Introducing the 2022-2023 Volunteer BC Board
Learn more about our board members here.
2022 Conference Highlights
2022 VOLUNTEERBCACG Conference Highlights
On October 13 & 14, 2022 BC Association for Charitable Gaming (BCACG) & Volunteer BC hosted the 2 day conference for Non-profits, Charities & Volunteers.
We re-connected and celebrated our successes! Thank you to all that participated and to learn, discuss, rethink and reimagine the big issues of the sector today.
How an Okanagan Non-Profit Leveraged Technology to Adapt to the Pandemic
Every year, Volunteer BC hosts a Photo Contest during National Volunteer Week (NVW) – to celebrate & recognize the importance of the ongoing contributions that volunteers make each day throughout our communities!
We’re going in-depth and highlighting participating organizations from across the province so we can learn more about the great work these organizations do and especially how they coped during the pandemic.
Community Recreational Initiatives Society (CRIS) Spotlight
The Community Recreational Initiatives Society, a non-profit society consisting of outdoor enthusiasts based in the Okanagan, lowers barriers to outdoor experiences by facilitating adventures for everyone, regardless of ability.
CRIS was founded in 2001 by firefighter Troy Becker and gradually grew with the help of family, friends, and local businesses to the multi-program team of permanent employees and dedicated volunteers it is today – a truly inspiring story!
CRIS aims to support people with physical, cognitive, intellectual, and sensory challenges and disabilities by creating outdoor and sports programs with their independence in mind. The Society also helps participants socialize more with others, thus improving their mental well-being.
The Society’s work is made possible by a team of dedicated volunteers. Over the last two decades, the Society has made significant headway in offering regular programming more frequently to more people and having four different programs that offer over 15 activities together. Such advancements have been made possible through funding from various sources such as the Ogopogo Rotary Club and a Central Okanagan Foundation Endowment Fund.
CRIS’s volunteers are trained in-house from the program volunteer stage. Due to the responsibility, leaders are trained especially to lead and implement trip plans to ensure group safety, adhere to safety protocols, and manage risk. Volunteer BC offers several Risk Management Resources here.
Volunteer Management Challenges During the Pandemic
Sarah training to be a CRIS Volunteer Trip Leader with one of CRIS’ youth clients on a chilly January night at Telemark Nordic Ski Club in West Kelowna.
The pandemic hit many organizations hard, and CRIS is no exception. One of the Society’s more significant challenges was volunteer training, as they couldn’t gather large in-person groups during the pandemic. However, they overcame this challenge by transitioning part of their training online via Thinkific. The Society still uses the platform as it allows new volunteers to do the online portion of the training at their own pace and allows the in-person training to be more focused and smaller in group size. Due to the benefits of this pandemic change, the Society is still using Thinkific to streamline training.
Still, the Society thrived, creating a full schedule of weekly programs instead of one-off trips. This advancement was made possible by their transition to the volunteer management system BetterHelp, which allows volunteers to sign up for various trips in one go.
Additionally, despite having to decrease group sizes due to the pandemic, the Society has been able to offer consistency for both its participants and volunteers.
Learn more about CRIS here.
Need resources to help you jump-start your organization after Covid-19? Visit our Resources To Help You Restart After Covid-19.
Are you looking for volunteer opportunities? Visit Volunteer Now – Volunteer BC’s online volunteer posting and recruitment tool.
CRIS’s NVW Photo Highlight
Check out CRIS’s #NVW2022PhotoContest entry.
CRIS Volunteers ensure as many participants as possible get out on our cycles! We love a big group traveling down Mission Creek Greenway in Kelowna.
The photo was taken at Mission Creek Greenway, Kelowna, during one of CRIS Adaptive Adventures’ weekly morning cycles. Adaptive Adventures is a branch of CRIS that offers urban daytime outdoor recreation programs for people with any kind of disability of any age within Central and North Okanagan. As seen in the photo, the activity uses some of CRIS’s adaptive cycles – you can see the rest of the Society’s adaptive equipment here.
Within Adaptive Adventures – volunteers help participants get on and use the Society’s adaptive equipment, including piloting their tandem recumbent cycles on trips (as seen on the left of the photo), riding alongside for safety, and interacting with participants. Beyond the basic experience, CRIS provides social interaction, which is one of the reasons participants sign up for trips with CRIS.
