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Posted By Administration,
April 23, 2025
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Estimated reading time: 15 minutes
Imagine this for a second. It’s election time, and you’re standing in line to vote in your town’s municipal election. It's less than glamorous—fluorescent lighting, a drafty gymnasium, the smell of someone’s stale coffee lingering in the air. Fidgeting on your phone, scrolling while the line inches forward. But when it’s finally your turn, and you stand there with the ballot in your hand, something clicks. The names on the page aren’t just strangers; they’re the people who’ll decide whether your neighbourhood park gets funding. Whether your friend’s mental health clinic stays open. Whether the local food bank can keep running. You cast your vote and walk out the door. But you can’t shake the feeling that voting is just step one. There’s so much left to do. Why Voting Is the First Step When you vote, you’re not just choosing a leader. You’re setting the direction for your community. You’re saying, This is what I care about. This is what I’m fighting for. But here’s the thing: voting alone doesn’t fix the potholes, clean up the parks, or stock the food bank’s shelves. Voting sets the wheels in motion, sure, but it’s the follow-through—the action—that really gets things done.
Volunteering: The Follow-Through Volunteering is what happens when you take the issues you voted on and put your hands, your time, and your heart into them. You voted for better schools? Tutoring kids after school is how you make that happen. You voted for climate action? Join a cleanup crew or advocate for local green initiatives. You voted for affordable housing? Help build it. Or spend time at a shelter listening to people’s stories and understanding what’s really at stake. Volunteering connects you to the very people you’re voting to support and the very problems you’re hoping to alleviate. It’s where your ideals meet reality.
Where the Two Meet When you combine voting and volunteering, something powerful happens. Volunteering makes you a smarter voter. When you’re out in the field—whether it’s packing boxes at a food bank or advocating for better public transit—you get firsthand knowledge of what’s working and what’s broken. This insight makes your vote more informed. Voting amplifies your volunteer efforts. Electing leaders who share your vision can fund the causes you care about, remove roadblocks, and make your volunteer work even more impactful. It’s a cycle. You vote for change, you volunteer to bring it to life, and the results of your volunteering fuel your next vote.
How You Can Get Started If you’ve ever wondered how to bridge the gap between voting and volunteering, here are some ideas to get you started:
Vote With Intention Before heading to the polls, take time to research the issues that matter most to you. Think about how they connect to the causes you’re already passionate about. Volunteer Where It Counts Find opportunities that align with your vote. If you’re passionate about public schools, look for local education programs. If you care about climate action, join a local advocacy group. Be a Connector Encourage your friends, family, and coworkers to get involved. Share how voting and volunteering have shaped your perspective—it might inspire them to do the same.
Why it Matters Here’s the truth: democracy doesn’t end at the ballot box. It lives in the hands of the people who care enough to show up—both on Election Day and every other day of the year. Voting gives you a voice. Volunteering gives you the tools to use it. So next time you cast your vote, don’t stop there. Find a way to show up for your community. Get your hands dirty. Be the person who turns ideas into action. Because when voting and volunteering work together, that’s when real change happens.And honestly? It feels good to be part of something bigger than yourself. Looking for more ways to impact your community? You can always visit our Continuum of Civic Engagement to learn more.
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Posted By Cara Eaton,
March 4, 2025
Updated: April 25, 2025
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Happy National Volunteer Week!
This year's theme, Volunteers Make Waves, is about volunteers contributing to making a change, no matter how small or big - the actions of the collective come together to create a wave of change in our community.National Volunteer Week is annual celebration of volunteers and how they give back to our community. This National Volunteer Week, the theme is Volunteers Make Waves. We've sat down with Alexander Paul Burton, a community member giving back and creating waves everyday.
The Power of Giving Back For me, giving back is not just about making a donation—it’s about showing up for others, sharing what I can, and inspiring others to do the same. Over the years, I’ve supported mental health organizations like the Centre for Grief and Healing in Mississauga and have volunteered in a variety of capacities. Volunteering for mental health is especially close to my heart because it’s a reminder that we all have a role to play in supporting one another.
"Volunteering has been a grounding force in my life. It reminds me of the importance of being present and of the incredible impact that even small acts of kindness can have."
