Volunteering in Youth Sports in Strathcona County!
Spring is marked by the start of sports like baseball, softball and soccer for many families in Strathcona County. We recently caught up with Josh Bishop, General Manager of the Sherwood Park Minor Baseball Association, who shared with us that without families of their players stepping up to volunteer, they simply would not be able to have much of their programming. Volunteers help with coaching and managing teams, organizing and running tournaments and supporting their small staff of two with communications, marketing and fundraising so they can offer youth in Strathcona County community league and competitive baseball.
So thank you to the 900 volunteers who help out with the Sherwood Park Minor Baseball Association and to all the volunteers who support youth sports in Strathcona County!
Does it Matter Why We Volunteer?
Every month or so, I spend a couple of hours volunteering by giving legal advice over the phone to people who are having difficulties with their landlords or employers and can’t afford a lawyer. At the end of most calls, I get thanked for helping people understand their legal options, and I feel good about spending part of my evening giving them a hand.
Do I do this volunteering to help people? Sure, but admittedly, my main motivation is that as someone who’s day job doesn’t involve practicing law anymore, this volunteer gig saves me money on my law society fees and helps me keep up my legal skills.
What motivates you to volunteer? Is it to deepen your connection to your community? To build your resume? To feel good about yourself? To network, or make new friends? Maybe you get free tickets to events or other ‘perks’? Do you volunteer to support an organizations or cause important to you? Or maybe you want to develop new skills, or get a chance to use skills you already have?
Are any of these answers better than others? Does it matter why we volunteer?
Why should it? Volunteering does good things for us as individuals and for our community, so we should celebrate whenever someone finds themselves with the time, energy and desire to volunteer.
But that’s not always how people see it. A recent report that explored the impact of declining rates of volunteerism on rural Alberta communities noted a perceived ‘value shift’ – in the past, people may have volunteered out of a sense of commitment to community, whereas newer volunteers may be seeking to meet their own needs or interests by volunteering. Some folks they talked to saw this as the difference between caring about community versus being selfish. It’s a sentiment I sometimes hear in our community too – that people used to volunteer because it was the right thing to do, and people now want to get something out of volunteering.
Am I being ‘selfish’ for volunteering to save money on my law society fees? If I am being honest, aren’t my motivations for the other volunteering I do really about getting to feel good about myself and about my commitment to my community – so is that selfish too?
We shouldn’t lament that people may volunteer because of the benefits to them personally. A youth may volunteer to get experience to help them get their first paying job, or get into a post-secondary program, or qualify for scholarships – their reasons don’t take away from the community benefits of their volunteering. A parent who volunteers with their kid’s sports team to get a discount on their fees isn’t helping less than the parent who would be willing to help even without the discount. And the retired person who volunteers because they are worried they will get bored with too much time on their hands is benefitting from keeping busy while helping their community – isn’t that ok?
Not lamenting is not the same as not taking note – and we should take note of why people volunteer. Understanding people’s motivations helps us recruit and retain volunteers. Volunteer callouts will get more attention when we tell people what the benefits are to the community and to them personally – and volunteers will keep coming out to help when they get what they are looking for out of volunteering, whether it was to feel good about helping, getting a reference letter, or getting a great free meal.
So whatever your reasons – be selfish like me and volunteer!
“Declining Rates of Volunteerism in Alberta and the Increasing Threat to Rural Municipalities” is a report prepared for the Rural Municipalities of Alberta by the Alberta Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities at the University of Alberta, released in October 2024. It contains a lot of great food for thought about trends in volunteerism in rural Alberta and beyond that can help drive important conversations in the voluntary sector in Strathcona County too.
Shelter Movers provides free moving and storage services for referred clients and their families transitioning to lives free of abuse, something no other Canadian charity offers. The step-by-step process is done with dignity, high levels of security, and in strict confidence. Planning and financing a move can be a daunting task during the best of times, but Shelter Movers believes fleeing an abuser should be safe and easy.
