VM Blog

• VM is coming to Brandon! Leadership Training & Community Outreach

  February 26, 2019

  Posted by: Kamillah El-Giadaa

  Leading From Within with Wendy Bulloch

  Leadership Skills for Emerging Non-Profit and Community Leaders

  April 10, 18 and 25 | 9 am to 4 pm

  This workshop is part of Volunteer Manitoba's new Emerging Leaders Program and is being piloted in Brandon for a reduced rate of $300!

  Register Here!

  Take the next steps to pursue or advance your management career by learning about the knowledge and skills required to excel as a leader in your organization. If you want to rise through the ranks of your organization into management, or if you want to become more effective in your current leadership role, you'll need to cultivate a specialized set of skills and a particular mindset that is needed in today's dynamic non-profit sector.

  Leading from Within is a 3-day workshop designed for those who are planning on, or have just begun leading a non-profit program or volunteer team. In this course you will develop skills to prepare you for your new environment and the common pressures faced by the non-profit sector. You will move forward with an informed and strengthened foundation, critical leadership competencies, and new resources that will help strengthen you own leadership journey.

  For more information, please call us toll free at 1-888-922-4545 or send an email to training@volunteermanitoba.ca

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  Community Outreach in Brandon!

  Volunteer Manitoba attends outreach events throughout Manitoba to celebrate and encourage volunteerism, and to help people connect with opportunities to volunteer. We also visit with classrooms, community groups and organizations to deliver presentations on volunteering and its many benefits.

  Volunteer Manitoba will be in Brandon on April 6th for the United Way of Brandon & District Volunteer Fair, taking place at the Shoppers Mall from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.

  We are also participating in the Brandon Career Symposium as an exhibitor, so come by and visit our booth from April 15 - 17 and learn more about volunteerism and giving back to the community!

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  Non-Profits, Charities and Community Groups in Westman - We want to hear from you!

  We are looking for input from non-profits, charities and groups across Manitoba on the types of volunteer opportunities they have available. This information will help us provide the most current information to people who are looking for places to volunteer their time.

  If you would like to share your current, or upcoming volunteer opportunities with us, please email Kamillah El-Giadaa, Communications and Outreach Assistant or call us at 1-888-922-4545

  

• Nominate a Volunteer!

  February 1, 2019

  Posted by: Dawn Bourbonnais

  Submit your nominations now through February 8th, 2019, and recognize one of your own exceptional volunteers as part of Manitoba's most prestigious volunteer recognition event.

  Every year, thousands of volunteers across the province dedicate their time to the many non-profit and charitable organizations here in Manitoba. Without the help of these tireless individuals and groups, many of our non-profits, community groups and charities would no longer be able to provide supports and services to thousands of people across the province.
  From hands-on volunteers to those leaders who serve on boards, it's next to impossible to calculate the value that volunteers bring to our communities. By nominating a volunteer, you are helping us recognize these outstanding individuals and community groups for their achievements, their dedication to the community we share and their excellence in volunteerism.

  Why nominate a volunteer?
  1. Nominating a volunteer is a great way to recognize your amazing volunteers!
  2. The Annual Awards Dinner is Manitoba's most prestigious volunteer recognition event, with eleven award categories including the Lieutenant Governor's Make a Difference Awards, the Premier's Volunteer Service Awards, and many others!
  3. Recipients will attend the celebration during National Volunteer Week and will receive their award in front of an audience of close to 500 people.
  4. Gain non-profit and volunteer program visibility throughout the awards season as chosen recipients are promoted on Volunteer Manitoba's website, social media platforms, in the press and with a possibility of additional exposure.

  To celebrate the incredible Manitobans who generously donate their time to our communities, we invite you to submit a nomination on their behalf for the 36th annual volunteer awards!