“The world can often feel divided, but it’s in those moments of giving, of showing up, that we realize we are stronger together. I want to inspire others—especially within my community—to take action and give what they can. Even the smallest gesture can make a difference.”
- Alexander Paul Burton
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Why I Give Volunteering at Allan Gardens Food Bank has also been a deeply rewarding experience. This food bank is an amazing resource for those in need, offering not just food, but also a sense of community for individuals who may feel isolated or forgotten. I’m proud to support such a remarkable organization that does so much good in the heart of Toronto. But beyond the financial donation, being there in person, helping hand out food and talking with people, has shown me the true power of community and how important it is to give what we can.
Mental Health and Volunteering: A Personal Connection Mental health has been a key focus in my advocacy work, and volunteering in this space has helped me just as much as it’s helped others. As someone who works in an industry that can often feel isolating or stressful, I’ve learned that giving back provides a sense of purpose and connection that is vital to my well-being. Helping others who are struggling with mental health challenges allows me to better understand my own, and it gives me an opportunity to make a meaningful impact, even in small ways.
This winter, as the need for support increases, I encourage you to think about how you can give back. Whether it’s donating your time, resources, or simply spreading kindness, there are many ways we can all help others during this season. Even a small action can create a ripple effect of positivity that touches many lives.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Let’s all continue to make a difference, together! With warmth and gratitude, Alex (He/Him)
Alexander Paul Burton has contributed to fundraising initiatives for various causes, including medical research and community development. He advocates for volunteerism and community engagement, encouraging people to participate in local initiatives. He volunteers at the Allan Gardens Food Bank in Toronto, assisting with food distribution and community support services.
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Are you a LGBTQ+ Artist looking to amplify your music and advocacy? The OUTLINE award celebrates meaningful contributions to LGBT+ advocacy and artistic excellence, no matter where an artist is based. LGBTQ+ award for marginalized and underrepresented musicians called OUTLINE.
Apply by June 1, 2025 for consideration!
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Posted By Administration,
August 16, 2024
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Estimated reading time: 15 minutes It's two weeks before Thanksgiving and you can't wait to volunteer at this year's local food drive. It's hard to forget the feeling of working with volunteers at last year's event. You remember the endless waves of people dropping off donations they collected. Rows of volunteers packing and sorting thanksgiving goodies into every box. And fleets of delivery drivers ready to deliver holiday happiness to a family in need. But what if that complex network of volunteers struggled to work together? What if there was a gap in communication or an unforeseen road block between teams? And how would these things impact the cause you're volunteering for? This is why collaboration between volunteers is so important. Collaboration is what helps us navigate the unexpected hurdles that pop up while serving your cause. Need to boost your productivity or develop a new recruitment strategy? A synergetic team of volunteers will muster together the results you're looking for. So how can you pump up your team's sense of collaboration? In this article of our our Continuum of Civic Engagement series, we'll walk you through the top 3 strategies to level up collaboration across your volunteering teams. Clear Communication Channels You know those moments when you need a solution, but can't reach the person who has it? That's how many new volunteers feel when they're starting out. Jumping from volunteer to volunteer looking for answers to the roadblocks holding back their productivity. And it doesn't just frustrate the volunteers desperate for help. It also slows down other team members from wrapping up their tasks.
So how can you address this? The answer is simple. You need a solid and clear communication channel to stay ahead of the problems your volunteers run into. Team group chats, direct response inboxes or even handing out your phone number could do the trick. As long as volunteers can grab the person they're searching for in real-time, that's all that matters.
The Power of Training and Development Working with volunteers is a lot like building a house. Before you can start you need to lay down a solid foundation. And in the world of volunteerism, training is that foundation. Training and development can do a lot for your volunteer organization or cause. It drives efficiency, bumps up productivity and lays out expectations. But it also takes volunteers by the hand and walks them through the process of working together.
With training and development sessions volunteers get a chance to know each other. Share stories of how they got started, and bond over the cause they've dedicated so much of their life to. For so many reasons, training and development can open the doorway to life-long collaboration between volunteers. Encourage Teamwork If you're a volunteer manager you have a lot on the go. Recruitment visits, onboarding lessons, and scheduling take up most of your time. So you don't have time to monitor a communication channel or architect new training and development sessions. If you find yourself in this situation, don't worry, there's one last bow left in your quiver.
