City of Leduc Community Development & Culture – Volunteer Leduc

5 YEAR STRATEGY

VOLUNTEER

LEDUC

VOLUNTEER LEDUC5 YEAR STRATEGY

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BackgroundThe Volunteer Leduc initiative was created in 2009 in an effort to capitalize on a significant level of volunteerism that had been fostered in Leduc through the 2008 Alberta Winter Games. Volunteer Leduc continues to strive to recognize and enhance the existing base of volunteers through support and development. It establishes new and ongoing collaborative working relationships to enhance work in the voluntary sector with persons, organizations, and businesses.

Key Initiatives & Programs for 2015

Administration• Volunteer Leduc is the liaison between the potential

volunteer and organization seeking volunteers.

• Online confidential registry assists potential volunteers and aligns their interests/skills to the right opportunity.

• Registry database has 580 volunteers.

• Variety of volunteer opportunities from Social Services (e.g. Meals on Wheels) to Special Events (e.g. Canada Day)

• In partnership with other City departments (e.g. FCSS) to assist in a volunteer capacity (e.g. volunteer management, applications, etc.).

• Webpage provides program information on general information and resources (e.g. FAQ’s quick links, award and funding opportunities, etc.).

• Volunteer application and volunteer opportunity form posted on webpage.

• Developed volunteer management handbook. A resource for volunteer managers that includes templates for recruitment, application process, interview, risk management, volunteer dismissal/registration/leaving, etc.

Marketing & Promotions• Information is shared through the following city

sources as available:

» social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.) Leduc Rep, community group contact list, bold boards, Ver-Mac traffic signs, LED electronic signs, media releases, community connection newsletter, City Community Report, City Activity Guide, City webpage

» promotional material/merchandise (e.g. pamphlets) distributed at various events like Community Information Registration Day

• Continue to strengthen collaborative working relationships with community organizations (e.g. Leduc & District Food bank)

Recognition & Awards• Citizen Recognition Program

1. Leduc Achievement Awards:

» 5 to 7 award recipients per year, presented at Council, receive certificate and medallion

2. Citizens of Distinction:

» 6 award recipients per year, presented at Volunteer Appreciation Banquet, receive framed certificate and biography, award recipient recognized on the Citizen of Distinction interactive display kiosk

• Provincial Nominations:

» Past awards submitted include Stars of Alberta, Prime Minister’s Volunteer Awards, and Recreation Volunteer Recognition Award. Nominations submitted every 2-3 years.

• Volunteer Appreciation Banquet:

» During National Volunteer Week to increase awareness and recognition.

» 600 attendees in 2015

» Sold out event

» Provides opportunity for tribute to individuals, who graciously donate their time and energy. An evening to celebrate the crucial work they do in the community.

» Event includes buffet dinner, awards ceremony, door prizes, entertainment, and networking opportunities.

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» Highly subsidized by the City of Leduc to assist non-profit organizations in recognizing their volunteers with little financial burden

• National Volunteer Week:

» Bring awareness to national volunteer week through marketing: Leduc Rep advertisement, bold boards, LED signs, news release

• Random Acts of Volunteer Excellence (R.A.V.E.): recognizes, celebrates, and promotes volunteerism by celebrating volunteers and their contributions to an organization through tokens of appreciation through Volunteer Leduc or donation/sponsors from a community business (e.g. Tim Hortons)

• Board Development:

» Workshops, learning session, and advisory support for community groups

» Two workshops offered in fall, rotate through topics like grant writing, and board responsibilities

» Leduc Regional Forum is a partnership with Leduc County, Town of Beaumont, and City of Leduc. Host location rotates through municipalities yearly. Approximant attendees 50-75. General topics include: funding, social media, and grant writing

Proposed Initiatives & Programs for 2016Changing Face of Volunteer Leduc – Building a Brand1. Website re-design

• Research search engines to replace Go Volunteer

• Consult with CMS department to improve website:

» Distinguish Volunteer Leduc webpage separate from City webpage – Volunteer Leduc is unique

» User friendly, easy navigation

» Links and search functionality, icons

» Imagery

» Increase content (e.g. access to resources and templates)

» CMS confirmed new City webpage will go live March 1 2016

2. Consult with CMS department to improve general marketing resources

• Volunteer Community Connection:

» Intent to focus on feel good news stories – use media sources (e.g. video) for volunteers to share their personal experiences volunteering in their community

» Rotate volunteer opportunities, focus on quality not quantity – add more substance

3. Marketing campaign for Volunteer Leduc

• Consult with marketing specialist to re-evaluate marketing strategy

• Information booth at 8-10 City events per year to increase public knowledge of Volunteer Leduc’s services. Booth manned by CDC Administration at community events

• Identify new innovative ways to market Volunteer Leduc

• Goal to engage, recruit and provide leadership to community organizations and volunteers