Alberta has one of the highest rates of police-reported intimate partner violence in the nation, according to Statistics Canada, with 535 incidents per 100,000 population in urban areas. This is a stark reminder that many survivors of abuse need greater hands-on help to escape family violence situations. Shelter Movers has recently arrived in Calgary and Edmonton to help meet this need.
Since its establishment, Shelter Movers has opened 10 Canadian chapters across 7 provinces and has completed over 8200 moves. The two Alberta chapters, which opened in September of 2023, have completed over 120 moves in just over a year. Shelter Movers can assist clients with transporting pets or finding local pet fostering and also facilitate trauma-informed translation services.
Survivors are referred to Shelter Movers’ intake team by local agencies which gather initial information about the client’s safety and logistical needs before developing a move plan involving a volunteer team, security personnel as needed, and a detailed itinerary. On the day of the move, a Lead Mover serves as the survivors’ main point of contact. Other team members may also be present to ensure the process is as safe and efficient as possible. The team operates according to a client’s needs and priorities, helping survivors leave abuse and retain their belongings with dignity.
Since its establishment, Shelter Movers has opened 10 Canadian chapters across 7 provinces and has completed over 8200 moves. The two Alberta chapters, which opened in September of 2023, have completed over 120 moves in just over a year. Shelter Movers can assist clients with transporting pets or finding local pet fostering and also facilitate trauma-informed translation services.
In addition to volunteers, we are looking for community-minded businesses to partner with us by providing services, resources or sponsorship. Together, we can ensure survivors receive the support they need to start anew. Without Shelter Movers, survivors risk losing everything they own, or worse, staying in an abusive situation due to lack of support.
If you have the time, skills or resources to contribute, join our mission!
Everyone can make a difference – help us create a future free of gender-based violence.
If you are interested in volunteering to help with moves in Strathcona County (and/or surrounding areas), please contact Elsa at elsap@sheltermovers.com
I’m always inspired when I meet people engaged with the Community Leagues and Agricultural Societies in Strathcona County – I can’t think of a better example of volunteers who build community!
I recently attended the Ardrossan Recreation and Agricultural Society (ARAS) AGM and my head was spinning listening to all they got up to in 2024. Their annual Parade and Picnic is a well-known and very popular event in Strathcona County, and only one of the many things put on – they had a Curling Funspiel, weekly outdoor Farmer’s Markets throughout the summer, the Great Rural Race (which raised over $6000 for the Robin Hood Association!), ‘free skate’ afternoons at the Ardrossan Recreation Complex, and so much more.
In 2023, ARAS started a volunteer-run Community Growing Patch – their vision is a connected community that is food aware. All sorts of community members have volunteered to assist with planting through to harvest – and kids got to get their hands dirty helping out, learn about where their food comes from, and have a whole lot of fun playing with worms, apparently. You can see a great video showing their volunteers in action (and see who has helped make this happen) and learn more about their goal of having a year-round community greenhouse, on their website. (link)
Perhaps their greatest source of pride is their commitment to encouraging youth volunteerism – and there is no doubt they should be proud of that. Their motto is to never turn a volunteer away, and they have had kids as young as 4 years old get involved at their events and through their Growing Patch. They have an annual scholarship given to a post secondary student who volunteers and gets involved in the community, named after Diana Balbar (if you don’t know Diana from the enormous amount of volunteering she has done with community leagues throughout rural Strathcona County, you probably still know her as the “Bookmobile lady”!) They keep kids and youth engaged in their Growing Patch during the winter with their Living Christmas Trees initiative (decorating small live Christmas trees to bring festive joy to seniors’ housing). And in 2024, they started a Junior Volunteer Recognition Program – kids and youth up to the age of 17 who came out to volunteer at ARAS events are asked to fill in postcards reporting what they did to help – and then 10 lucky kids got rewarded for their efforts when their postcards were drawn to get a gift card at the end of the year. I was also impressed to see two younger community members join their Board of Directors at the AGM, a testament to how welcoming ARAS has been to youth volunteers!
None of what ARAS does would be possible without the incredible group of volunteers who make up their Board of Directors and planning committees. Like all of the amazing Community Leagues and Agricultural Societies in Strathcona County, they are always hoping more folks will come out to volunteer – not just at their events, but throughout the year with all the planning that happens behind the scenes.
