Muskoka has a wealth of volunteers and organizations that do all kinds of good things across our region, but getting the two together has been a challenge. Until now. Volunteer Muskoka recently launched phase one of its new website, which is designed to match up volunteers with the organizations who need them. With it, Volunteer Muskoka has also launched a series of community conversations to find out what volunteers and volunteer organizations most need, and a series of workshops to help both volunteers and volunteer-run groups develop the skills they need to be successful.
Volunteer Muskoka aims to strengthen the region’s volunteer sector by connecting volunteers and organizations and helping to develop a diverse and sustainable base of skilled volunteers. Volunteer Muskoka is coordinated by the Town of Huntsville and the Huntsville Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce, and is a partnership between six municipalities – Huntsville, Lake of Bays, Muskoka Lakes, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, and Georgian Bay.
Introducting volunteermuskoka.com
“It’s like match.com for volunteers and volunteer organizations,” Rose Evans, Volunteer Development Program Coordinator for the Town of Huntsville, says of the Volunteer Muskoka website. Phase one of volunteermuskoka.com was recently launched, with more to follow. The site allows both volunteers and organizations to register and create a profile outlining what they have to offer or what they are looking for.
“There are so many opportunities with organizations that you might not think of,” says Evans, using Hospice Huntsville as an example, which, in addition to the visiting volunteers who provide respite for residents’ families, also needs volunteers for baking, yard maintenance, administrative tasks and fundraising events.
The site will also include opportunities that Evans calls microvolunteering – typically one-day events without an ongoing time commitment like Ironman Muskoka 70.3 or Band on the Run.
“It’s a one-stop shop to being able to find what you can do and how you can engage in your community in a greater way,” says Evans, adding that it needs both volunteers and organization to register in order to be successful. “The site and Volunteer Muskoka will be as good as the organizations and volunteers make it. It benefits everyone.”
Community conversations
A series of community conversations are being held across Muskoka to unveil the website’s tools and discuss how Volunteer Muskoka can help volunteers and organizations connect and learn. There is a session in Huntsville on Wednesday evening (October 19) and next Monday, October 24 in Dwight. Other sessions are occurring across Muskoka in the next two weeks.
Volunteer workshops
Volunteer Muskoka also aims to make learning for volunteers and the organizations that recruit them more affordable. It has been running workshops to enhance volunteer experiences and help organizations learn how to best recruit volunteers and get the message out about what their organization does. Workshops are $10 each, with the first sessions beginning next week.
“We want to build a base of educated and willing volunteers,” says Evans, adding that all are welcome but they are particularly interested in working with younger volunteers. “Volunteering can be a great resume-builder for students and many times volunteering can lead people to the careers they want.”
Fees from the workshops are used for an annual volunteer appreciation event.
See the full workshop series here (PDF).
For more information on Volunteer Muskoka or to register as a volunteer or an organization, go to volunteermuskoka.com.
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