A friend of mine recently informed me about a group in the KW Area called the Volunteer Action Centre. Appropriately their belief statement is:
“The Volunteer Action Centre believes in a community enhanced by volunteers who share their time, resources and talents.”
This is a statement that definitely rings true to my core beliefs. I firmly believe that volunteer co-ordination and events could always be better organized and catered to existing community talents. I also believe that volunteering holds a key in helping people shape their desired skill sets and abilities; that they themselves also wish to strengthen. Below I have linked to a video that also demonstrates this want and desire for people to better themselves.
When you visit the website, you will first notice that there doesn’t seem to be much to this website. But if you click on the Volunteer Now link, you will see the true value in the contents. Let me quickly touch on these links and the value they provide those seeking these opportunities.
- Search by Areas of Interest
- This allows you to search through Volunteer Opportunities in the KW area based on a specific talent or interest that you may have
- Many, many skill sets are available for searching
- Search by Organization
- This is a HUGE listing of all organizations and groups in the Kitchener-Waterloo region who are in need of volunteers
- Quicklink – Special Events
- A listing of upcoming events in the Kitchener-Waterloo area and dates for different festivals being held
- Quicklink – Weekly Ads
- A weekly updated listing of groups in need of volunteers to assist them
I will be the first to admit that I haven’t yet taken the time to look into creating a User Profile. I have heard from other individuals that their is an email notification system also in place for volunteering in the region. I think this website deserves a lot more attention by the local municipality as a tool to solving problems with community outreach. Facebook and Twitter are great tools to connecting to the youth, however there also should remain a website portal system in place for those of us who don’t connect with Social Media.
I believe that the Grand River region has a lot to offer in terms of community involvement. If I were given the opportunity to help clean up trash in local parks or conservation areas, I would be more than willing to donate a spare afternoon on my weekend!
Please feel free to let me know if you have any thoughts on this by commenting.
