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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, April 12, 2012 · 22 VOLUNTEERS Ten reasons for youth to start volunteering ­ now 1. Gain Job Experience ­ Volunteer experience looks great on a resume. Also, some of the work you do could lead to a job doing similar work. 2. Improve Your Health and Self-Esteem ­ Volunteering to help others has been shown to reduce stress, give you hope, and boost your self-esteem. 3. Meet Real Community Needs ­ Helping people learn to read, or get basic food, clothing, shelter or furniture makes a huge difference! Whether the project is planting a tree or tutoring children, the community will look and feel better. 4. Gain Entrance to College ­ Colleges and universities today are looking for applicants who have more than high grades. They are looking for well-rounded people who have volunteered to make a difference in their communities. 5. Meet New People and Establish Friends, Connections and References ­ When you work alongside others, you really get to know them and become friends with them. Also, adults at organizations where you volunteer can connect you to great opportunities and provide you with a useful reference for a job or college. 6. Gain New Skills and Develop Talents ­ Whether you enjoy working with computers, children or seniors, any interest you have can be developed through volunteering. 7. Spread Positive Energy and Hope ­ Just like random acts of kindness, when you volunteer, your energy and efforts affect the whole community in a positive way. 8. Make the World a Better Place ­ If you see problems in your community that you feel need addressing, do something about them. By volunteering, you do make a difference and help make the world a better place. 9. Personal Growth ­ By taking on new tasks you'll learn more about people and life. 10. It's Fun! ­ Volunteering will bring laughter and smiles into your life. GROWCOMMUNITY 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 from their employer contribute one-third more hours than other volunteers volunteerhalton.ca Interesting voluteering facts · Canada has the 2nd largest voluntary sector in the world - 6.5 million volunteers, · 161,000 charitable, nonprofit and voluntary organizations in Canada · Represent revenues of $112 billion · Volunteers give 2 billion hours = to 1 million full time jobs · In 1997 (the last full data available) the GDP of the voluntary sector was 6.9% or $57.5 billion. Adding the Volunteer Contribution value to it increases it to 8.6% or $71.5 Billion. This makes the voluntary sector - 4 times the size of agriculture - 2 times the size of mining and oil - 11 times the size of the motor vehicle manufacturing · Employee support of volunteering seems to be on the upswing. In 2000, 27% employed volunteers said their employers let them modify their work hours in order to volunteer, and 22% received recognition from their employer for their volunteer work. Corporations continue to support the not for profit sector, through monetary and gift in kind donations. · Youth volunteering is on the increase. Get Involved! Volunteer Board Members Two positions THANK YOU Royal Botanical Gardens owes a great deal of gratitude to our hundreds of volunteers and exceptional Auxiliary and our committee members for the thousands of hours of dedicated service over the past and previous years. Your commitment, passion and spirit as friends of RBG is truly remarkable and help make the Gardens a spectacular and memorable place to visit. The YMCA of Oakville is seeking applicants for two upcoming openings on the Board of Directors. As two of our existing board members retire from the board, we are especially interested in applicants from diverse backgrounds with expertise in any of the following areas: fundraising, facility development, youth engagement and education. If you are interested in serving your community through the YMCA, consider getting involved as a YMCA board member. The YMCA of Oakville values the diversity of people and communities and is committed to excellence and inclusion in our Association. YMCA of Oakville 410 Rebecca Street, Oakville T: 905 845-3417 E: info@oakville.ymca.ca ymcaofoakville.com Visit www.ymcaofoakville.com for more information. Closing date: May 1, 2012. National Volunteer Week April 15-21, 2012 THANK YOU to our dynamic team of volunteers for your support and dedication. To join our volunteer team, please contact 905-637-4446 ext. 223 TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER please call 905-577-7771 or visit www.rbg.ca RBG Centre, 680 Plains Road West, Hamilton/Burlington Building Homes. Building Hope.