volvicadmin, Author at Volunteer Victoria

Turning Pie into Pi

You might occasionally note a Friday the 13th or remember March 15th (“Beware the Ides of March” the notorious date of the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC and the turning point in Roman history.) But, sandwiched between the two last week was International Pi Day. You know Pi, 3.141592653 … a numerical dream date.

In 1706, William Jones (a Welsh mathematician) realized that, “The exact proportion between the diameter and the circumference [of a circle] can never be expressed in numbers.”

Now what exactly does Pi have to do with anyone who works or volunteers in a non profit in BC in 2015?

Well, funders recently reminded non profits of their need to divide their financial Pies using very precise terms. In the case of Volunteer Centres across BC, provincial and municipal governments reminded us that they only fund programs and services that have a direct benefit to the public. They need to ensure that one organization is not giving benefit from public funds to another organization. In legislation, accountability, and in Pie theories it makes complete sense.

But, let’s compare the math according to three theories in play and let’s use Volunteer Victoria’s E-Newsletter as our demonstration product.

Approximately 1,800 people receive the E-Link newsletter every other week. It costs $350 to produce in sunk costs per issue.

If Volunteer Victoria was ‘more business like’ we would simply calculate and share the cost. You, as a subscriber would each pay $4.66 a year. As you do not all read all the issues we may need to implement a user-fee model so you will have to pay $18.66 for each issue you read. (Plus shipping and handling costs, and GST) We won’t have the resources to track the outcomes when you learn about jobs, changes in legislation, or participate in non profit specific events or learning, but no big deal. It’s just business. Where would you like us to send your invoice?

In the funder Pie model, it gets more complicated and the model changes every fiscal year depending on the funders and how much Volunteer Victoria receives in grants. The production costs are the same, but the administration to manage the E-newsletter is significantly higher and we need much more information from you all to track who pays which portion of the cost on a monthly basis. It is not an exact science but basically:

– If you currently volunteer with a non profit – then the organization you volunteer with benefits from your learning, so we will have to mail them an invoice and ask them to pay the cost. If you volunteer at more than one organization, please let us know. We need to split the invoice.
– If you are a high risk individual, unemployed, or in a life transition the United Way or Island Health might cover a portion of the cost on a sliding scale from 10 to 100% of the cost. Where shall we send the balance of your invoice?
– If you are a youth under the age of 25, Coast Capital Savings and the Victoria Foundation will pay for the cost of your learning. You will not receive an invoice. Please remember to thank them!
– If you are not currently volunteering, not working in the sector, and have no affiliation with any non profit organization then you need to thank the Provincial and/or municipal governments for picking up your share of the cost of the E-newsletter. You will need to tell us which municipality you live in though, because not all 13 local governments fund us. Please do not forget to send us a change of address card if you move.

Now there is the reality of Pi.

Millions of mathematicians cannot divide circles into whole and precise numbers. And surely the goal of the non profit sector is not to produce more brilliant mathematicians or accountants.

There will always be individual, volunteer, and organizational overlap – especially since the demand for services has grown, conditions are more complex, and we all need to attract more volunteers, more ideas, and more engagement from the whole community to address community-based challenges.

The non profit sector can and does track costs and we are accountable. But our primary purpose is not to divide Pi, but to increase the impact of the circle. In the non profit sector the sum of the whole is far greater then the sum of the individual parts.

And, if any one is wondering, the entire cost of E-Link next fiscal year and the entire benefit of your learning is courtesy of the Victoria Foundation.

This article is written by Lisa Mort-Putland, Executive Director, Volunteer Victoria.

We Got Engaged – Building Workplaces with Intention

We Got Engaged – Building Workplaces with Intention
March 24, 2015 – 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour

What if we.

created workplaces with intention?
developed organizations that were holistic – healthier, happier and more harmonious?
nurtured a more effective and supportive work environment?focused on creative, innovative and transformative solutions?
cultivated vibrancy, resiliency, and potential in ourselves and our work communities?

