13| The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,A pril 19,2018 theifp.ca Volunteering is easier than it ever has been before Three ways volunteering pays o� According to the organization Volunteer Canada's studies, six out of ten Canadians have volunteered at some point in their lives. Typically, Canadians volunteer either early or late in life. Canadians between 15 and 18 have the highest rate of volunteerism while those between 65 and 74 volunteer the most total hours. Sixty-one per cent of Canadians who do not volunteer claim they are unable to make long-term commitments. Luckily, between social media and national efforts by groups like Volunteer Canada, it's easier than ever to connect with organizations and people who need your help in a way that fi ts your schedule. How can I get involved? This year, Volunteer Canada's National Volunteer Week runs from April 15 to 21. It's an annual effort to get the word out about how and where Canadians can volunteer to help their communities. Many Canadians think they cannot vol- unteer their time because, between family and work, they're not able to make addi- tional com- mitments. One way that even these Cana- dians who don't have a lot of time can get involved, however, is micro- volunteering. This kind of volunteering is based on the idea of crowdsourcing. Big projects are broken down into small pieces that a large number of people can contribute to in small ways. These contributions are often done through computers or smartphones and may take only a couple of hours or even a few min- utes of your time. Contact Volunteer Cana- da to fi nd out more about how you can get involved this April. LUNTEER WEEKV National April 15-21 Although only 44 per cent of Canadians volunteer at any given time, 82 per cent do some kind of informal volunteering, which means helping their community outside of a formal volunteer organization. When we think about volunteering, various activities come to mind: serving hot meals to those in need, cleaning up pol- luted riverbanks or refurbishing books at the local elementary school, for example. But did you know that donating your time to causes like those could also have a sig- nifi cant impact on ad- vancing your career? Read on to fi nd out how. 1. Relevant experience When you're fresh out of school and most jobs require at least a years' experience, volunteer work can come to your rescue. If you've ever donated your time to special projects, humanitarian causes or cultural events during your studies, these experi- ences -- which you'll have, of course, men- tioned in your CV -- just might get you that interview (and maybe even the job!). 2. Step ahead Eyeing a promotion at your job? Your volunteering experience could work in your favour. If the decision-makers at your place of work know that, during your spare time, you're a volunteer hockey coach, for in- stance, they may be more inclined to offer you an executive position. 3. Professional contacts Volunteering is a great way to expand your network of contacts. For instance, when you're a volunteer member of an organization in charge of planning a charitable event, you get to meet regu- larly with people from all walks of life. Who knows -- from these informal meet- ings might one day grow a profi table part- nership. 1. Relevant experience SeekingVolunteer Board Member fromHalton Hills area Links2Care is a respected, non-profit, community service organization providing high services across the age continuum in Halton Region and Mississauga. We are proud to serve over 9,000 clients by a team of over 400 staff and volunteers, with a $7M budget. We are currently seeking a candidate with close ties to Halton Hills to complement our passionate and dedicated Board of Directors. We welcome individuals interested in steering our organization. Experience in strategic planning, finance/ accounting,marketing, law, compensation, information technology, riskmanagement, finance/accounting and some knowledge of social and health services are assets. Our Board meets approximately ten times a year for 2 hour meetings from 6-8PM. Board members also participate in one Committee of the Board that convenes outside of meetings of the Board. We welcome your interest in joining the Links2Care Board to help seniors, children, adults, and families in your community. Please submit your resume and expression of interest to: Chair, Governance Committee, Links2Care Board of Directors, c/o info@links2care.ca and indicate: Board Recruitment-Halton Hills in the subject line. For more information on our organization, please visit www.links2care.ca. Literacy North Halton We would like to thank our dedicated volunteers: •Tutors • Board Members • Special Events • Office • Outreach www.lnhadultlearning.ca It is a pleasure to extend my thanks to the over 1500 volunteers who give so selflessly of their time and talents to our community. Your passion, commitment and dedication are fundamental to building a healthy Halton Hills. I wish to recognize too, the collective value volunteers bring in supporting the myriad of programs and services in our community. It is this investment that contributes so heavily to the social and economic value that we all enjoy as residents or business owners. This year's National Volunteer Week is April 15 to 21. This annual recognition is a reminder of the much-needed and important work delivered each day by scores of unsung heroes - and to all of you, my thanks. It is my hope that you are in turn, well served by the intrinsic rewards of deep, meaningful connections and a sense of purpose. In June, we will hold a community volunteer recognition event. Please watch for information on our website at haltonhills.ca as we get ready to celebrate! Mayor Rick Bonnette National Volunteer Week: April 15-21 Building confidence, competence, connections, and community