Senior Manager Volunteer Experience and Engagement, Atlantic Canada at Canadian Red Cross
In celebration of International Volunteer Manager Day: Voluntary Service is fundamental to who we are at the Red Cross. Our history is witness to tens of thousands of Canadians who have lived out their sense of humanity through Canadian Red Cross programs that seek to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Canadian Red Cross is honoured that so many individuals keep choosing our organization to give their time and talent, and to advance our work. But it’s not just luck; volunteering does not succeed in a vacuum. Leaders of volunteers hold many different titles. In my work at the CRC, I usually refer to them as volunteer supervisors. They are the folks who are coordinating both service delivery and volunteer experience that makes the Red Cross someplace where individuals feel fulfilled to give their time. They champion our organizations work, orient and train, cultivate connections between like minded people, troubleshoot issues, come up with creative accommodations when required, coach and appreciate the many humanitarians who give their time freely amongst our ranks. People management is a well recognized leadership skill, however it’s often attributed to the management of paid employees. Those of you who support volunteers regularly demonstrate a variety of people leadership skills within each of your programs, including adaptability and creativity as the world around us and the work itself changes. These efforts and specialized skills are why we celebrate International Volunteer Managers Day (IVMD) every year on November 5. In it’s 25th year of observation, the theme is “What’s Our Future Normal” – and well, my thoughts on that will require a whole new post. This one will be dedicated to all of the leaders of volunteers, paid and unpaid, within the Red Cross and in all the other organizations doing great work in our communities. Thank you for your big hearts and hard work! #IVMDay #LOVolunteers #IVMDay2024