You can find out more about volunteering and getting involved with ARAS through their website – and if you want to know about other Community Leagues and Agricultural Societies in Strathcona County, and how you can get involved, please reach out to us at Volunteer Strathcona.
Behind the Scenes of the Sherwood Park Highland Gathering
The Sherwood Park Highland Gathering is a 100% volunteer-run event organized by the non-profit Strathcona Highland Society. The organization is formed by a diverse group of volunteers who love Celtic traditions and fill the need in our region for an annual highland gathering. The objective is: “to promote closer ties in the community through the use of Celtic music, dance, and traditions; to foster and promote community and create a family friendly event for all to enjoy.”
Volunteer Strathcona had a chance to catch up with Roxanne Carr, founder of SPHG and dedicated volunteer since 2019, to learn more about the behind the scenes on the planning and volunteer management for SPHG.
Currently, the SPHG board consists of 10 enthusiastic volunteer members who spend countless hours doing wrap-up sessions, searching for new event ideas and more efficient and effective ways of running goals as well as maintaining relationships with supporting partners and sponsors for the festival. SPHG is currently looking for Volunteer Coordinators to take on some of the essential planning. This is part of the succession planning and will ensure that the event is sustainable in the future.
More information can be found HERE.
It takes about 800 volunteer hours in 10 teams areas to make the SPHG a roaring successful event! From September to April, the SPHG board spends over a thousand hours working together for the planning of this incredible event. Roxanne mentioned “Time [being] the most difficult commodity to find” while referring to the management of the 9 month planning stage of this large festival requiring an immense amount of organization, communication and time.
Roxanne shared with us her favorite part of the SPHG being the growth of the event over time. Working closely with provincial organizations has its challenges too when it comes to organizing large competitions in the SPHG. Communication is absolute key and pulling off an exciting year of competitions translates into attraction and delight to the public (a true formula for success!!). The greatest challenge SPHG faces goes back to communications where the expectations are high and hopes are to meet them successfully. Roxanne mentioned an additional challenge being ensuring volunteers are adequately prepared and trained to do the jobs in the festival; promoting this festival as one people will come back year after year.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars! The 2025 Sherwood Park Highland Gathering festival is coming to our community on July 19-20 at Broadmoor Lake Park and Salisbury High School athletic fields. Check out more information about the event by visiting www.sphg.ca!
The Strathcona Christmas Bureau has been around since 1979 with the mission to bring the joy of Christmas to those less fortunate. Qualifying residents from Strathcona County can receive a hamper of gifts this holiday season. In 2023, thanks to the generous donations of Strathcona County’s residents and businesses, over 600 hampers were delivered to community members! Strathcona Christmas Bureau is a non-profit organization heavily relying on the time and effort of amazing volunteers to make it all possible!
Gayle McCarthy, is one of 12 Board Members with Strathcona Christmas Bureau. She has been involved for 7 years and shared with us some insight into the behind the scenes this holiday season.
Fun fact: Strathcona Christmas’ Bureau longest standing Board Member is Vince Gatti who’s been volunteering for 45 years!
On average, volunteer Board Members spend 30-40 hours a week helping out with this campaign! The Board volunteers year-round doing fundraising and working on the processes. During the busy season (the active campaign from November 1 on) the Strathcona Christmas Bureau heavily relies on volunteers who come to help in many different ways.
Gayle shared with us her goal for Strathcona Christmas Bureau in the future. She said “I would love to see a permanent home for the Strathcona Christmas Bureau some day”. Currently, the board looks for a space in the County every year which requires all belongings to be moved from two 53 foot trailers into the yearly depot space. Once the campaign is finished, Board Members and volunteers help put all the items into trailers and a storage unit for the remainder of the year. This proves to be very labor intensive and time consuming. This year was the most challenging one yet, as finding a new depot space was challenging. The timeline for the full campaign is very short which means its very busy and intense for all volunteers and board members.
As the Strathcona Christmas Bureau celebrates an incredible 45 years, the Board looks forward to what the future brings and is very thankful for the support of our amazing community.