• Leading Others to Thrive

  January 7, 2019

  Posted by: Dawn Bourbonnais

  Back in the fall of 2017, Thrive Thrift Shop approached Volunteer Manitoba to discuss their volunteer program and how they could build up the skills and capacity of their volunteer team. Thrive Community Support Circle is a community organization that provides a wide variety of support services to Winnipeg's core and West End, plus the surrounding communities. Their Thrift Shop offers individuals and groups the opportunity to volunteer their time and gain training and job skills while providing the community affordable clothing and household items.

  Thrive wanted to create a volunteer leadership training program to help them address some of the issues they were facing within their volunteer program and to provide an opportunity for key volunteers to learn leadership behaviours, including being able to step into a leadership role and model key skills. These volunteers would not only strengthen Thrive's volunteer program but also gain skills, education and experience that would be transferable into the workforce and their personal lives.

  Volunteer Manitoba began by conducted a general audit of the Thrive Thrift Shop Volunteer Program, to determine if there were any immediate gaps in their volunteer management strategy and to make any necessary recommendations. What the audit revealed is that Thrive Thrift Shop is a welcoming environment and reflects a diversity of volunteer skill level and engagement. Also, Thrive Community Support Circle's core values are reflected in all areas of the volunteer program, and the strength of the program is maintained through careful recruitment, screening, training and supervision of their volunteers.

  After completing the audit, Volunteer Manitoba introduced Genella MacIntyre, a consultant and trainer, to Thrive and began facilitating a custom training opportunity for Thrive volunteers. In-house, we began referring to the training as Leading Others to Thrive (or LOTT). LOTT quickly became Developing Volunteer Leadership Skills, an interactive program where participants increase their skills and learn how to take those skills and help coach others. Many of the volunteers at Thrive are struggling with challenges that affect their social interactions, community involvement, and negatively impact their self-esteem or image. By stepping into leadership roles at Thrive, these volunteers are better positioned to help support other volunteers in the organization. The hope was that by creating this training experience, volunteer mentors would be better positioned to support their fellow volunteer team members.

  In the pilot session, two Thrive volunteers participated in 4 days of training with Genella. They learned how to identify and communicate common workplace standards, redirecting behaviours and how to address personal habits in others, being a good coach, insights into their own personality styles and how to be a role model. At the end of the training, one participant shared with Volunteer Manitoba that this training has changed her life and the staff at Thrive Thrift Shop also shared that having Volunteer Manitoba partner on this initiative was a big help in showing their own leadership that they run a solid volunteer program that engages the community they serve.

  Thrive Community Support Circle now has a customized training program for volunteers which they have offered to share with the extended community in order to build capacity in volunteer programs in Winnipeg. For more information on this program, contact Kristy at thrivethriftshop@thrivewpg.com or 204-783-9281.

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  If your organization would like to learn more about how Volunteer Manitoba can help you build your capacity to serve your community, please contact our Executive Director, Jackie Hunt

• How to Get Involved and Give Back over the Holidays

  December 20, 2018

  Posted by: Dawn Bourbonnais

  This time of year, Volunteer Manitoba receives a lot of phone calls and emails from people who are looking to volunteer their time over the holidays. Holiday volunteer roles can be a challenge to find - most are filled in the months leading up to December and regular volunteers are often relied on for the special events and activities that take place this time of year. However, there are still many ways you can give back over the season and have a meaningful volunteer experience. Check out our list of ways you can get involved and give back over the holidays!

