Following a report outlining its baseline measures, the Town of Banff council provided the remaining $5,000 of a $20,000 grant to the Banff Volunteer Centre (BVC) to help support the cost of conducting its service review, which it plans to do on a yearly basis and is modeled after the town’s service review.
“The BVC is the local leader in volunteerism and the central hub in Banff for volunteer opportunities,” said Board Chair, Mark Unrau, in his written statement to Council.
“Local community members, groups, businesses, visitors and corporations can be connected to volunteer opportunities in Banff through our website, our office and by connecting with our Executive Director,” the statement said.
Currently around 60 per cent of “member” organizations are using services provided by the BVC and its goal is to achieve 100 per cent over the next three years, according to its report.
“I thought it was a gigantic leap forward. I love the specifics,” said Coun. Leslie Taylor about the BVC’s service review. “To me this is a benchmark report. I feel comfortable in releasing the $5,000.”
Taylor’s motion to release the remaining funding from this budget year and give thanks the BVC for its work on the report passed unanimously.
In its service review, the BVC listed two strategies surrounding the promotion and enhancement of local volunteerism as well as building the capacity of organizations.
Several of the expectations within the two strategies include managing an online list of available volunteer opportunities in Banff, ensuring organizations are supported to promote volunteer recruitment, provide learning opportunities and workshops to enhance knowledge on volunteerism and demonstrate increases in organizational capacity to fill volunteer roles.
“It is easy to simply look around our communities and see the important roles nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations play in providing services, alleviating social issues, engaging citizens and building community to name a few,” said Karen Lynch, the executive director at Volunteer Alberta in a letter to council.
To accommodate the changing issues facing volunteerism as well as closing the gap between what it calls “volunteer wants” and “organizational needs,” the BVC is introducing a People First approach to the volunteer culture in Banff.
The Centre’s main focus is increasing public awareness of volunteer roles and developing new methods and approaches to volunteerism. Those interested in volunteering can visit the centre’s website at www.volunteerbanff.ab.ca to find roles that match their interests.
“They can come to our office for coaching on how to apply strengths, knowledge, and skills to volunteer roles while further benefiting organizations and their own personal/professional development.”