• Focus on 5 key elements

» Education

» Engagement

» Recruitment

» Retention

» Recognition

4. Youth Engagement Strategy

• Engage with FCSS to develop a youth engagement volunteer program in support of their youth engagement strategy

• Consult with FCSS Youth Development Coordinator, BGRS, STAR and community organizations

• Lack of volunteer positions for youth under 15 years old. Collaborate with organizations on youth engagement to address the impact, opportunities and challenges faced by voluntary organizations involving youth as volunteers. Identify strategies to work together

• Cost associated with program: board development opportunity – facilitation fee, light snacks and refreshments

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5. Newcomers Engagement Strategy:

• Identify need to create a newcomers volunteer engagement program

• Develop partnership with Leduc Public Library – English as a Second Language group

• Consult with Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers and Volunteer Canada on newcomers engagement strategies

• Collaborate with community organizations to bring awareness to address impact, opportunities, and challenges faced by voluntary organizations involving newcomers as volunteers. Identify strategies for newcomers and organizations to work together

• Costs associated with program: board development opportunity

Proposed Initiatives & Programs for 2017Year of the Volunteer1. Emergency Response Database

• Offer (1) disaster management volunteer recruitment information session in partnership with Red Cross

2. Board Development

• Offer 3-5 board development opportunities per year to increase awareness, and support community groups, as new trends arise

3. Volunteer Fair

• Opportunity to promote public awareness of community groups and associations

• High profile opportunity for non-profit organizations and groups to promote their services

• Organizations set up information displays. One stop shop for volunteers

• Opportunity for volunteers to ask questions and find out ways to help the organization

• Cost associated with the event

Proposed Initiatives & Programs for 2018Awareness & Recognition1. Volunteer Appreciation Banquet

• To accommodate additional banquet attendees, move coat racks and buffet to Co-op field house

• County Field house capacity will increase by 112 people, 14 additional tables

• Costs associated with the change

2. Special days and weeks related to volunteerism, dates proposed:

1. National Coaches Week in Canada: celebrate the impact coaches have on athletes and communities, Sept. 19-27 2015 (2015 first year)

2. International Random Acts of Kindness Day: show kindness and assist others, not an official holiday, Nov.

3. National Mentoring Month: to promote youth mentoring, January

4. National Volunteer Week: held to increase awareness and encourage volunteerism, 3rd week in April

5. Alberta Recreation and Parks Association: celebrate recreation and parks, June

3. Capacity Building with Service Clubs

• Develop a marketing campaign in partnership with service clubs to recruit and retain new members

» Consult with CMS on a general marketing campaign strategy

» Engage service clubs participation, deadline to participate in initiative

» No cost to access LED signs, Volunteer Leduc webpage, volunteer registry, and general social media posts (e.g. Twitter and Facebook)

» Cost to Volunteer Leduc to market with portable signs, bold boards, retail media

• Provide general service club awareness and display key messages include images of individuals from community service clubs

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» Cost to Service Clubs to advertise in Leduc Rep

• News article, profile service clubs, identify contact

• Initiative will build relationships and promote community service clubs

• Goal to increase the organization’s profile to encourage and foster volunteerism

• Develop partnership with Leduc Rep to profile service clubs on a monthly basis

• Offer sessions on succession planning for service clubs

• Offer information breakout sessions for service clubs, short presentations on each groups services with Q&A, offer during a light breakfast networking opportunity

4. Develop new collaborations, ideas and strategic initiatives to support community organizations to build capacity in the community (e.g. marketing strategies).

• Engage experienced, influential and retired individuals in the community to assist struggling boards

• Provide ongoing support to community organizations to build capacity within struggling organizations

• Consult with local services clubs to identify their success stories and potential barriers

• Focus on succession planning

5. 100 Pin Club – Pilot Project

• Recognition program for volunteer hours

• Develop marketing and tracking of program, in consultation with schools and community organizations

• Receive recognition pin once achieve 100 volunteer hours

Proposed Initiatives & Programs for 2019Group Volunteering1. Corporate Volunteering

• Promote employee volunteerism in community, advantage of getting involved, benefits to company

• Identify strategy for voluntary organizations to successfully recruit and integrate employee volunteerism

• Develop City corporate volunteer program in collaboration with City’s Human Resources department

2. Family Volunteering Engagement Strategy

• Identify a need to create a family volunteering program

• Collaborate with community organizations who are family focused that provide community service (e.g. Community Church Organizations)

• Develop policies and practice manual to support effective family volunteer opportunities

• Cost associated with program: No cost associated with the program, online manual

3. Emergency Response Database

• Offer (1) disaster management volunteer recruitment information session in partnership with Red Cross

Proposed Initiatives & Programs for 2020Emergency Response1. Emergency Response Volunteer Database

• Collaborate with Emergency Social Services to identify an emergency response volunteer program and database

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The Volunteer Leduc Strategic plan is a five (5) year strategy that identifies new and ongoing initiatives that will enhance volunteerism in the City of Leduc. This strategy would be designed to meet the ever growing needs of the community in the area of volunteerism.

