City of Kitchener Volunteer Resources

1. City of Kitchener Volunteer Resources Who We Are What We Do and What We Can Do For YOU

2. Who Are You?How do you volunteer/ engage volunteers?(If you don’t already- tell us how you might)

3. Who we are… Janice Ouellette Facilitator of Volunteer Resources and Community Engagement - Corporate volunteer management policies and procedures - Corporate wide volunteer recognition opportunities and resources - Training, support and resources for staff who work with volunteers • Training, resources and support to affiliated groups (NA’s and Minor Sports) • Informal Volunteer Engagement Kitchener in Bloom, Earth Week Clean-ups, Festival of Neighbourhoods) - Community Engagement, City Hall 101 - Corporate Volunteer Program • Communication and Marketing of Volunteer program • Evaluation

4. Who We Are Karrie Zettler, Coordinator of Volunteer Resources • Recruiting, screening, placing volunteers in CofK direct programs • Liaising with staff about volunteer requirements and progress of newly placed volunteers • Advertising our volunteer opportunities at volunteer fairs, through the Volunteer Action Centre, and occasionally on radio and in other print media • Networking with other volunteer coordinators in the community on best practices • Recognition of volunteers including dissemination of budgeted funds to staff for volunteer recognition, purchase of items with Volunteer Resources logo imprinted on them, purchase of gift certificates and thank you cards. • Upkeep of in-house database of volunteers • Arranges a volunteer social each April for volunteers in Adults 50+

5. A quick “History” City of Kitchener • long history of engaging volunteers • delivery of services and programs • supporting volunteer boards • City affiliated organizations in their service to community residents

6. 1998 • Community Services Department 25% of a supervisory position dedicated to coordinating volunteer management for CSD - Primarily with adults 50+ programming

7. 2000 • Galloway Operational Review • Recommended creation of a section to focus solely on the management of volunteer resources • more coordinated and pro-active approach to the City of Kitchener’s volunteer management.

8. 2002 • Volunteer Resources section was implemented • Facilitator for Volunteer Resources • role for the Coordinator of Volunteers was broadened to serve the department.

9. Since 2002, Volunteer Resources in CSD • majority of volunteers are linked to this department • services and support- available to any City of Kitchener staff across the corporation or City of Kitchener • support also for affiliated groups such as Minor Sports Groups and Neighbourhood Associations

10. 2002-2004 • Volunteer Resources vision, mission and value statements developed • Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement reviewed with staff and adopted by Council.

11. 2004 • informal volunteering or citizen engagement officially recognized • coordination of a number of programs transferred to Volunteer Resources from various staff in Operations and Community Programs and Services eg. Earth Week, Kitchener in Bloom, Festival of Neighbourhoods

12. Brings it to us today • Volunteer Resources • Centralized point of entry into volunteering • Promotion of volunteerism • Policies and procedures for volunteer and risk management • Consultation about volunteer supervision or support issues • Training • Development of new volunteer programs • Volunteer recognition

13. 7000+ volunteers connected with CoK 1750 Direct Volunteers– those who volunteer directly for the City and report to City staff adults 50+ inclusion youth KNAP winter rinks summer playgrounds arts and culture aquatics athletics special events golf courses market auditorium advisory committees

14. Indirect Volunteer report to another governing body or agency on behalf of the City Neighbourhood Associations (1750) Minor Sports groups (3800)

15. “Informal” Volunteer (not counted) • members of the community who “pitch in” to help out the community on their own volition, in an unscheduled, non-structured way, and often • not monitored by an agency or governing body (KIB, Earth Week, Festival of Neighbourhoods)

16. More and more areas of the corporation engaging volunteers • Value of the corporation - Plan for a Healthy Kitchener - Corporate Plan (reflected in our mission, vision and code for volunteer involvement)

17. Values for Volunteer Involvement • Volunteer involvement is vital to a just and democratic society. • Volunteer involvement strengthens our community. • Volunteer involvement mutually benefits both the volunteer and the City of Kitchener. • Volunteer involvement is based on relationships.