You can sit back, and trust your volunteers to take newcomers under their wing. Remember, your volunteers love the cause they serve. They've dedicated years of their life to drive it forward and help it reach new heights. And often, they're bursting at the seams to help out a fellow volunteer enthusiast. So have a little faith in your volunteer team and help them help each other.
Conclusion Building a collaborative environment among volunteers is like putting together a puzzle. At first it's hard to know where everything should go. But with a little effort from everyone involved, you can create a beautiful picture. And including systems like communication channels and training sessions can help.
That's because they open up doors for real time responses and meaningful connections. Driving your cause forward and with less day-to-day friction slowing your organization down. And if you're tight on time, or strapped for resources, you can always depend on your team to lend a helping hand to a fellow volunteer in need.
Together, these tactics can forge a strong and unified team of volunteers to power your organization goals. But if you want to learn more about fostering collaboration amongst your volunteers, you can always visit our Continuum of Civic Engagement to learn more. |
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Posted By Volunteer Toronto Administration,
May 28, 2024
Updated: May 29, 2024
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Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
How To Connect With People Using Empathy Strategies
Struggling to connect with the people around you? Empathy could be the solution. When we hear the word empathy used in day-to-day life, it usually reminds us of a certain memory or moment. A coworker making you feel heard, a relative forgiving a mistake, or a friend giving you thoughtful advice. These are all great examples of empathy at work. At their core, empathy strategies are forms of emotional connection that lighten the load of everyday life through kindness .
But developing empathy isn't only for those we express it to, it has benefits for us as well. Expressing empathy strengthens the relationships we have with the people in our lives. Think of a time when you were down on your luck, when you felt alone or even unseen. Do you remember the person who was there to listen? Most of us would answer yes to this question.
That's because showing empathy builds trust, promotes cooperation and even resolves conflicts. Are you having issues with a colleague or struggling to connect with a friend? Being more empathetic might be the skill that makes the difference.
But how can you start being more empathetic? In this article we’ll cover 3 strategies on how to develop empathy. They include: - Listening Actively
- Perspective Taking
- Self Education
By the end of the article, you’ll understand the value of having an empathy strategy. Active Listening: A Great Way To Cultivate Empathy What's the quickest way to start developing empathy? The answer is- active listening. Active listening, also referred to as empathetic listening, is similar to the traditional form yet with a few caveats. For starters, it goes past simply hearing the words someone is saying.Active listening pushes us to invest more into the speaker by being present, recognizing verbal and non verbal cues and validating their concerns. Listeners participate in the conversation, but active listeners help guide it.Here are a few quick ways you can improve your active listening skills.
Paraphrasing If you're not understanding something clearly, say it in your own words, to confirm you're on the same page.
Reflecting Take a moment to acknowledge and validate the speaker's feelings. This demonstrates a high level of emotional intelligence and will encourage the speaker to share more.
Give Feedback Constructive responses let the speaker know you're invested in their success and happiness.
These are all great examples of how to cultivate empathy through the power of active listening. Sharing Perspectives: An Important Way To Improve Empathy It may not be easy, but putting yourself in someone else's shoes can go a long way. By sharing someone else’s perspective, you'll see the world through their eyes. It can give you valuable insight about their challenges, fears, frustrations, as well as other feelings. This insight also allows us to understand why these feelings exist.
Sharing perspectives is a lot like sharing eyeglasses. The world might become harder to navigate, depending on which ones you try. The next time someone tells you they're having troubles at home or stress at work, ask yourself, "How would I want people to communicate with me? Or "What advice would I want to hear right now"?
Asking these types of questions will change how you connect with the people around you. It’s also a great exercise on how to improve emotional empathy.
Educating Ourselves: Build Empathy Through Knowledge It's not always easy to understand every problem someone is having. You may lack context, experience or the ability to relate. What if you've never lost your job or experienced the pain of a divorce? This is where education comes in.
Education can be a valuable resource to bridge the gap between what we need to know and the people we want to help. It's an empathy building tool that gives us a chance to understand the full scope of an issue someone is having. That understanding can reshape our perspectives and help provide constructive feedback.