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  How to Get Involved and Give Back over the Holidays

  1. Ask a neighbour if you can help them this season by performing chores or errands.
  2. Bake holiday cookies and bring them to your local nursing home for sharing. You can also donate your time to Actionmarguerite St. Boniface and St. Vital, and help get their elderly residents to appointments and activities (the St. Vital location is looking for French-speaking volunteers).
  3. Donate your time to Operation Red Nose and help keep the streets safe for everyone over the holiday season!
  4. Give the gift of life by donating blood and/or sign up to be an organ donor.
  5. Make a care kit for people in need, with items like socks, deodorant, mittens, feminine hygiene products and snacks-give them out directly or donate them to any of the following: 1Just City, Siloam Mission, Ndinawe/Tina's Safe Haven, Main Street Project, Rossbrook House and in Brandon, MB, Samaritan House Ministries.
  6. Donate gently used DVDs, games, and crafts to the Youth Resource Centre at MacDonald Youth Services.
  7. Invite an elderly neighbour, or a newcomer and their family, to your holiday dinner, movie night or for a celebration.
  8. Meals on Wheels is looking for drivers to deliver delicious and nutritious meals to clients in the community. If you have a few hours a week to spare, visit www.mealswinnipeg.com
  9. Organize a coat and winter clothing drive in your community and then donate the items to any of the following organizations: Salvation Army, John Howard Society, Elizabeth Fry Society, United Way Koats for Kids, and in Brandon, MB, Samaritan House Ministries and the Women's Resource Centre.
  10. Compliment a stranger and wish them a happy holidays either in person or by leaving a note for someone to find.
  11. Drop off thank you cards for staff and volunteers at non-profits, charities and community centres in your neighbourhood.
  12. Bring some blankets, pet food or toys to an animal shelter. You can also donate your time to D'Arcy's A.R.C. (Animal Rescue Centre). They are looking for weekday morning volunteers to help them care for the cats. (web link)
  13. Pay it forward - buy someone else a coffee or warm drink anonymously.
  14. Host a fundraising event-like an ornament making party or office holiday sweater day-for the cause of your choice.
  15. Share your holiday volunteering or acts of kindness on social media and encourage others to give back too! (Tag Volunteer Manitoba in your posts so we can share them!)

• VM's 2019 Winter Training Calendar!

  November 30, 2018

  Posted by: Dawn Bourbonnais

  Wow! We can't believe how fast the fall season flew by this year! We had such a great turnout for all of our training sessions, thank you to everyone who participated in our workshops. We received some wonderful feedback and we are thrilled you all enjoyed learning with us over the last few months.

  This fall we traveled to communities outside of Winnipeg to share our knowledge and expertise on board governance, volunteer recruitment and to help organizations build their capacity to deliver programs and services to their community. Thank you to everyone who shared our enthusiasm for putting Manitoba back in our name! We look forward to visiting even more communities in the new year (watch for us in Dauphin and Brandon, just to name a few).

  Thanks to the feedback we received from participants, we have created a winter training calendar that has a little bit of PD for everyone!

  Are you currently sitting on a board and looking for some guidance on how to manage your meetings, or understanding your organization's finances, or perhaps you are dealing with a bit of conflict between your members? Take a look at our Board Governance workshops for more info on how we can help.

  Want to learn more about managing volunteers within your organization? Check out our very popular Intro to Volunteer Management workshop! Did you know Volunteer Manitoba has been delivering this workshop since the 1980s? It's fun to look back at how much volunteer management has changed over the years. We are also offering a new webinar on what to ask a volunteer during the intake process, and how you can strengthen your retention strategies to keep your volunteers long-term.

  Finally, we are bringing our very popular proposal writing workshop back, as well as workshops on social media - how to get started and then how to grow your online strategy - and the basics of bookkeeping. We are also introducing a handful of brand new workshops, to help you plan your events, and build your partnerships. PLUS, we are so thrilled to introduce our brand new workshop - Leading from Within! If you are an emerging leader and would like to know how you can improve your leadership skills and rise through the ranks, this is the workshop for you!

  To learn more about our workshops, or to discuss how we can customize our training for your organization's needs, please visit www.volunteermanitoba.ca or contact our Training Coordinator, Tracy Douglass at 204-477-5180.

  Thank you again for supporting Volunteer Manitoba and the work we do to help build the capacity of the non-profit sector in Manitoba! We look forward to learning with you in the new year!

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