If you’d like to see more pictures from CRIS’s trips, take a look at their gallery!
Want to help us highlight CRIS? Share this post on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn today!
Register for the IN-PERSON VBCACG Conference!
Join us – Volunteer BC & BCACG Conference for Non-profits, Charities & Volunteers. Everyone welcome! Attend our event aimed at helping you move forward and adapt to a post-pandemic world.
Date: October 13 & 14, 2022
Location: Executive Hotel Vancouver Airport, Richmond, BC
Fees:$200 (Member) | $300 (Non-Member)
Registration fee includes: All sessions, breakfast, lunch, coffee & refreshments.
Discount code will be emailed to all members.
Want the discounted Member Rate? Save $ and sign-up for a Volunteer BC Membership.
Need help checking the status of your Volunteer BC membership? Email: hello@volunteerbcacgconference.com
We are happy to announce Crystal Flaman founder of Inspiring Success Services Inc. and DIVA Retreats as our keynote! BC non-profits, charities and volunteers are facing many challenges from funding to recruitment, retention and burn-out. Crystal’s keynote will give us the gift of self-discovery to find joy, build resilience and live well through evolving times.
Crystal personal mission is to make a difference in the world. She’s raised over 1.4 million dollars for various charities through her work and athletic endeavors. She is an an 11 x Ironman finisher, a two-time 273km ultra-marathoner finisher and has cycled across Canada on the first tandem bike to cross the country. Notably, Crystal completed the second hardest footrace in the world, not once but twice, a 273km multi-day, self-supported, running race through the desert, scaling mountains, carrying all of her food, clothing and supplies, where she raised $20,000 to help kids attend school in the developing world.
5 Easy Ways to Start Volunteering
Are you a volunteer having a little trouble finding a position? Or a seasoned volunteer looking for a change? Volunteer BC is here to help. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be on your way to finding your ideal volunteer position!
1. Start with your Local Volunteer Centre
Volunteer Centres are your number one asset as a volunteer and the best place to start to find a position. Centres are focused on promoting volunteering in the community and offer lots of resources and up-to-date volunteer opportunities in your community. Each volunteer centre is unique to your community. They host volunteer fairs, volunteer training and listings of volunteer roles.
To find your Volunteer Centre check Volunteer BC’s Volunteer Centre Network
To learn even more about Volunteer Centres and what they can do for you, download this Factsheet.
2. Volunteer BC’s - Volunteer Now
Volunteer Now is your one-stop shop for volunteering. This platform allows you to search and apply for multiple positions all in one place.
Volunteer Now is maintained by Volunteer BC and is completely FREE for volunteers. Simply make an account and start looking for a position that interests you.
3. Other Volunteer Matching Platforms
If you do not have a local volunteer centre check out other online volunteer posting boards: Volunteer Connector, Charity Village, iVolunteer or Craigslist, DoSome Good. Schools, colleges and universities often have volunteer posting boards. The Pan-Canadian Volunteer Matching Platform works in collaboration with Volunteer Centres nationwide in order to provide over 75,000 volunteer opportunities. Contact organizations you like directly to see if they have positions available.
4. Check out our Training and Resources
Volunteer BC also offers access to a training and workshop calendar. Our website is updated daily with new opportunities which we also post on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Our training calendar shows month-by-month opportunities which are updated as soon as new sessions become available.
This training will allow you to learn more about volunteering and the non-profit sector. It is very helpful when starting a new volunteer position on what the expectations are.
Want even more detailed info on volunteering? Download our detailed – I Want To Volunteer Handbook. This interactive guide is a step-by-step guide on how to go about finding that perfect volunteer position.
5. Volunteer Memberships
A Volunteer BC Individual Membership is another great way to get involved with volunteering. As a member, you receive our member’s only newsletter with monthly updates on volunteer centres, and new and upcoming positions. A membership is a great way to show your support to Volunteer BC and still receive amazing benefits that will help you on your journey to being your best volunteering self. Sign-up here.
Final Notes
Volunteering adds meaning in many ways, through learning new skills, making new friendships, and making our community a better place to live. By following these simple steps you will be able to find the ideal volunteer position.
If you ever have any questions don’t be afraid to reach out to your local volunteer centre or us Volunteer BC.