Here are a few ways you can educate yourself to increase empathy:
Seek Out Educational Resources There are endless online, and offline, resources to help understand people's circumstances. Books, courses and forums are a few great examples that offer perspective and improve empathy .
Volunteer Volunteering gives us a chance to engage with people from diverse backgrounds. These interactions can provide a lot of insight into the challenges people are facing.
Seek Out A Professional Licensed professionals are great at teaching empathy and sharing information about navigating different situations. They can also provide you with more advanced empathy techniques .
Conclusion Empathy is a skill set that often goes unpracticed. But it rarely goes unnoticed.When we practice empathy we build bridges between people, rather than tear them down. It's not easy though. It involves active listening, perspective sharing and the willingness to educate yourself. But with time, empathy can transform the relationships we have with the people around us. Friendships can be rebuilt, families can be saved, and colleges can begin to trust. If you're prepared to put in the work, time, and effort, developing empathy can be life changing.
If you would like to learn more about developing empathy, check out our
Continuum of Civic Engagement.
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Posted By Volunteer Toronto,
January 27, 2020
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Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Looking for work can often be extremely challenging and frustrating. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Volunteering isn’t just about giving back to your community. It’s also a great way to build skills and experience, network and cultivate references, and hone your job application skills. Let’s delve into the five ways volunteering can enhance your job search!
1. Skill Development
If you’re a recent graduate with little work experience, volunteering can provide you with opportunities for on-the-job training. If you’ve been unemployed for a significant period, volunteering can allow you to refresh both your technical and soft skills. Even if you don’t find a volunteer role that perfectly aligns with the job you’re hoping to secure, volunteering can allow you to both demonstrate and hone transferable skills like leadership, communication, and time management.
2. Networking
The term networking conjures up images of awkward, intimidating cocktail events where everyone scrambles to rack up LinkedIn connections. In reality, networking can happen anywhere—including while volunteering! Real networking is about developing mutually beneficial relationships. When you volunteer, you’ll have the chance, not only to get to know your supervisor and their colleagues, but to demonstrate your abilities and shining personality. As a result, they’ll be able to effectively assist you in your job search, more so than anyone you meet at a formal networking event.
3. Practice
The process of applying for a volunteer position is very similar to that of applying for a job, particularly if you’re applying to a long-term volunteer role involving significant responsibility. You’ll be honing your cover letter and resume writing skills, as well as your interview skills.
Cover letters are notoriously tricky. You have just one page to articulate how your unique skillset, experience, and personality make you the perfect fit for the role. Non-profits are often concerned with telling a captivating story about their own work, so be sure to tie your own story to their mission, vision, and values.
Applying to multiple volunteer opportunities will allow you to test out different resume formats, from chronological to functional, and to practice customizing your resume to match the position description. When it comes time to apply for paid positions, make sure to include your volunteer experience on your resume. Don’t be afraid to list your volunteer work under professional experience—work is work, whether paid or unpaid!
From brief telephone interviews for short-term roles to formal in-person interviews for high-responsibility, long-term roles, the volunteer screening process will give you multiple opportunities to hone your interview skills. Ensure that you prepare for common questions like, “what do you know about our organization?” and “tell us about yourself.” When it comes time to interview for your dream job, you’ll be ready to answer these questions clearly, concisely, and confidently.
4. Getting Feedback
Asking for feedback throughout your job or volunteer search is vital. You’ll gain insight into current hiring practices, as well as your own strengths and weaknesses, setting you up to ace your next application or interview. Competition for certain volunteer roles can be fierce, so if you aren’t selected for a position, don’t be discouraged! Instead, calmly and politely ask for feedback. Even if you do secure a role, you may still want to ask your supervisor for feedback on your performance once you’ve been volunteering for a few weeks.
5. Cultivating References
If a lack of recent, local references is standing between you and your dream job, volunteering may be the answer. Look for long-term volunteer roles where you’ll be able to build relationships. Before you apply, ask whether a reference is conditional on having volunteered for a minimum number of hours or months. To ensure a glowing reference, treat your volunteer role with the same gravity as you would a paid position—be punctual, communicative, and do your best.
