November 2006 E-bulletin

FEATURE ARTICLE
Aboriginal Participation & Volunteering Within Communities

RELATED RESOURCES
Resources on Aboriginal Participation in the Voluntary Sector

TIPS & TOOLS
Recruitment of Aboriginal Women Volunteers

SPECIAL EVENTS
Seminar, December 5 - International Day of the Volunteer - Don't miss this opportunity to focus on current and emerging trends impacting volunteer involvement.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Workshop: Assessing and Promoting Resiliency in Families
Canadians believe Charities better than Government at understanding and meeting needs - Report

FEATURE ARTICLE

Aboriginal Participation & Volunteering Within Communities
"Aboriginal Participation in Neighbourhood Revitalization: A Case Study"

An important local study has been released that breaks down the stereotype that Aboriginal people are not actively involved in their community or neighbourhood. West Broadway Development Corporation, with the support of the Knowledge Development Centre, conducted qualitative research that will help other organizations design volunteer opportunities for Aboriginal people that will be meaningful and helpful to both the volunteers and to the organizations/projects that involve them.

Key findings from the interviews with Aboriginal volunteers are:

1. Volunteering and helping out in their neighbourhood has been a very positive force in the experience of the volunteers. All participants gave overwhelming positive information about how volunteering benefited the neighbourhood, influenced youth and broke down stereotypes about Aboriginal people. The volunteers also gained personal benefits, including increased self-esteem and confidence, new skills, and feelings of being connected to others in the community. These responses suggest that volunteer activity is an important step on a path to continued engagement and benefit for Aboriginal people in their neighbourhoods.

2. Key motivations shared by the participants include: wanting to give something to the larger community (community could be the neighbourhood or as small as the building where they live); being a positive role model to their families and youth in the community; wishing to become part of the community; being able to use and share their special skills or gifts; wishing to remain close to and strengthen their family; and hoping to make a difference by sharing their difficult life experiences.

3. Barriers to volunteering identified by the study participants included: not being comfortable within a group of non-Aboriginals; feelings of lack of confidence; social, institutional, or policy environment barriers (e.g. social assistance officials against volunteering since it may take away time spent looking for employment); not having information necessary to find out about volunteer opportunities.

4. Volunteering with either Aboriginal people or with non-Aboriginal people was important but not an essential component. Volunteering with Aboriginal people gave them strength and pride while creating stronger feelings of comfort and acceptance. Volunteering with non-Aboriginal people was important in order to break down stereotypes. More importantly was the ability to create friendships with fellow volunteers, as long as there was mutual respect.

5. Informal communication is an effective way to attract new volunteers. Many potential Aboriginal volunteers didn't know where to go or how to go about volunteering. Personal invitation by a staff member or a friend or family member already involved were the best ways of involving more people. Openness and invitation are key factors when involving new Aboriginal volunteers.

In conclusion, the researchers stated the importance of publicizing the volunteer effort and achievement of Aboriginal people. Many Aboriginal people are actively engaged, making communities a better place to live and improving their own quality of life. This should be supported, promoted, and celebrated.

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RELATED RESOURCES

Select resources in our Library:

"Aboriginal Governance and Leadership: Volunteers in the Friendship Centres of Canada" - This research report documents what characterizes an efficient and effective Friendship Centre board and how does it incorporate Aboriginal culture.

"Aboriginal Participation in Neighbourhood Revitalization" - A research report conducted by Winnipeg's West Broadway Develpment Corporation and Imagine Canada. Information was gathered to help organizations design volunteer opportunities for Aboriginal people that will be meaningful and helpful both to the volunteers and the organizations.