If you are interested in helping out as a volunteer Driver for December 14th, please visit www.strathconachristmasbureau.com/volunteer/ to complete an application and find out more about this festive holiday campaign!
We regularly hear from sports teams, employers and other groups who are interested in group volunteering opportunities. It can be challenging for community organizations to create formal volunteer opportunities for groups, so we also encourage groups seeking to volunteer to engage in informal volunteer activities.
At Volunteer Strathcona, we strongly encourage volunteering for all age groups and love seeing groups wanting to contribute to their community. Here are some ideas if your group or team is looking to volunteer together in our community:
- Shoveling Snow: Our Snowbusters program offers the opportunity to volunteer as a group where you can create a schedule and each team member can shovel a resident’s snow during the winter months. Your team can contact us on a snowy day and see if we have any unmatched residents needing help. Alternatively, you can take your team out to a neighbourhood on a snowy day and shovel as a ‘random act of kindness’ gesture.
- Spring Clean-up: Groups are invited to join forces to participate in spring-clean up which can potentially include fundraising for their non-profit or charity. Efforts help to improve the look of our community. Check out Pitch-In or the Spring Roadside Clean-up programs for more information.
- Strathcona Christmas Bureau: Helping bring the joy of Christmas to those less fortunate, SCB relies on time and effort from amazing volunteers (ages 13+) to make it all possible. Groups are invited to register early to help with hamper packing and events.
- Sleep in Heavenly Peace:Building beds for low-income youth and children, SHP offer a variety of opportunities for groups (ages 18+). If you are interested please contact them for more information.
- Fundraising: Groups or teams can organize a lemonade stand, bake sale, a bottle drive or other fundraiser to collect funds and donate the proceeds to a local non-profit organization.
- Strathcona Food Bank: The local food bank accommodates groups up to 20 people to come in and learn about their work and help out with projects.
- Card Making: A great idea for youth groups is to make holiday cards or crafts for seniors living in long-term care facilities and making thank-you cards for staff at the hospital, long-term care or a similar social services organization.
- Donation Drives: You can organize a drive for needed items for organizations like Little Warriors, A Safe Place or the Strathcona Food Bank. All these organizations have lists on their website which include their most needed items.
Event-based volunteering is also another excellent way to get your team or work group volunteering together! Stay tuned for upcoming volunteering opportunities available in our community. Visit www.volunteerstrathcona.ca/upcoming-volunteering-events/ for more information
On a sunny morning on September 26, Volunteer Strathcona ventured off to visit the Hodge Podge Lodge (located right next to Broadview Enviroservice Station in Sherwood Park) to meet and interview some of their incredible volunteers. The Hodge Podge Lodge collects a mishmash of items that can be reused or repurposed. They currently have 105 volunteers in their roster and hope to keep growing. Erin Wildeboer, Head Supervisor at HPL, shared with us one of the missions of the volunteer program at HPL aiming to be an inclusive community where everyone is welcomed. The HPL needs more volunteers as it’s a very busy organization and there’s always open opportunities for those wanting to help sort items and get them off the shelves.
We met with Al, Trace, Pamela and Alex who kindly invited us into their space and showed us around the Lodge. Trace and Alex are part of the Goodwill Career Connections Program which focuses on helping people with disabilities to pursue employment and volunteer opportunities, and coaching and supporting employers to help them employ people with disabilities. The HPL is open to volunteers from Goodwill, Selections Edmonton, Robin Hood as well as other individuals who may have a community aide.
We asked Al, Trace, Pamela and Alex what their favorite part of volunteering at HPL was and their eyes lit up with excitement! The group agreed making new friends was a highlight of this volunteer opportunity as well as having fun interacting and helping customers, amongst other things. The team at HPL spoke greatly about the immense opportunities volunteering at HPL can bring into your life. Trace said “just go for it” while Alex mentioned the work is not always demanding and the end result looks great on a resume and adds valuable experience to someone searching for work.
HPL heavily relies on volunteers to keep running. They continue to work together as a team to foster an inclusive environment and help those that want to be a part of the community thrive. As we worked on our closing remarks, Trace shared “people are like family here” which truly embodies the atmosphere at HPL.