Spend a day, encouraged by industry peers, colleagues, and friends, who are supportive and collaborative, while enjoying speakers, participating, gleaning wisdom, and developing tools that resonate with you and your work.

Registration fee includes nutritional breaks and lunch.

Interested in showcasing your business at this event? Contact Us

For the full line-up of speakers visit www.wegotengaged.ca

Farewell Friend

As someone pointed out yesterday, 2015 started with a bang! After nearly a decade of stable service, the “much loved” and much used database VolWeb suffered a major technical breakdown.

We knew more than a year ago that VolWeb was facing increasing risks and health problems. And we all knew the day would come when VolWeb would do more than just show its age – it would face an age-related malfunction that would require critical and intensive care. And more than just a light sniffle, this breakdown has rendered the system completely inaccessible and it will take more than a day or two of rest to bring it back to full strength.

“Much loved” is an exaggeration. A big one! Like all tools and systems we usually only love databases when they work exactly the way we want them to. VolWeb didn’t have lots of bells or whistles, menu bars, or fancy videos. It was not shiny and new, and it did not do every thing we wanted. We never yelled “We love VolWeb” across the office. But, now that VolWeb is gone, we realize just how much we used it, needed it, and how much we will miss it.

Volweb was a workhorse, a constant companion, and a useful tool for thousands of volunteers and volunteer managers. It was developed a decade ago to support volunteer recruitment efforts for the 2010 Olympic Games and was later adapted for use by volunteer centres across the province. Since 2010 it has been lovingly cared for by the staff at the BC Games Society – who deserve massive thanks and admiration for their tremendous service and ability to keep VolWeb functioning with the smallest of budgets and tightest of timelines.

Volunteer Victoria has been working on a new database system called Volunteer Impact for more than 6 months. We had planned to launch the new system in February once all the technical issues have been solved, the data is clean, and everything functions as it should. But with the demise of VolWeb our ‘perfect launch plan’ has been shelved.

Yesterday we brought Volunteer Impact online so that we can provide continuous service to our member agencies and to the public. The new system is not perfect – but it has lots of new functions and features, and things to enjoy. And we hope in the not too distant future, we will hear member agencies and volunteers claiming to “love that new system.”

Volunteers: Aging in Place

Did you know that James Bay is home to the largest concentration of seniors in the country?18.4% of the population in Victoria is a senior, meaning that not only does our community have a higher than average number of seniors, we also have a higher than average number of senior volunteers. And, as the large baby boom generation born between 1946 and 1965 reaches 65 years old we will have even more seniors volunteering.

For many years, the number of new seniors entering their retirement years and volunteering seemed to keep pace with the number of senior volunteers ‘downsizing’ their volunteer commitments. But, times have changed and seniors are healthier than ever before, living longer, and staying engaged in their communities and in their volunteer work. For the first time, we have an increasingly large number of volunteers aging in place and community agencies are now working with up to 4 generations of senior volunteers.

Organizations and volunteer managers recognize that while we often use the same term for people between the age of 65 and 105, individual senior volunteers have very different needs and very different reasons for volunteering and we cannot use the same management principles and set of expectations for every demographic group. Best practice says we have to anticipate the needs of our volunteers and our volunteer programs and adjust our practices to serve both.

After volunteering for 1, 10, 20, 30, or even 40 years, senior volunteers experience a wide range of feelings and choices regarding their volunteer work. Most seniors continue to volunteer because they know they contribute in meaningful ways and volunteering adds value to the community and their lives. When asked, senior volunteers also share their fears about aging in place – some have concerns that if they leave they can not be replaced and they worry about the consequences to the organization, others are concerned that volunteering adds stress and impacts their health, or organizational needs change and they no longer feel like they can keep up. Organizations also struggle to evolve volunteer positions filled by senior volunteers – often because they are afraid of the impact on volunteers who do not easily embrace change.

In the best cases, organizations have embraced the opportunity to ask senior volunteers what they want and need, what they need to learn, and how they will evolve their roles to meet their own emerging needs and the needs of the organization. The most successful senior volunteer stories include elements of respect, good communication, a shared vision, and a plan for when and how change will happen.

