The updated Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement was released by Volunteer Canada as part of National Volunteer Week Celebrations.
Why a code? The purpose is to give nonprofit organizations some nationally held values, principles and standards that support volunteer engagement from the board to frontline delivery of services.
Volunteer Canada also has a volunteer management audit tool to use with the code. This tool helps nonprofits assess their current use of volunteers.
Kelowna Community Resources applies both the code and the audit tool in their training materials for managers of volunteers called overview of volunteer management.
Overview of volunteer management is a four-day course taught each spring and fall. You can find out more and register at kcr.ca, training and workshops.
Boards of all non-profit organizations and registered charities are made up of volunteers.
Volunteer Canada is challenging each and every board to adopt the Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement with a motion that reads: “That the Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement be adopted by this organization as an integral part of operational practice, to be made known to every employee and volunteer, and to be made readily available to every staff member and volunteer for consistent reference and consultation.”
Why not rise to this challenge? Let the public know by adding it to your website. Tell Volunteer Canada that you have adopted the code so that your organization can be added to its website.
The Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement was originally developed for the 2001 International Year of Volunteers and then updated in 2004 in consultation with the Canadian Administrators of Volunteer Resources.
Non-profit organizations in the Central Okanagan can recruit volunteers through the online database offered by Kelowna Community Resources. Go to www.kcr.ca, click on volunteer opportunities search. Click on New Volunteer Opportunity? Let us Know.
