A Victoria storyteller鈥檚 enthusiasm over the prospect of spinning yarns for local seniors was living proof that Volunteer Victoria and Camosun College were on the right track last Wednesday.
While at Lansdowne Campus for Volunteer Victoria鈥檚 Camosun Volunteer Fair, Baptist Housing Victoria鈥檚 volunteer co-ordinator, Jennifer Watts, caught sight of a storyteller with a familiar face.
She realized it was the same person who impressed her last spring during a speech-arts competition at the Greater Victoria Festival of the Arts, where her children were playing piano.
鈥淚 said: 鈥楬ave you thought about doing that kind of a story in a seniors鈥� residence?鈥� She was excited to be asked and to be valued for that skill,鈥� said Watts.
鈥淚 really liked her style. She tells folk stories, and she has a way of telling a story that just captivates you.鈥�
Watts says she鈥檚 confident the woman鈥檚 storytelling would be a popular alternative to watching TV and movies for seniors in residences that the non-profit society operates.
It was one of many volunteering opportunities attendees learned about in the Fisher Building, where nine organizations reached out to potential volunteers.
Participants included Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Victoria, Beacon Community Services, Lifetime Networks Victoria, Progressive Assistance sa国际传媒 and Recreational Integration Victoria.
Camosun College career coach聽Irene Wallace and George Colussi, volunteer adviser with Volunteer Victoria, described their partnership as a 鈥渨in-win鈥� endeavour.
鈥淭his event is fitting in very nicely with our first-ever career month,鈥� said Wallace, who coaches students on how to apply strategies to help them choose and follow their ideal career path.
鈥淪tudents are students, so they鈥檙e going to school all day, they study and they need to make some money to survive, so they鈥檙e busy, and having the organizations come here is great.鈥�
She said volunteerism provides an opportunity to develop transferable skills through experience not always found in a paid position.
鈥淎nd there is also the humanistic side, where people give back in the community, which is always going to be useful and beneficial.鈥�
Colussi said the fair also benefits members of Volunteer Victoria, the umbrella organization for more than 300 not-for-profit organizations. While each has a specific mission and mandate, they share something in common.
鈥淭he common thread is that they鈥檙e looking to enhance quality of life through provision of their programs and services, and to do that they need volunteers,鈥� said Colussi.
鈥淪tudents we find at any age are very motivated to provide service and give back to the community, as all people are, but the student population seems very inclined that way,鈥� he said.
The 15-29 age group makes up the highest percentage of volunteers in sa国际传媒, he said.
He said while 鈥渧olunteerism for some is easy,鈥� it鈥檚 less so for individuals who are isolated or lack a big peer network.
Holli Hodgson, Royal sa国际传媒 Museum鈥檚 volunteer services manager, was on hand to promote volunteer opportunities 鈥� from front-of-house positions to behind-the-scenes collections work.
鈥淲e鈥檝e always had volunteers since 1886, when we first opened as a provincial museum,鈥� she said. 鈥淐urator John Fannin had volunteers in our collections areas. Now we have 600 volunteers.鈥�
The youngest is 10 years old, and there are volunteers over the age of 90, said Hodgson.
Tara Gilroy-Scott, volunteer and visitor-experience manager for Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea, says volunteers are considered an integral part of the ocean discovery centre鈥檚 team.
鈥淚 think you always have to treat volunteers with respect, but as far as a workforce, it鈥檚 the same kind as a paid workforce,鈥� said Scott, whose team of 150 volunteers are age 13 to 85.
鈥淚 expect as much from my volunteers as I would from our paid staff.鈥�
The Habitat for Humanity table was an eye-catcher, with prospective volunteers drawn to items including blue tire-gauge giveaways, and a pink toolbox and matching plastic hard hats and T-shirts.
Volunteer co-ordinator Nancy Taylor was elated over 鈥減henomenal鈥� response to the affordable housing charity鈥檚 search for ambassadors for this year鈥檚 Gingerbread Showcase, starting Nov. 18 at the Parkside Hotel.
鈥淲e have 230 out of 360 up to today,鈥� said Taylor, who began receiving applications in September. The baking-competition event raised $50,000 last year to help build a home for a family in need.
鈥淭o have 60 per cent of my [three-hour] shifts filled at this point is amazing. Last year, I had 20 per cent.鈥�
