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25 · Thursday, April 15, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com National Volunteer Week April 18 - 24, 2010 VOLUNTEERS GROW COMMUNITY From selfish to selfless (NC)--This summer, lose the diva attitude and motivate your family to be more compassionate about others and the world around them through these activities: Be more informed. Clip news articles from the daily paper and discuss them at the dinner table or watch the six o'clock news together. Your family will learn to discuss world issues and develop their own thoughts and opinions. Volunteer at a food bank or soup kitchen together. Helping to distribute food to those in need can be a very humbling and eye-opening experience. Take the time to get to know the individuals you're serving and hear their stories. Sponsor a child. Visit an international charity's website like Christian Children's Fund of Canada www.ccfcanada.ca and give a child in an impoverished country the chance to go to school and eat nutritious meals. Take turns writing to your sponsored child and learn more about where they live and what life is like for them. Fundraise for a good cause. Get rid of your family's accumulation of "stuff" at a garage sale or host a backyard barbecue and give the proceeds to charity. In the process, you'll have an excuse to get to know your neighbours. How to get started... Would you like to provide a needed service, solve a problem, advance a worthy cause or look for personal development? Perhaps you would like to make contacts, learn skills, gain work experience, build selfesteem, or find a paying job? If so, this is how to start on your path: Ask yourself "What do I want or expect from a volunteering experience?" and "How much am I willing to give of myself?" Talk to family, friends, coworkers and acquaintances about their experiences and suggestions. Contact Volunteer Halton. We provide a "catalogue" of volunteer positions. Our Centre offers telephone referrals, in-house appointments, or an online searchable database to receive information about current volunteering opportunities in the community. Steps to volunteering 1. Call your local volunteer centre. 2. Visit our web site at www.volunterhalton.ca and search our data base to see what is available in the community. 3. Once a position is chosen, call the agency and set up an appt. 4. Be prepared for interview and sample questions. 5. Find out what you can about the position and ask to see a position description if available. 6. Let the coordinator know why you want to volunteer. 7. Fill out their registration form, provide two references and be willing to undergo a Police Check 8. Participate in relevant orientation and training. 9. Participate evaluation. Interesting volunteer facts · Canada's nonprofit and voluntary sector is the second largest in the world · There are an estimated 161,000 nonprofits in Canada; Half of these (54 per cent)are run entirely by volunteers · Canada has the 2nd largest voluntary sector in the world - 6.5 million volunteer, 161,000 charitable, non profit and voluntary organizations · Volunteers give 2 billion hours or 1 million full time jobs. In 1997 (the last full data available) the GDP of the voluntary sector was 6.9 per cent or $57.5 billion. Adding the Volunteer Contribution value to it increases it to 8.6 per cent or $71.5 Billion. This makes the voluntary sector four times the size of agriculture, two times the size of mining and oil - 11 times the size of the motor vehicle manufacturing · Youth volunteering is on the increase. Volunteering is now accepted as work experience on resumes and is a requirement for a high school diploma. · Volunteers who benefit from some form of support f r o m their employer contribute onethird more hours than other volunteers www.volunteer.ca HOST FAMILIES NEEDED! Red Leaf Student Program needs families in Oakville to host a Student from Spain, France or Italy in July and August. Students attend classes and activities Monday to Friday. Remuneration of $64400 paid to host families. Fareshare Food Bank 1240 Speers Rd., Unit #6 Oakville, L6L 2X4 (905) 847-3988 For more information call Veronica at Run entirely by Volunteers since 1988 We are completely dependent on the generosity of the Oakville Community. To all our hardworking &dedicated volunteers, a sincere 905-637-0879 Thank-you TOGETHER WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE Thanks to all our volunteers at OTMH! Thank you! Together, we're strong in the fight against cancer. During National Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 18-24, Halton Healthcare Services would like to thank all of our wonderful volunteers. Over 700 dedicated men, women and youth regularly contribute their time and talents to over 70 hospital services. They enhance the care and comfort of our patients and visitors, while providing much appreciated assistance to staff as well. In addition, the Auxiliary to OTMH is actively raising funds toward their $3 million pledge for the New Oakville Hospital. Celebrating Volunteers Recognizing the commitment and contributions of Canadian Cancer Society volunteers, who are at the centre of it all in communities across Canada. Make Cancer History Thank you to our amazing volunteers as we celebrate all they contribute to our hospital. Visit www.cancer.ca or call 1 888 939-3333. Call · (905) 338-4643 Email · lparente@haltonhealthcare.on.ca Log on to · www.haltonhealthcare.com