Announcements
Volunteer Canada teams up with TD Bank Group to engage TD employees in their communities
Ottawa, April 29, 2024 - Volunteer Canada and TD Bank Group (TD) are excited to launch a new chapter in their longstanding relationship to further corporate community engagement and amplify community impact. Through 2025, they will work together to plan and execute curated group community engagement activities and deliver a series of volunteer engagement webinars.
There are 16 planned activities which will see TD employees working with several community organizations across Canada in a variety of ways such as helping to: grow and enhance green spaces, prepare food donations for distribution, deliver healthy lunches to kids and more. While each planned activity will be different—with some virtual and others in-person—they will all be designed to help engage, inspire, and mobilize the TD workforce, while helping to strengthen both the TD culture of volunteerism and the communities being served.
The webinar series will explore aspects of employer-supported volunteering and how to better inspire volunteer commitment, including fostering inclusion in volunteerism and co-designing an ethical volunteer experience.
The launch of this collaboration in April is scheduled to coincide with Global Volunteer Month, which is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the power of collective action and to work together to inspire everyone to help play a role in shaping more connected communities.
“This initiative marks a significant step in Volunteer Canada’s collaboration with TD Bank Group. We are committed to working together to increase the participation, quality, and diversity of volunteer experiences.” Dr. Megan Conway, President and CEO, Volunteer Canada
"At TD, we know that we can only thrive when the communities around us thrive. Through the TD Ready Commitment, we recognize the power of volunteering in a rapidly changing world to help create more inclusive spaces, increase community resiliency and forge connections. TD colleagues are passionate and committed to helping improve outcomes for their communities and we're proud to work with Volunteer Canada to help create more opportunities and ways to get involved with local initiatives." Alicia Rose, Associate Vice President, Social Impact, Sustainability & Corporate Citizenship, TD Bank Group.
Volunteer Canada and TD
Since 1977, Volunteer Canada has been a leading voice on volunteering and participation, recognizing and elevating the multitude of ways that individuals connect and contribute. TD and Volunteer Canada have a shared commitment to deepening best practices in corporate community engagement. This project builds on the collective work done through Volunteer Canada’s Corporate Community Engagement Council, of which TD is an integral member. Through the TD Ready Commitment, the Bank's corporate citizenship platform, TD is dedicated to helping open doors for a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future through its four key interconnected drivers of change: Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities, and Better Health.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Megan Conway
President and CEO
Volunteer Canada Partners with Federal Government to Create a National Volunteer Action Strategy
Federal Budget 2024 commits $400,000 for Volunteer Canada to develop plans to revitalize Canada’s critical volunteer sector
Ottawa, April 16, 2024 – Today Volunteer Canada welcomed the federal government’s announcement of $400,000 to fund the development of a National Volunteer Action Strategy as part of Budget 2024. Volunteer Canada is ready to lead the creation of this strategy with the federal government and our partners across the country.
The goal of the National Volunteer Action Strategy is to build belonging and inclusion by making volunteering more accessible and sustainable so that everyone in Canada can volunteer more easily or benefit from the work they do.
Volunteering rates are down significantly across Canada since the pandemic—meaning many communities have to go without the key services those volunteers used to provide.
“Every single moment volunteered by Canadians matters. The contributions they make ease loneliness, address challenges, and create a stronger, more connected Canada,” said Lisa Mort-Putland, Volunteer Canada’s Board Chair. “Creating a National Action Strategy is the best opportunity we’ve had to set out a bold new vision for volunteering in the past 60 years – and it will set us on a new path for decades to come.”
“Volunteering is a more powerful driver of opportunity and growth than most people realize,” added Dr. Megan Conway, Volunteer Canada’s President and CEO. “Volunteering makes a huge impact on our economy. Charities and non-profits alone contribute almost as much to Canada’s GDP as the financial services and oil and gas sectors combined. In short, volunteering is good for individuals – and it’s good for Canada, too.”
This important announcement coincides with the start of Canada’s National Volunteer Week. The federal funding will be used for research and consultation for the strategy and to develop pilot programs to help develop tools, resources, and scalable pathways to help more people become volunteers.
As Canada marks this year’s National Volunteer Week, charities and non-profits across our country face enormous challenges. The demand for their services is rising, but more than half of Canada’s organizations that rely on volunteers don’t have the people or donations to meet the demand.
That’s why Volunteer Canada launched A Roadmap to Meet the Moment: Co-Creating a National Volunteer Action Strategy for Canada at the end of last year. The Roadmap identifies gaps, assets, and opportunities in several areas–including funding and volunteer infrastructure for charities and non-profits.
“Sometimes we only notice volunteers when they’re not there – and right now, the gap is noticeable,” said Dr. Conway. “This new strategy will put a renewed emphasis on the sector, and drive recruitment and growth in the years ahead. We are pleased the federal government is making this important effort a priority in this Budget.”
Volunteer Canada
Since 1977, Volunteer Canada has acted as the national voice and leadership body for volunteerism. A registered charity with over 1,100 organizational members, Volunteer Canada works with a diversity of corporate, charity, nonprofit, and education partners nationwide to strengthen the quality, quantity, and accessibility of volunteering. We are the sector’s backbone organization providing leadership, expertise, standards of practice, and resources for the public, private, and charitable sectors. Our mission is to advance volunteerism to grow connection, community, and belonging.
www.volunteer.ca | www.volunteerstrategy.ca | X: @VolunteerCanada | Instagram: VolunteerCanada | Facebook: VolunteerCanada | LinkedIn: Volunteer-Canada | YouTube: VolunteerCanada | #NVW2024 #EveryMomentMatters #VolunteerAdvocacy #VolunteerImpact
For more information:
Dr. Megan Conway
President and CEO
Volunteer Canada Welcomes Two New Staff Members
The Volunteer Canada team is growing! Please join us in welcoming Judith Oviosun and Anita Newling! We are thrilled to have each of them contribute their talent and skills to our team and continue to create impact across Canada.
Judith Oviosun - Membership and Engagement Manager .png)
Judith is a dedicated Community Engagement & Education Specialist with a robust background in advocacy campaigns, project management, and stakeholder relations. With a wealth of experience in her field, Judith has led the development of numerous impactful advocacy campaigns, mobilizing members and stakeholders to enact positive change. She excels in translating complex research into actionable initiatives and has a proven track record of effective communication and collaboration. Judith is known for her strategic approach, strong leadership skills, and passion for social justice. She is committed to making a positive impact in her community and beyond, leveraging her expertise to advocate for meaningful change.
Anita Newling - Intergenerational Initiative Manager .png)
Anita is a community builder who strives to create safe, inclusive environments, where all folks can thrive. As a paediatric nurse, educator and mental health advocate, Anita has used her creativity and forward-thinking approach to drive change and development across multiple sectors. Fostering the power of intergenerational (IG) relationships has been an important thread through Anita’s work. She has led multiple IG projects, and in 2022 obtained her International Certification in Intergenerational Practice from Generations Working Together in Scotland. Anita advocates for intergenerational volunteering locally and nationally and is a member of the National IG Community of Practice. Anita enjoys the intergenerational experience of community theatre and volunteers her time both on and off the stage
We are so thrilled to have these two new additions on board the Volunteer Canada team.