If you are interested in volunteering at the Hodge Podge Lodge, please visit HERE.
If you are a Strathcona County Organization looking to diversify your volunteer program please contact our office at programs@volunteerstrathcona.ca
Sylvia Trenka (they/she) is a 23-year old Strathcona County-based Queer artist and activist with a passion for community involvement, social development, and cultural celebration. They hold a deep love for her community, and she serves on a number of local organizations in addition to their art career.
We first met Sylvia earlier this year when she expressed an interest in joining a Board in Strathcona County. Since then, she’s joined numerous Boards and Community Groups. We were interested in what drew them to board membership and what advice she would give to younger community members to inspire them. Check out her answers below*
What inspired you to join a Board of Directors?
For me, it was really rooted in a desire to serve my community; I deeply love Strathcona County, so having the opportunity to make a real, visible difference in our community has been incredible. Getting to share my time, voice, and skills with so many wonderful organizations serving our community has been such a fulfilling and magical opportunity that I truly cherish. I’ve truly felt so fortunate to meet so many wonderful people, such as Ken Duncan of the ACCSC, Moirah Inyang-Otu of Strathcona County Next Gen, and dozens of other incredibly smart, talented, and lovely people.
What has been your experience with participating on a Board of Directors?
I think it’s made me feel much more connected to our community, and it’s been a phenomenal opportunity to further develop my skills as a leader and to have tons of opportunities to support my teams as well as our community members.
It’s been a highly fulfilling experience that’s made me feel more confident, appreciated, and included in our community, and I’ve found it really fun!
What are the challenges of participating on a Board of Directors?
I think mainly balancing the desire to be involved with the need to have healthy boundaries around work; I’ve found it very easy to get too caught up in work and over-exert myself, so I’m incredibly fortunate to have such supportive teams who encourage me to take time for myself.
What is your advice for Youth aspiring to join a Board of Directors?
Just do it. Like, it’s very easy to get in your head and worry about rejection or not being good enough or not knowing enough, but virtually every Board I’ve joined has been incredibly welcoming and supportive of me, and they’ve been more than willing to help acclimate me to the new team. Ultimately, I think it’s best to just dive in and let yourself experiment and find your calling, your passion, and your team.
In your opinion, how can Boards benefit from having Youth members?
I think we bring a fresh perspective, unique skill sets, and new blood to Boards. We bring a diversity of backgrounds, talents, and insights that help Boards thrive and adjust in our new digital age, and I believe we can help these organizations continue to grow and prosper within our community.
* Written by Volunteer Strathcona
Dreamcatcher TM Nature Assisted Therapy is a Psychology Practice located 30 minutes east of Edmonton on a beautiful 40-acre ranch. We are home to a variety of rescue farm animals including horses, donkeys, sheep, goats, and chickens that work with our team of professional therapists to provide a holistic approach to healing.
Our volunteers lay the foundational work for the daily operations of our organization, between creating memorable experiences for our community members at our events or providing our therapy animals with the best possible care; each volunteer plays a pivotal role in the success of the programs and services that we offer.
Why volunteer at DreamcatcherTM?
Spending time in nature and around animals has shown to have mental, emotional, and physical health benefits. In addition to that, DreamcatcherTM provides volunteers with opportunities to build meaningful relationships, explore their interests, learn new skills, network with professionals, enhance their resumes, and gain leadership skills. We offer our volunteers on-site training, flexible scheduling, snacks and beverages during their shifts, gifts, and host volunteer parties twice a year. We also invest in our long-term volunteers and offer more benefits and opportunities such as advanced training (e.g., animal assisted services workshops) or the chance to obtain a paid position with us!
What kinds of volunteering opportunities do we offer?
