Latest News | May 2022

We talk to lots of people across the country and sector, and there seems to be a general energy of fatigue and burn out so here are some things that have been getting us through: 

Podcasts: this is an awesome listen from for the wild - ALOK on Unruly Beauty

Music: Harry Styles, Emeli Sandé and Florence and the Machine have new albums out. Spotify or Apple Music should have you sorted there. 

Nature: birds are laying eggs. Things are growing. Check out Brecks if you are in the market for bulbs.

Reading: Hannah Gadsby's book Ten Steps to Nanette is amazing. 

Take care out there! 

This was overheard in a coffee shop recently, someone lamenting their position of treasurer on a board of an organization. It is a reality of volunteerism, we all get tired, burnt out and we stay out of obligation or guilt or whatever we tell ourselves. We stay out of a feeling that it might all fall apart if it were not for us. 

If you are considering signing on for another term for a board but it is not because you are super jazzed about what they are doing in this world maybe take this as a sign that it is ok not to. You can say no. Your fellow board members might be sad, they might miss you but everyone will ok, the organization will be ok. Someone else will find the space there and take on the work you were doing in their own way.

Life shifts for all of us, many us will have 12 different volunteer experiences in our lifetimes. You can take some space and time, when you are rested and ready there are tons of opportunities out there on volunteerconnector.org. Maybe in a couple years you might be overheard at a coffee shop sharing the awesome work the organization is doing! Until then; take a break!

Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Volunteer Centre of Calgary (operating the VolunteerConnector) will take place virtually on June 01, 2022 - 9:30-10:30am MST.

Guest: Dr Moyo Mutamba

• Anti-Racism and DEI Consultant,
• Leadership Coach,
• Lecturer,
• Co-Author of "An Anti-Racist Approach to Volunteering"

2021 AGM Business Meeting Agenda

Wednesday, June 01, 2020

• Call to order
• Appointment of recording secretary
• Approve the agenda (motion 1)
• Approve past minutes (motion 2)
• Treasurer Remarks
• Receive 2021 Financials (motion 3)
• Appointment of Auditor (motion 4)
• Appointment of Board Directors (motion 5)
• Acknowledgements
• Adjourn

Our Financials and Annual Report

• Governance & Nominating

In case you missed the other two links . . . 2021 AGM Registration

We feel extraordinarily lucky that people doing awesome work in their communities continue to use the VolunteerConnector to share their cause with the world. Whatever your pathway is to try to do better or make the world you live in a smidge better there is space for you here. We would love to highlight some new organizations to the VolunteerConnector and their very valuable work ...

Black Environmental Initiative - The Black Environmental Initiative (BE Initiative) is a project on the Makeway shared platform that promotes the environmental protection of BIPOC communities in Canada and their well-being. In 2020, BE Initiative started a collaboration with the ENRICH project of Dr. Ingrid Waldron, author of the book and NETFLIX documentary "There is something in the water". Together, with Dr. Waldron, we are currently building a national anti-environmental racism coalition that will act as a permanent watch-dog for environmental justice in Canada. BE Initiative is also a voting member of the National Environmental Justice Network (NEJN) in America.

Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network - The Frontenac Arch Biosphere Region is one of 19 biosphere regions within Canada under UNESCO recognition. The Frontenac Arch is an ecologically unique landscape spanning 2700 square kilometres from Brockville to Westport to Verona and is characterized by an ancient ridge of exposed granite that acts as a wildlife corridor between the Adirondack Mountains and the Canadian Shield.

ShelterBox Canada - ShelterBox teams work with disaster-hit families around the world, offering emergency shelter and other essential items to support them in rebuilding their lives. Every disaster is different and so is every community, so we spend time with those affected to make sure we can offer the right support at the right time to help them along their self-recovery journey.