Social Enterprise

Question: How do you make a small fortune in business? Answer: Start with a large fortune and work your way down. OK, so this is an old joke and not a very good joke but the question of how a non-profit might make money is a very good question and really rather timely.

On May 30th, A Social Enterprise Day of Learning is being held at Royal Roads University. The cost of an entire day of learning (with lunch) is a steal of a deal at just $50. The value of spending a day with skilled people who have started social enterprises and succeeded at business is priceless.

If the idea of starting a social enterprise leaves your head spinning and your heart racing, you are in good company. This event if for organizations considering a social enterprise or just entering the start-up phase, and for individuals managing social enterprises who are looking for tips and tools to grow their business. Most importantly, this event welcomes small non profits with big ideas and big non-profits with even larger dreams.

For more information or to register please visit http://www.secatalyst.ca/

Engaging Our Youth

Written by: Julena Breel, Youth Programmer

Recently the Clayoquot Sound Conservation Alliance held a panel event called “Clayoquot Conversations: The Legacy and Future of Clayoquot Sound” at Alix Goolden Performance Hall. Lead by Elizabeth May speakers included veteran environmentalists, reporters and representatives from Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation Band Council. During one of the responses a panel member was quoted as saying, “I have come to hate parks; in my opinion they represent what is wrong in society. You see something so blatantly beautiful and you make it into a National Park as to protect it. National Parks are just proof our civilization not only doesn’t trust itself but can’t control itself.” Having never thought of this before it resonated deeply. Why is it that we can’t just see nature and understand it to be sacred, why do we need a wooden sign displaying “BC Parks” for us to leave it untouched? To me if the leaders of today see it as important then who do they not trust? A look around the room gave one potential answer – our future generations, our future leaders, our youth. There was not a soul to be seen under the age of 25, leaving myself and a few scattered emerging professionals in the room the youngest in attendance.

Given the Clayoquot Sound protest occurred in 1993 when the majority of whom we define as ‘youth’ in BC were either not born or still potty-training it is not surprising that the auditorium was not packed with Twitter-pro’s and selfie-gurus. However, it does leave the question, where are they? Is it that they are simply uninterested in such things, do they not know it is happening or is the event format one that does not appeal to them?

Youth face challenges that can be similar no matter what the generation – body image, job security, and struggle for independence – however passion is not one of them. Youth are some of the most driven, self-motivated and zealous people in Greater Victoria. The Youth Team just recently received an email from one of our clients who has been having a tough time finding work lately. He even is coming up against some barriers in the volunteer sector. Because of such he thought he would put his energy into something he enjoyed and so, created a small aquaponic system. In laymen’s terms this is an aquarium/vegetable hybrid; you grow veggies on top and as you water them the liquid is filtered into the aquarium below. It’s gorgeous and labor-intensive. If that is not appreciation for the environment and our personal carbon footprint then what is?

It is not passion that hinders youth from attending and gaining new tools and expertise to step into the future with – they care, and their hearts are in it. So what prevents the physical presence?

Well, unfortunately this generation has been raised in a flashy, quick, visually appealing era. If you can’t catch their eyes with signs and facts, it can be even harder to catch their hearts. Leaving the auditorium it was clear that while rich in content and knowledge the presentation didn’t leave one carrying many tangible take-aways out the door. Although the purpose of the event was to shed light on the past in hopes of changing the future it seemed to get stuck in history and the shift to present-day came too late. For youth, that simply won’t cut it. Digestible history facts paired with attainable personal shifts works wonders for the generation that survives off 140 character messages and instant updates. #SadIKnow.

There is a wealth of information to be left for youth from previous generations and it asks a lot of them to change formats that feel comfortable and dependable to embrace ones whose foundations are rooted in quick and striking however the Youth Team argues is might be necessary to not only keep those inter generational lines of communication open but allow them to flourish. Our youth are passionate and keen and if we as a community can meet them where they are at the opportunities for our invested projects are endless.

