by the 20-30 somethings who showed up. I have no doubt that each person there brings great talent, skills and passion to each of his or her endeavours – here’s to their volunteer ...

[Continue reading Did you know it’s the International Year of Youth?]

UnitedNow, a council of twenty-somethings volunteering with the United Way of Greater Victoria, works to raise awareness and develop understanding of key issues that impact individuals and families living throughout the Capital Regional District.

Their most recent endeavour, with the support of Volunteer Victoria, touches on volunteerism, getting connected and having fun – all in one evening! Volunteering with Benefits offers attendees the opportunity to bid on auction items with volunteer hours rather than dollars. Last year, 290 volunteer hours were raised, and the event was sold out!

This year, auction items ...

[Continue reading Volunteering with Benefits!]

Do you know a remarkable youth? What about a group of remarkable youth?

Do you know a remarkable youth worker, or a super youth friendly organization or business?

United Way’s Youth Advisory Council, in partnership with the Intermunicipal Recreation Youth Services of Greater Victoria, have planned and are hosting this year’s Youth Now Awards to take place over International Youth Week (May 1-7). This 13th annual  awards ceremony will celebrate the valuable contributions young people (11-29 years old) make to our community.

You can be an adult, a family member, a child, a youth, a friend or anyone to nominate someone ...

[Continue reading 2011 Youth Now Awards]

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today seems a very appropriate day to kick off Random Acts of Kindness Week.  We invite everyone (individuals, companies, schools, service clubs, etc.) to join us and take part.

Share your story and/or your ideas here on our blog. This is your chance to help make someone else’s day (and to brighten up your own as well!).

We will tweet out a daily RAK suggestion (#volvicbcRAK) and look forward to hearing yours! Let’s show everyone what an amazing city Victoria is!

Today’s #volvicbcRAK suggestion is to share this “challenge” with others in your network and tell us ...

[Continue reading It’s Random Acts of Kindness Week]

Katherine and Mariaye have been volunteering with the Youth Volunteer Connections Program here at Volunteer Victoria since September 2010. Between the two of them they write and illustrate the Newsflash.

What is the Newsflash, you say?

The Newsflash is our volunteer posting email that goes out to over 1500 youth and interested people once every two weeks. Mariaye finds cool, youth-friendly volunteer positions on our database and writes them up for the Newsflash. She summarizes the position to provide a potential volunteer with the important nuggets that they’ll need to know ...

[Continue reading A portrait of two volunteers: Meet the Newsflash team]

Maddy Guy is a volunteer with the Youth Volunteer Connections Program. She began volunteering with the Royal Jubilee Hospital in April 2010 and has volunteered with the Cool Aid Society as well.  Maddy is in Grade 12 at St. Andrew’s High School, and wants to pursue studies in nursing when she graduates.

Maddy has written an inspirational scholarship essay that speaks perfectly to the potential for growth and positive change through volunteering.  Please enjoy a glimpse into a youth volunteer’s experience.

                                                               ***

“We ought to make every moment count, ...

[Continue reading Making every moment count: A youth volunteer’s story]

This post first appeared in Volunteer Victoria’s Youth Volunteer Connections newsletter.  Please email tara@volunteervictoria.bc.ca to sign up  for the NewsFlash and hear about new volunteer opportunities, events and workshops happening in Victoria.

Child Care Worker: The James Bay Community Project needs someone to help take care of children while their parents learn to cook.  Shifts would be for 3 and a half hours a week for 6 weeks between April and June.  If you would be interested, then contact Catriona at 250-388-7844 or e-mail ccampbell@jbcp.bc.ca

Newspaper Reader: If you’d like an opportunity to volunteer with your family then check out another opportunity with ...

[Continue reading NewsFlash #60]