Sessions focus on changing face of volunteers

Attending a board meeting does not have to be like watching paint dry, says Westman’s Wendy Bulloch, a business consultant and workshop facilitator, who adds the way boards think about volunteers needs to change.

“The days of getting volunteers to be with us forever are gone. If we want to attract our young millennials, we have to go where they are and find out what they are willing to contribute. We need to be more flexible,” said Bulloch, who was recognized for her volunteering and mentorship in 2024, with YWCA’s Women of Distinction’s lifetime achievement award.

Bulloch, along with representatives from Volunteer Manitoba and Volunteer Canada, are hosting two sessions at Brandon’s Victorian Inn March 19, one in the afternoon and one in the evening.

Anyone who is a volunteer or wants to make a difference in their community is welcome to attend one or both sessions, said Kamillah El-Giadaa, training and development manager with Volunteer Manitoba.

“They could be volunteers or employees of the non-profit sector, someone who is interested in networking and meeting other like-minded individuals, or just someone who is passionate about community and community giving,” El-Giadaa said.

The first session, scheduled for noon to 3 p.m., begins with lunch and is hosted by Volunteer Manitoba and Volunteer Canada, which is gathering information that will be used to create a new Canada-wide volunteer strategy.

The national organization advocates for volunteerism across the country, while the provincial volunteer centre helps people find places to volunteer, encourages volunteerism, and offers training and workshops.

“After a hot lunch,” said El-Giadaa, “you’re going to be in breakout groups, where you’re going to be talking about the challenges, and some of the solutions to the challenges. What have some organizations done differently than other organizations or community groups? So, you’ll be able to get some resources and make some connections that will be able to strengthen your organization.”

The COVID-19 pandemic hit volunteerism hard, El-Giadaa added.

After the pandemic ended, 65 per cent of non-profit organizations in the country were struggling with a shortage of volunteers, and 35 per cent of those organizations had to reduce their programming and services because of that shortage, according to research conducted in 2023 by Volunteer Canada.

Yet, more teens and millennials — the generation that is between the ages of 29 and 44 — are showing interest in volunteering. But the amount of time that they are willing to commit varies, said El-Giadaa.

“We have seen a big shift in people wanting to volunteer for short-term activities or short-term programs. Volunteering at an organization for 10-plus years was what we saw in previous generations. They really believed in legacy volunteering.

“So, millennials and younger people are very keen on volunteering for causes and for specific things that they feel passionate about for a shorter period of time. So how are organizations adapting to that?” El-Giadaa said.

The evening workshop, scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m., will cover the roles and responsibilities of a non-profit board, said Bulloch, who added she is “tag-teaming with El-Giadaa.”

“I love helping people with governance, it’s so important,” Bulloch said. “And I know some people say it’s like watching paint dry, but if you’ve ever been on a really good board, you know how it should function.

“And when you go to a board meeting that makes you want to pull your hair out? That’s when you understand why it’s important, because it’s so much easier and smoother, and so many more people are willing to get involved,” Bulloch said.

Bulloch and El-Giadaa will also cover the duties of directors on the boards, conflict of interest, how to constantly recruit and ways to welcome people who are willing to dedicate their free time, no matter how long or short the commitment.

Volunteering gives people the power to change their communities, said El-Giadaa.

“It is a democratic way that we can get involved in our community and shape them the way that we want, to create the places that we want to be in,” she said.

Manitoba has a large volunteer base, Bulloch said, adding the boards that run the province’s non-profit organizations should be celebrated.

“Non-profit boards do a lot of work. If you had to pay somebody even minimum wage for all the time and effort that happens on a board, it wouldn’t happen.”

The cost for the first session with Volunteeer Canada is $35. The evening workshop about the roles and responsibilities of a non-profit board is $40.

For more information and to register in advance, call Volunteer Manitoba at 204-477-5180 or toll-free at 1-888-944-4545.

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