• Get out and become the face of volunteerism – allowing organizations and the public the knowledge of where to go for help

• Increase the awareness of Volunteer Leduc in the community by marketing initiatives that would include education, engagement, recruitment, retention and recognition

• Work to build capacity within the various community groups by offering a minimum of three (3) capacity building workshops or clinics annually by the City of Leduc

• Develop, nurture and safeguard an escalating data base of volunteers that meets and exceeds FOIP guidelines

• Implement a volunteer fair that will enhance public awareness and recruitment every 2nd year

• Identify opportunities to celebrate volunteerism in the community

• Collaborate and identify community programs to build capacity

» Newcomers volunteer engagement program

» Youth Engagement volunteer programs

» Family and group volunteer engagement programs

» City corporate volunteer programs

» Emergency social services response volunteer programs

• Development of a stand-alone Volunteer Leduc website

• Creation of a menu of volunteer opportunities for local volunteers to choose in the pursuit of volunteerism

• Develop a volunteer management handbook - a resource for volunteer managers

• Continue to strengthen collaborative working relationships with community organizations

• Be a leader in Citizen Recognition Awards through the Leduc Achievement Award program, Citizens of Distinction program, annual Provincial Volunteer Recognition nominations and a Volunteer Appreciation

Banquet yearly that appreciates and celebrates the many volunteers in our community

• Celebrate National Volunteer Week by bringing awareness to the date and the cause

• Step up the Random Acts of Volunteer Excellence (RAVE) through a targeted approach to hit every volunteer group in Leduc over the next five years

Volunteer Master Plan – Year by Year Action List

Year 1 – 2016• Build the Brand – Redesign of the current website to

replace Go Volunteer. Create a website that is user friendly, stand-alone and valuable in the volunteer information available

• Establishment of a Volunteer Community Connection newsletter. Sharing of volunteer experiences, feel good stories of what volunteerism brings

• Marketing Campaign for Volunteer Leduc – Get the word out

• Set up for ten (10) events over the course of the year highlighting volunteerism in the community

• Goal is to engage, recruit, and provide leadership to community organizations and volunteers

• Provide a liaison for the seven most active, dynamic and in need organizations using City facilities

• Focus on five key elements – Education, Engagement, Recruitment, Retention and Recognition

• Newcomers Engagement Strategy – Partnership with the Leduc Public Library and the English as a Second Language Group

• Evaluation and recommendations moving forward

• Youth Engagement Strategy – Engage with FCSS to develop a youth engagement volunteer program in support of their youth engagement strategy

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Year 2 – 2017• Partner with FCSS, BGRS, STAR and community

organizations

• Volunteer Fair – Biannually promote public awareness for volunteerism

• Conduct a survey on the Volunteer Appreciation Banquet – Are there more organizations that want to attend?

• Conduct three (3) capacity building workshops annually designed to build capacity of our local groups

• Offer disaster management volunteer recruitment information session

• Set up at ten (10) events annually that help to promote volunteerism in the community

• Evaluations and recommendations moving forward

Year 3 – 2018• Volunteer Appreciation Banquet – Increase the size to

accommodate up to 800 volunteers

• Promote Special days, weeks as a celebration of volunteers

» National Coaches Week

» International Random Acts of Kindness week

» National Mentoring Month

» National Volunteer Week

» Celebrate Parks and Recreation Month

• Board Development Workshops – Continue with three (3) annually as new trends arise

• Capacity Building Initiatives for Service Clubs – Promotion of the clubs and the good that they do for the community on an annual basis. Increase the profile of the groups

• Awareness campaign with the local papers for Service Group Member of the Month

• Set up at ten (10 ) events annually that will help promote volunteerism in Leduc

• Evaluations and recommendations moving forward

Year 4 – 2019• Corporate Volunteering – promote volunteerism by

businesses

• Develop City corporate volunteer program in collaboration with City of Leduc Human Resources Department

• Family volunteering engagement strategy – family focused opportunities

• Conduct three (3) capacity building workshops annually based on new trends in volunteering

• Set up at ten (10) events annually that will help promote volunteerism in Leduc

• Conduct the second Volunteer Fair promoting public awareness for volunteering

• Offer disaster management volunteer recruitment information session

• Evaluation and recommendations moving forward

• Starting process for the next five year strategic plan for volunteerism

Year 5 – 2020• Emergency Response Volunteer database

• Create awareness of the need for Emergency volunteers that are available on short notice for any emergencies in the community

• Profile the leaders of the cause – the Gerry Kelly’s, the lead City administration

• Conduct three (3) capacity building workshops annually based on new trends in volunteering

• Set up at ten (10) events annually that will help promote volunteerism in Leduc

• Evaluation and recommendations moving forward

• Roll out of five year strategic plan to Committee-of-the-Whole in October for 2021 and beyond