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Why Voting and Volunteering Are the Ultimate Power Couple

Posted By Administration, April 23, 2025
A young man attending a voting centre and speaking to the volunteers as they hand him a piece of paper

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.

Tags:  canada election  Career  civic engagement  community engagement  election 2025  empathy  getting involved  How to get your 40 hours  How to give back  How to start volunteering  Mental Health  Toronto  volunteer in Toronto  volunteer leaders  Volunteering  volunteerism  vote  voting  Youth volunteers 

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NVW 2025 Community Member Spotlight: The Benefits of Getting Your Hours Early!

Posted By Submitted by Anonymous Grade 11 Student, March 25, 2025

 

 Halloween Costumes, Pie, and a Fall Festival

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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. This is especially true for youth! Although you may not be able to vote, or donate as much time or money, but what you can do in the moment is significant and contributes to the good of the community as a whole.

The benefits and experiences that a volunteer role can offer differ from person to person, but at the core - volunteering is a meaningful way to participate in community and get involved in making change. We sat down with a grade 11 student, and reflected on their experiences as a volunteer through their high school career:

What is the best part of volunteering?
The best part of volunteering is meeting new people! From the times i’ve volunteered, I made new friends from different schools which allowed me to have more connections with people. Finally, volunteering allows people to make new friends!

How did you choose what volunteer role to apply for?
"I have had many different roles for the different places I’ve volunteered. Last summer, I volunteered at a festival with my friends, we were selling pies! Another time, during Halloween I volunteered for the city for a kids festival. I also found a really cool volunteer role for a haunted hayride! We got to dress up and scare people - it was so fun"

What would you tell another student looking to complete their 40 hours? 
"The advice I would give other students looking to complete their 40 hours is to do them early! I finished all my hours in grade 9 which made it much easier for the rest of my high school years." Another great thing is to volunteer at places you find interesting! I waited for some places I had interest in to recruit!"

What is your favourite volunteering memory?
"My favourite volunteering memory is definitely when I was a volunteer 'scare-er' at the haunted hayride. I got to volunteer with my friends - our group brought so much food, we laughed we had fun scaring and we laughed until it was over! I made so many friends in my group and had so much fun scaring the people on the hayride!"

What personal benefits, if any did you get from volunteering?
"My personal benefits from volunteering were getting my hours early so I can not worry about it later and just focus on my school work. I also made new friends that I still talk to which improved my school life!"

 

Feeling inspired? Start searching for youth opportunities here,

be sure to use our filters to find the role best suited for you!

Tags:  40 High School Community service hours  40 hours  40 volunteer hours  empathy  festivals  give back  Help finding a volunteer position  how do I get a volunteer position  How long does it take to find a volunteer position  How to get your 40 hours  How to give back  How to start volunteering  how to write a volunteer resume  ignite fair  One-Day Volunteer Opportunities  summer  Teen volunteering  volunteer  volunteer in Toronto  Volunteer with friends  volunteering for youth  volunteerism  volunteers  Ways to volunteer  What's It Like To Volunteer  Youth volunteers 

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Working With Volunteers: Forging Long Term Collaboration

Posted By Administration, August 16, 2024
 Banner showcasing diverse volunteers interacting

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 importantCollaboration 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 Channel

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.

Tags:  applying to volunteer  give back  Help finding a volunteer position  how do I get a volunteer position  How to start volunteering  how to volunteer  How to volunteer in Toronto  Questions about volunteering  types of volunteer positions  volunteer  volunteer in Toronto  volunteer leaders  Volunteer questions  Volunteering  volunteering for youth  volunteering in Toronto  Ways to volunteer  What's It Like To Volunteer  Youth volunteers 

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Back to School with Volunteer Toronto

Posted By Cara Eaton, August 26, 2023
Updated: April 17, 2025
 Back to School on Chalkboard.

 

School is back in session! One of the busiest times of the year is here and support is still needed in the community. High school students also need to complete 40 volunteer hours to graduate.

Getting involved with organizations that support students is a great way to give back. There are many tools and resources available, whether you are a student or youth looking to volunteer, or if you are looking to support youth through volunteering your time. Check out ways you can get involved below!



Supporting Students

There are so many ways to
lend a helping hand to students returning to school. There are endless ways to get involved and make an impact.

Support student-led organizations in your community – groups like Pledges for Change are run by students, and work to provide the tools necessary to make navigating young adulthood a little bit easier!
Support student-serving organizations in your community - SLYE strives for increased community engagement and equitable access to services for all Toronto youth!
Volunteer your time for youthSearch opportunities here

   

 

Supporting Students as a Student
Giving back to
other students as a student is a great way to support your peers. There are many different routes you can take while volunteering . Not sure where to get started? Attend our “How to Become a Volunteer: Youth” session. We also host several different “How to Become a Volunteer” Information Sessions both virtually and in-person on a monthly basis. 

   

 

 

Back to School: LGBTQ+ Support
Providing resources and care to LGBTQ+ students is incredibly important. Fostering safe and healthy spaces strengthens and unites the community , and there are many ways to do so. There are various organizations across the city, such as LGBT Youthline, Supporting Our Youth (SOY), and The 519 doing this important work. Volunteer your time with these incredible organizations to support LGBTQ+ youth!

 



Back to School: BIPOC Support
Creating awareness and acknowledging our diverse cultures and backgrounds creates stronger, more diverse communities. There are a number of non-profit organizations including: Rest Centres, Native Centre TO, Black Foundation of Community Networks, and Native Youth Sexual Health Network that work to cater to the needs of BIPOC youth.


 


More Organizations Supporting Students!

Give back by contributing to food security and aid homeless youth around the city. There are countless ways to get involved, whether that be a donation, volunteering your time, or micro-volunteering day-to-day to help those in need.
Canadian Courage Project - Support homeless youth in Toronto.

Community Share Food Bank - Support and donate to a local food bank.

 

  

 

Mental Health
Looking to access or
get involved with mental health resources as a student? There are many avenues and organizations that can provide tools and resources for youth struggling with their mental health, or that would like to get involved with organizations that provide mental health care for others.

Tags:  40 hours  High school volunteers  Ignite Fair  volunteering in Toronto  youth support  Youth Volunteers 

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