Volunteer Alberta Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations Volunteer Calgary Volunteer Cold Lake

1) Information on Volunteer Alberta

Who we are:

Volunteer Alberta is the Provincial Association of Volunteer Centres. Our members represent the human infrastructure at work in the fields of health, recreation, arts, community development, and social services, and include volunteer centres, recreation & culture boards, Family & Community Support Services offices and numerous local and provincial volunteer based and non profit organizations. Volunteer Alberta has been delivering services and supporting volunteer centres across the province since 1990.

Our mission statement and goals:

"Volunteer Alberta is committed to building the capacity of the voluntary sector by strategically connecting leaders, organizations and networks to ensure Albertans are engaged in creating vibrant and progressive communities."

Volunteer Alberta’s Goals are to ensure:

• Alberta’s communities have increased capacity to support volunteerism.
• Volunteer Alberta is a key voice for volunteerism in Alberta.
• Volunteer Alberta’s programs and services are progressive in meeting the needs of our members.

What we do:

Volunteer Alberta effectively promotes volunteerism, develops extensive community networks, and serves as a vital link for information on the voluntary sector. Our organization provides a range of services to encourage and support volunteerism to its membership in over 130 Alberta communities, including:

• National Volunteer Week enhancement funding for communities throughout Alberta
• Development and distribution of information and resource kits that help promote community volunteerism
• Year round opportunities for Alberta’s communities to network, develop linkages, and share ideas on issues that affect volunteers and managers of volunteers
• Quarterly newsletter on trends, issues, and provincial and national government policies and initiatives that affect nonprofit and voluntary organization

2) What are Alberta Volunteer Centres?

A volunteer centre is a nonprofit organization or program dedicated to supporting the needs of volunteers, as well as the community organizations that require volunteer help.

Volunteer Centres reach across the nonprofit and public sectors to include organizations working in human and social services, health care, education, arts, culture, sports, recreation, and the environment. Today there are more than more than 200 volunteer centres in Canada, each providing common services as well as a unique mix of programs to fit the needs of the community.

Volunteer centres can:

• Promote Volunteerism
• Build capacity for effective local volunteering
• Provide leadership on issues relating to volunteerism
• Connect people with opportunities to serve in their communities

3) Directory of Volunteer Centres

• Banff Volunteer Association
• Canmore Community Resource & Volunteer Centre
• Cochrane Family & Community Support Services
• Community Information & Referral Society
• Community Information & Volunteer Centre
• FCSS Stony Plain
• Fort McMurray Volunteer Action Centre
• Grande Prairie Volunteer Services Bureau
• Hinton Volunteer & Information Centre
• Medicine Hat Volunteer Centre
• Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Student's
• Okotoks, Town of (Volunteer Services)
• St. Albert Community Information & Volunteer Centre
• Stettler & District Volunteer Centre
• Strathcona County Information & Volunteer Centre
• Sylvan Lake Volunteer Centre
• Volunteer Calgary
• Volunteer Centre of Camrose & District
• Volunteer Centre of Fort Saskatchewan
• Volunteer Cold Lake
• Volunteer Edmonton
• Volunteer Lethbridge

4) Volunteer Alberta currently has 22 volunteer centres with current memberships. Altogether, Volunteer Alberta has more than 150 members.