We hope you found this brief overview of volunteering for jobseekers helpful. If you’d like to delve deeper into this topic and you missed our free webinar on the topic, please click here for the recording. Thank you to Jooble.org for supporting Volunteer Toronto and jobseekers on their employment endeavours.
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Posted By Volunteer Toronto,
December 15, 2017
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Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
Mental health affects people from all walks of life and in countless ways. While confronting mental health can be overwhelming, there are many ways to support mental health as a volunteer and make an impact in other’s lives. Check out these Toronto organizations and find out how you can give your time, skills and abilities to support mental health programs across Toronto:
Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood and Community Health Centre is a multi-service agency in Toronto’s West End, providing health and community support services for infants, children, youth and seniors.
- Location: Davenport Road and Old Weston Road
- How you can volunteer: As a Community Dining Assistant, you’ll help with set-up, clean-up and cooking for Wednesday community dinners.
Distress Centres of Greater Toronto is a crisis support call centre available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They provide emergency support, emotional support, suicide prevention, and more.
- Location: Yonge Street and Adelaide Street
- How you can volunteer: Provide immediate support to others in their time of need as a help line operator.
Family Service Toronto helps people facing a variety of life challenges, by assisting families and individuals through counselling, community development, advocacy and public education programs.
- Location: Numerous sites across Toronto
- How you can volunteer: As an Options Program Tutor and Life Skills Coach, you’ll maintain a supportive, friendly relationship with individuals who face mental health challenges.
Abiona Centre is an infant and early childhood mental health organization supporting pregnant and parenting adolescents, aged 13-25, and their babies. Their programs include pre-and-post natal residential care, primary health care and maternal infant mental health.
- Location: Broadview Avenue and Danforth Avenue
- How you can volunteer: Parent Relief Volunteers provide basic child care while young mothers take much-needed breaks or run errands.
Senior Persons Living Connected (SPLC) provides programs and services that meet the diverse needs of older adults and their caregivers. Services include seniors housing, counselling and social, recreational and fitness programs.
- Location: Warden Avenue and Finch Avenue
- How you can volunteer: Friendly Visitors spend time with seniors, engaging in conversation and leisure activities.
SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health (formerly The Hincks-Dellcrest Centre) combines prevention, treatment, research and education to support children, youth and families facing mental health challenges.
- Location: Keele St. and Sheppard Avenue West or Jarvis St. and Wellesley St. East
- How you can volunteer: Research Assistants contribute to CCMH’s inter-disciplinary, evidenced-based mental health treatment and support system.
The Gatehouse provides support, community and resources for individuals impacted by childhood sexual abuse, including an Investigation Support Program, Art Therapy and the Transforming Trauma Conference.
- Location: Lakeshore Blvd. and Kipling Avenue
- How you can volunteer: Give your time as a Peer Support Group Facilitator, supporting those impacted by childhood sexual abuse.
Victim Services Toronto provides immediate crisis response, intervention and prevention services to individuals, families and communities affected by crime and sudden tragedies. Programs include The Trauma Dog Program, High Risk Support Services and Teens Ending Abusive Relationships (TEAR).
- Location: Yonge St. and College St.
- How you can volunteer: Crisis Counsellor Volunteers work alongside professional crisis counsellors to support victims in Toronto.
Yorktown Family Services is dedicated to providing effective, accessible, quality mental health treatment, prevention and outreach services to children, youth, women and families. The agency is divided into a Child and Family Centre and a Shelter for Women and their children, fleeing abusive relationships.
- Location: Dufferin St. and Eglinton Avenue West
- How you can volunteer: Walk-In Clinic Counsellors bring their professional counselling experience to the Family Centre and Shelter, on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.
CAMH is Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world's leading research centres in its field.With a dedicated staff of more than 5,000 physicians, clinicians, researchers, educators and support staff, CAMH offers outstanding clinical care to more than 38,000 patients each year.
Is your perfect volunteer role not in this list? Most of these organizations have multiple volunteer opportunities, so make sure you visit their websites to find out more. If you still can’t find the right fit, search Volunteer Toronto’s database, selecting the "Health and Mental Health" category, or contact a Volunteer Advisor at 416-961-6888 x 232 or advisors@volunteertoronto.ca.
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