18. Guiding Principles for Volunteer Involvement: • The City of Kitchener recognized that volunteers are a vital human resource and will commit to the appropriate infrastructure to support volunteers. • Volunteers make a commitment and are accountable to the City of Kitchener.

19. Standards for Volunteer Involvement

20. Standards for Volunteer Involvement • Volunteer assignments address the purpose of the organization and involve volunteers in meaningful ways reflecting their various abilities, needs and backgrounds. • Volunteer recruitment and selection reaches out to diverse sources of volunteers.

21. Standards for Volunteer Involvement • A screening process is clearly communicated and consistently delivered.

22. Standards for Volunteer Involvement • Volunteers are welcomed and treated as valuable and integral members of the broader City of Kitchener team.

23. Standards for Volunteer Involvement • Volunteers receive an orientation to the City of Kitchener, its policies and procedures, and receive training for their volunteer assignment(s).

24. Standards for Volunteer Involvement • Volunteers receive appropriate levels of supervision according to their task and are given regular opportunities to receive and give feedback.

25. Standards for Volunteer Involvement • The contributions of volunteers are regularly acknowledged with formal and informal recognition methods.

26. Standards for Volunteer Involvement • Policies and procedures provide a framework that defines and supports the involvement of volunteers within the organization.

27. Volunteer Management Policy and Procedures Manual • located on the O-drive under “volunteers/ Policies and Procedures”)

28. Volunteerism Committee • staff advisory committee to Volunteer Resources staff • volunteer management issues • opportunities • provide suggestions about new initiatives • further develop the voluntary infrastructure throughout the CoK

29. Volunteerism Committee Topics of Discussion • Philosophy / Organizational Values about Volunteer Involvement • Policies and procedures • Risk management • Position/program design • Recruitment • Screening • Orientation • Training • Referral • Placement • Record keeping • Supervision/support • Recognition • Evaluation

30. Volunteerism Committee • Membership of the Committee • open to any staff representatives from sections, departments, or divisions throughout the Corporation of the City of Kitchener that provide manage direct City of Kitchener volunteers or support volunteers of affiliated groups, e.g., Minor Sports and Neighbourhood Associations.

31. Volunteerism Committee • Janice Ouellette, Facilitator, Volunteer Resources • Karrie Zettler, Coordinator, Volunteer Resources • Carolyn Cormier, Adults 50+ Coordinator • Bob Cheyne, Supervisor, Athletics • Lisa Green, Coordinator, Winter Rinks/ Summer Playgrounds • Teagan McKenna, Community Centres/ Neighbourhood Assocs. • Joshua Shea, KNAP Coordinator • Dave Millar, Aquatics Supervisor • Jeff Young, Special Events Coordinator • Cory Bluhm, Manager, Downtown Development • Jeremy Dueck, Supervisor, Auditorium • Colin Goodeve, Administrator, Clerks

32. Volunteer Services Strategy Strategic Directions: 1. Demonstrate Leadership and Commitment to Volunteerism and Raise the Profile of Volunteerism within the Corporation 2. Expand the Participation of Volunteers by Establishing Connections and Partnerships and Strengthening the Communication of Volunteer Opportunities 3. Expand and Improve Upon the Range of Volunteer and Community Engagement Opportunities Available

33. Volunteer Services Strategy Strategic Directions: 4. Provide Staff and Volunteer Boards with Opportunities for Improved Training, Tools, and Resources to Build Capacity and Effectively Manage Volunteers 5. Strengthen the Value of Volunteerism to the City and Volunteers, by improving the Tools, Mechanisms, and Processes for Providing Feedback and Recognition 6. Improve the Communication and Evaluation of Volunteer Successes and Contributions to Raise the Profile of Volunteerism within the Community and Plan for the Future

34. Let us answer YOUR questions