What the Check?

Over the years Volunteer Victoria has shared many E-Link articles about importance of robust volunteer assessments and the use of criminal record checks as one tool in the process to help determine a volunteer’s suitability. Over the last 2 years we have also initiated dialogue and shared information about the Criminal Record Review Program offered through the Ministry of Justice.

Earlier this month the Ministry of Justice announced significant changes to the Criminal Record Review Program effective December 1, 2013. While currently only organizations providing volunteers in locations covered by certain legislation are legally obligated to use the Criminal Record Review Program (which includes many hospitals, government funded senior care facilities, licensed day cares, and post secondary institutions) the new program will be available to any registered agency using volunteers who serve vulnerable populations.

The new program provides a much-needed cost savings for non-profit organizations on the lower mainland and in other jurisdictions where police services currently charge a fee for volunteer criminal record checks. All volunteer criminal record checks will be provided through the Ministry of Justice at no fee. It also provides volunteers across the province with an opportunity to apply for a criminal record check (including a vulnerable sector check) online. The online system is secure and convenient for volunteers – promising to return a criminal record check in under two weeks and with no need to visit the local police station. Criminal Record checks will be valid for up to five years and can be transferred between agencies if a volunteer moves agencies or volunteers at multiple agencies. Please note that agencies must be registered with the Ministry of Justice to participate in the program.

Volunteer BC and AVRBC are working closely with the Ministry of Justice to help inform and educate volunteer managers about the important changes to this service. With this in mind they are offering a one-day learning opportunity on November 28th in partnership with Volunteer Victoria that includes three separate sessions:

– Morning Session: Risk Management: Protecting Volunteers and Programs with Lillian Whitmore (Fee $59 members, $79 non member)
– Lunch Time Session: Criminal Records Review Changes with Stacy Ashton from Volunteer BC (Free session and lunch is provided)
– Afternoon Session: New Directions for the Non-Profit Sector in BC with Sue Biely from SPARC BC (Free session)

Participants are invited to register in some or all of the learning sessions. To register for this event or others please visit http://volunteervictoria.eventbrite.ca

Where Can Volunteering Take You?

In July 2013, Volunteer Victoria’s Youth Program hosted the first Community Youth Leadership Summit! Part of the week was reflecting on volunteering, the community, and the Summit in the format of a blog post. Melody was one of our awesome participants who put her feelings, thoughts, and ideas into a great blog post for us to share with you!

Ever wondered how you can take that first step out into your community? Maybe you would like to gain new skills, give back to a meaningful cause or simply get out of the house. No matter what your destination may be, you can use volunteering as a stepping stone towards your ultimate goal. Not only will you learn and grow through new experiences, volunteering can also present you with new opportunities that you may not otherwise have.

Volunteering can be extremely helpful when you’re searching for employment. It could be a job that you’ve had your eyes on for years but don’t have the qualifications for. One of the best ways to boost your resume and get ahead of the competition is to volunteer. This will not only reflect positively on you, it will also give potential employers a glimpse what your passions may be. By adding volunteering onto your resume, interviewers will see you as someone who has taken some initiative. You will also gain valuable skills and experiences through your community involvement and this can help you obtain your dream job.

A handy thing to keep in mind is that employers are more likely to hire a person when they’ve seen samples of their work. Volunteering strategically can help you gain a position in an organization or if you’re just starting a new career, a good way to gain experience is to obtain a volunteer position related to your career field. Volunteering is also a great way to increase your network and discover new jobs that might otherwise be unknown to you.

The best things in life often happen unexpectedly. Getting to know new people and being in a new environment can give you a different perspective of your community and the world around you.

Maybe you’ve been volunteering for years and one day you have the opportunity to turn your passion into your career. These can be the most rewarding types of jobs because now you can be paid for doing something that you greatly enjoy. Volunteering is something at can open many new doors and take you to places you have never imagined. At the end of the day, it all comes down to what you want to do in life and volunteering might just set you down a whole new and exciting path.

