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We all want to do great things. This blog with help you think about the ways you can achieve greatness through volunteering.

 

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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 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.

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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10 Organizations to Support this Pride Month and Beyond!
Posted By Cara Eaton, June 1, 2024
Updated: April 15, 2025
Text

Estimated reading time: 15 minutes


Check out the organizations below that have been supporting Toronto’s 2SLGBTQ+ community. Learn more about each organization and click to get involved as a volunteer or access services that are of interest to you! Supporting the 2SLGBTQ+ community is a priority not only during Pride Month, but all year round. Show your support by getting involved as a volunteer, showing support as ally, and support 2SLGBTQ+ organizations doing amazing work across the city!

LGBT YouthLine
LGBT YouthLine is a 2SLGBTQ+ youth-led organization that affirms and supports the experiences of youth (29 and under) across Ontario by:
- Providing anonymous peer support and referrals;
- Training youth to provide support to other youth; and
- Providing resources so youth can make informed decisions.

Get involved as a Volunteer here.
Access Online Resources here.

 

The 519
The 519 is committed to the health, happiness and full participation of the 2SLGBTQ+ communities. A City of Toronto agency with an innovative model of Service, Space and Leadership, The 519 strives to make a real difference in people’s lives, while working to promote inclusion, understanding and respect.

Get involved as a Volunteer here.
Access Programs and Services here.

 

 

Pride at Work Canada
Pride at Work Canada empowers Canadian employers to build workplaces that celebrate all employees regardless of gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Our learning, networking and community events happen across the country, advising, celebrating and connecting the most inclusive Canadian employers. We help private, public and non-profit employers to create safer, more inclusive workplaces that recognize the skills of 2SLGBTQIA+ people.

Get involved as a Volunteer here.
 Access Programs and Services here.

 

Let’s Stop AIDS
Let’s Stop AIDS inspires youth to take action, within local communities. Young people must be given fair opportunities in leadership roles to express their creative skills. Through youth leadership and volunteer opportunities, we promote HIV prevention and positive living.

Learn More here. 
Get involved as a Volunteer here.

 

Toronto Queer Film Festival
Since 2016, the Toronto Queer Film Festival has showcased the film and video art of queer and trans creators. We celebrate vigour, resistance, and defiance over nationalism and assimilation. We elevate Indigiqueer/Trans/2 Spirit filmmakers and filmmakers of colour where others erase or tokenize.
Learn more or submit a film here.

 

Inside Out Film Festival
Inside Out is a not-for-profit registered charity that exists to challenge attitudes and change lives through the promotion, production and exhibition of film made by and about 2SLGBTQ+ people of all ages, races and abilities.

Learn more here.   
Get involved as a Volunteer here.

 

PFlag Canada
Pflag Canada is a national charitable organization, founded by parents who wished to help themselves and their family members understand and accept their LGBTQ2S children.

Access Online Resources here.
Get Involved here.

 

Rainbow Railroad
Rainbow Railroad is a global not-for-profit organization that helps LGTBQI+ people facing persecution based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics. In a time when there are more displaced people than ever before, LGBTQI+ people are uniquely vulnerable due to systemic, state-enabled homophobia and transphobia.

Learn More here. 
Take Action here.  

 

Egale Canada
To improve the lives of 2SLGBTQI people in Canada and to enhance the global response to 2SLGBTQI issues. Egale will achieve this by informing public policy, inspiring cultural change, and promoting human rights and inclusion through research, education, awareness and legal advocacy.

Access Online Resources here. 
Get Involved here.

 

Queer & Trans Asian Youth
Asian Community AIDS Services’ (ACAS) Youth Program for East and Southeast Asians aged 16-29 strives to increase education, opportunities, support and resiliency skills for Asian youth in Toronto in dealing with the various social/health challenges and questions of being at the intersections of queerness and Asianness.

Access Online Resources here.
Get Involved here.  


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Tags:  community  give back  help finding a volunteer position  non-profit  non-profits  opportunities  volunteer  youth support 

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