Our two most popular volunteer programs are in Animal Care and Tourism. While this is where we need the most help, we also have other volunteer roles such as helping with our day retreats/summer camps/field trips, farm maintenance, charity board of directors, pen paw pals’ program, and more! If you have a special skill, talent, or experience that you would like to offer such as marketing, event planning, photography/videography, program development, etc., we would love to have you join our
team! For more information about these volunteer positions, please see our website at:
https://www.dreamcatcherassociation.com/getinvolved.html
Animal Care Program
Volunteers in this role help with daily care tasks (e.g., egg collecting/washing, giving supplements, feeding, cleaning, etc.) and other irregular tasks (e.g., trimming goat hooves or chicken talons, animal handling, deworming, etc.). The majority of our volunteers in this role help on a weekly or biweekly basis and shifts are done independently. This position is a perfect fit for those with a genuine love for animals, who love to be outdoors and are physically fit, who have animal-related career goals, and who enjoy volunteering independently but also like to be part of a team.
Tourism Program
Volunteers in this position generally help with our events by setting up/tearing down events, providing animal tours, animal handling, or running the market boot. Volunteers in this program can also help with behind-the-scenes needs such as developing and decorating our Magical Forest Trails, helping with event planning, program development, marketing, and more. This position is perfect for natural storytellers, social butterflies, the creatives and artists, those who like to organize and develop, or those who like to volunteer in teams or independently.
Our Current Projects, Upcoming Events, & Program Goals
We are currently working on developing our Tourism program to offer year-round unique tourism experiences for our community. Some of our goals for this program are to continue developing our magical forest trails and have a fully developed program within the next couple of years.
Goals for both Animal Care and Tourism programs include recruiting long-term and year-round volunteers. These volunteers will allow enough coverage to offer tourism events without taking away from those already offering their time in animal care shifts (especially in the fall and winter months when we need it most).
We are looking for event volunteers to help out on
Sunday, August 18 from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. for Alberta Open Farm Days and Road Stand Tour!
If you are interested in volunteering in one of our programs or with our upcoming event, please email us at volunteer@dreamcatcherassociation.com or call 780-809-1047 ext. 17.
We look forward to meeting you!
The Ardrossan Recreation & Agricultural Society (ARAS) is currently working alongside the Strathcona Library Bookmobile on an initiative of a Community Greenhouse. Early on, the committee identified (during the planning/community outreach phase) that to ‘feed’ the larger goal, and maintain interest and relevancy; the project needed to be broken down into phases. The committee settled on a few key projects to incorporate in the first season, with a strong and deep focus on building relationships.
Up until now, ARAS has had several noteworthy accomplishments worth mentioning:
- Potato Planting – breaking/working land at Camaneri Acres, plot size one-quarter acre (including trenching in and planting all 200lbs of seed potatoes in approximately 1 hour utilizing volunteers of all ages).
- Open Farm Days – harvested and sold potatoes to raise funds for the Strathcona Food Bank ($684 raised!)
- Potato Harvest – harvested and donated approximately 500lbs of potatoes to the Strathcona Food Bank!
- Land Assessment/Planning – Assessed land soil structures for potato growth. ARAS will be planting corn, beans and squash this year (A project in partnership with the Strathcona Library Bookmobile on June 1st weather permitting).
- Living Christmas Tree Program – In the first year, ARAS trialed 20 trees and delivered them to Sherwood Park Heartland Housing Foundation locations for the holidays. Trees were lovingly decorated as part of a cross-generational ornament-making activity.
ARAS has officially launched and celebrated a very successful first year of the project.
They will look to once again grow the potato patch and this initiative by expanding the experience to incorporate a Three Sisters Planting Experience (to be held on June 1 in partnership with the Book Mobile).
Funds generated from the Open Farm Days You-Dig as well as ARAS Farmers Market Sales throughout the season, will be used to feed the overall project initiative of a Community Greenhouse located in Ardrossan; however, all harvested potatoes at the end of the season that are not sold will once again be donated to the Strathcona Food Bank.
Don’t miss out on the scoop for upcoming ARAS events! Click HERE to get all the details.