Stepping into Volunteering

In July 2013, Volunteer Victoria’s Youth Program hosted the first Community Youth Leadership Summit! Part of the week was reflecting on volunteering, the community, and the Summit in the format of a blog post. Sara was one of our awesome participants who put her feelings, thoughts, and ideas into a great blog post for us to share with you!

When I first got interested in volunteering I was completely at a loss as to how I should go about getting involved, nor was I sure what kind of volunteer position I would be suited for so I definitely needed some help. Not knowing what else to do I went to my ‘best friend’ google, searching for ‘volunteering in Victoria’ Volunteer Victoria’s website was one of the first I visited and it quickly caught my interest with a section dedicated to helping youth volunteer. I decided to try getting in contact with the youth program and I got a response within a few days! Through email I set up a meeting, I was pretty nervous at first but once I stepped into the office everyone was really welcoming, within in a few minutes into the meeting my nerves had changed into excitement. It was in this meeting that I found out about the Youth Summit, it immediately had my interest because it would be a chance to learn, gain experience and meet other people interested in volunteering. Although I was spot on with all of that, the Summit exceeded my expectations in every way! Getting involved in the Youth Summit and Volunteer Victoria was definitely one the best decisions I’ve ever made. Now with everything I’ve learned and the support of both the friends I’ve made and that of everyone at Volunteer Victoria I will be stepping into the world of volunteering! Maybe I’ll see you there!

A Method to Destroy Stigma

In July 2013, Volunteer Victoria’s Youth Program hosted the first Community Youth Leadership Summit! Part of the week was reflecting on volunteering, the community, and the Summit in the format of a blog post. Cammy was one of our awesome participants who put her feelings, thoughts, and ideas into a great blog post for us to share with you!

Everyone is unique, it’s a fact well known, and we all have different backgrounds and come from different situations, though at times similar, still unique. When speaking of Canada, a topic that commonly arises is the diversity. Well, the Community Youth Leadership Summit was no different. Walking into the Volunteer Victoria office Monday morning none of us knew each other, our ages ranged greatly, we all came from different schools and parts of town, some not even from the province or country, and we all had different stories. All of us, facilitators included had a unique way of seeing tings and brought separate things to the table.

What made me different? My background. I am a youth in a form of government care and at one point or another, been in most forms of government care there is – whether it be youth agreement or foster care. I represent a large but silent, widely unknown and misunderstood population. It’s an unknown population mostly because those included in it don’t dare tell anyone that they are in care for fear of facing the stigma against us. The stigma and stereotypes created stem from a lack of knowledge in the general public so they believe that these youth are trouble, no good, going nowhere, among other things.

Now what exactly does this have to do with Volunteer Victoria or the Community Youth Leadership Summit? Well, simple. Throughout the week we have been taught many great reasons to volunteer such as: to make a difference; to give back to the community; to gain skills; it’s a passion; or it could be used as a stepping stone into your future, as well as many more. Another reason could be to help reduce negative stigma.

Using volunteering as a method to make an impact on stigma or stereotypes can work in many ways. One of this being that if you happen to encounter a person trying to force the stigma upon you, volunteering and giving back to the community tends to prove otherwise. Another options is to be an advocate. Say you get talking with another volunteer about each other or family history comes up, you might tell them a little bit about your experience in care or explain what it is, and in very little time, that will be one person more who knows a bit of truths about foster children. One less person who may believe the stereotypes and listen to the stigma, and they may go tell another. Before you know it, the domino effect takes place and even more people have knowledge. Ion my experience as a founder of the Victoria Youth in Care Network, telling people who know nothing, even the littlest thing has had a large impact on them. It is a great way to bring awareness to your community at the same time as helping to make the community a better place. This can work for many things, youth in care is only the example I used as I write that I personally have experienced.

Volunteering is a great experience no matter your reasons. You can find opportunities for pretty much anything you may be interested in doing or trying. Another huge reason volunteering is fantastic is you get the change to meet people you may not otherwise have gotten to, you make fantastic friends, and that makes it all the more fun and worth your while.