"Resources to Increase and Support Volunteers" (CVI - Nunavut Network & Northwest Territories Network- Series of 9 books for grassroots organizations or groups and small or northern communities. The books are entitled:
- Understand volunteers and volunteer groups
- Promote volunteers and volunteering
- Recruit volunteers
- Coordinate volunteers
- Recognize and thank volunteers
- Plan a workshop about volunteering
- Understand funding and fundraising
- Understand leadership and decision-making
- Additional tools and references

"Continuing Strong Traditions: Aboriginal Participation in the Northwest Territories' Voluntary Sector" - A research report that provides valuable insights into the strong traditions among Aboriginal people of helping and sharing for the well-being of others. The perceptions, practices, and attributes of Aboriginal societies are documented and recommendations to increase the quality of of Aboriginal volunteer participation are given.

"Fort McPherson: A Volunteer Model" - This case study complements the study "Aboriginal Participation in the Northwest Territories" by examining volunteering and the voluntary sector in the Aboriginal community of Fort McPherson in the NWT. It profiles volunteer groups in the community and discusses the factors and issues that influence volunteerism.

"Engaging Aboriginal Volunteers in Voluntary Groups with Territorial Mandates in the Northwest Territories" - This case study focuses on five voluntary groups based in NWT and documents the experiences of these groups in engaging Aboriginal volunteers in general as well as in leadership and governance functions. It also documents ideas for positively influencing Aboriginal volunteerism in leadership activities.

"Our Stories" - Stories from eight Aboriginal volunteers in the NWT. Each volunteer describes his/her activities, the benefits of volunteering and offer advice for others who want to experience these benefits. This is a good resource to groups and agencies that want to make linkages between informal and formal ways of helping and volunteering and promote volunteerism.


To borrow any of these resources contact David Rozniatowski, vmresource@mts.net, 477-5180 x 223

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TIPS & TOOLS

Recruitment of Aboriginal Women Volunteers
Guidelines for the Recruitment and Retention of Aboriginal Women Volunteers (downloadable PDF Version)

The Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women (IAAW) created a handbook in order to further increase recruitment, recognition, and retention of Aboriginal women volunteers. Below are specific suggestions to successfully recruit Aboriginal women:

1. Ask for help - The most effective means for recruiting Aboriginal women volunteers is simply to ask them to help. In a culture where community is highly valued, making the effort to personally ask for someone's help has more meaning. Also, ask whomever you know if the Aboriginal community to introduce you to people in that community. this shows respect and will lend you credibility. Word of mouth can take you a long way.

2. Avoid using the work "volunteering" - People will be more receptive to terms such as "helping out", and "giving your time."

3. Keep your recruitment message simple, clear, and concise - Explaine what your organization does, what you need help with, for how long, when, where, and what their duties will be.

4. Show respect and thoughtfulness -
a) Offer to help with transportation by offering to pay for bus fare or arrange car pooling since this is often a barrier to volunteering.
b) Allow children to come along and let volunteers know that it is fine since being a positive role model for their families is very important.
c) After you have made initial contact with an Aboriginal woman and she is interested in helping, send her a personal letter of invitation that also thanks her and gives her any extra information. This will show that you are willing to take the time for her and will foster reciprocity.

5. Explain the benefits - Explain the importance of what they have to offer and how helping will benefit them. Sometimes, the payoffs are not readily apparent and listing them opens people's eyes and compels them to participate. Example benefits are a feeling of pride, learning new employment-related skills, meeting new people, satisfaction of a job well done, and helping a good cause.

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Rethinking Volunteer Involvement in Your Organization
December 5, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Masonic Memorial Temple (420 Corydon Ave at Confusion Corner)

Success today requires a competence in strategic thinking, but we often lack enough time to reflect, discuss and strategize for the future. In this session, view highlights from the Canadian Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating and other research reports. Become familiar with the revised Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement - a roadmap for organizations of all sizes that demonstrates the importance of effectively engaging volunteers.

Fee: $10
To register: Download the registration form
Deadline: November 24

This event is a joint effort by the Manitoba Association of Volunteer Administration (MAVA), Canadian Administrators of Volunteer Resources (CAVR), Candian Volunteerism Initiative (CVI), and Volunteer Manitoba. This presentation qualifies as a certification credit for CAVR.

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