Photos: Courtesy of Jessica L
At PHOENIX FC, our volunteers are the heart and soul of our community, playing a key role in the success of our youth sports programs. Whether they are coaching teams, organizing fundraisers, connecting families, helping with logistics, or leading community efforts, every volunteer brings unique skills and dedication to help our young athletes succeed. Our volunteers mentor the athletes, helping them improve their skills both on and off the field and work together as a team and community. Volunteers are the foundation of every sporting club, playing a vital role in players discovering possibilities and reaching their potential. The four pillars of Phoenix FC coaching are working hard, positive team spirit, positive coaching, and learning and improving. These pillars are built from studies about why kids stay in sports and can only be achieved in a highly connected and active community.
We have many volunteer roles. Coaches lead sessions, managers organize team activities, and volunteers handle logistics for matches and events. Video volunteers record games and practices, capturing all the action on the field, creating highlight reels, and building training materials for player improvement. Volunteers manage our social media and communications, keeping the community connected by promoting events, sharing club news, and engaging with our community. Program volunteers help run club programs and support special events and tournaments, ensuring every event is a success. Administrative and logistical volunteers handle registration, maintain facilities, and manage other important tasks behind the scenes, keeping our club running smoothly.
Volunteering is about more than helping with tasks; it’s about connection, service, and learning. Youth interact with people from different backgrounds and perspectives, experiencing and learning new ways of thinking and doing. These experiences encourage players to explore and express their own agency, further inspiring growth in others through their development as players, people, and leaders. Volunteers strengthen communities by connecting people through a sense of belonging and shared experiences while modeling leadership in action.
While we seek to encourage and grow early volunteer involvement, we also want to continue increasing community connection and capacity. Our approach includes event-based activities, from fun and informal social gatherings to more structured clinics, seminars, or information sessions. We feature volunteer contributions on our platforms, celebrating impact through storytelling. Additionally, we connect experienced and new volunteers, supporting growth through mentorship. If you are interested in this direction and wish to take part, please reach out to our team at Phoenix FC by visiting our website at www.spdsa.net or calling our office at 780-449-1343. We will connect you with the appropriate person to support your volunteer interest.
Written by Josh Pynten
BGCBIGS has set a lofty goal in the form of a challenge to the community—for 100 men to step up and become mentors to children and youth in the Edmonton area.
The Goal
While the goal of the campaign seems simple—recruit one male mentor per day for 100 days—the purpose of this campaign is more far-reaching. We currently have a waitlist of over 700 young people waiting to be matched with a mentor; over half of those kids are boys and some of those boys are waiting up to 2 years for a mentor.
The 100 Men in 100 Days campaign aims to break down common misconceptions about what it means to be a mentor, such as:
- “I need special skills or higher education”. False. Lived experience is just as important to a young person who just wants someone they can relate to.
- “I need experience working with children or youth.” False. You just need to be willing to show up and be consistent. BGCBigs will provide mentors with training and support the whole way.
- “I don’t have time to be a mentor.” False. Being a mentor means doing many things you’re already doing, such as playing board games, reading books, watching movies, playing sports, etc. but now you’ll enjoy them alongside a young friend.
Redefine the way you spend an hour
“We’re posing this challenge to men in our community specifically because so many men have the capacity to be awesome mentors but they don’t even realize it,” said Ian Amundson, Club Manager at BGCBigs. “I hear guys tell me all the time, ‘I don’t have time’ or ‘I don’t have what it takes’ and I always respond by saying; ‘Did you play video games last week? Did you watch a hockey game last week? Did you play a sport or a board game or check out a cool attraction?’ The answer is always yes—so why not do all of those fun things you’re already doing anyway but with a buddy? Just for an hour per week! That’s all it takes to be a mentor—one hour a week to do something fun you were already going to do, but with a young person who needs you.”
We have a place for you
Whether it’s as a Club volunteer or as an in-school mentor, or as a mentor in a group setting sharing your love of sports, board games, hands-on projects, reading, movies and more—we have a place for you.
“Volunteering as an in-school mentor was an opportunity to re-experience my youth in a positive way. From reading books like Jeronimo Stilton, to spending time making a paper mâché volcano, it was as much fun for me [as it was for my mentee],” said Robert Markowski, former in-school mentor. “I know I felt pressure coming the first day, but when you realize your [mentee] is looking forward to spending time out of the classroom with someone that is just trying to help them with learning challenges, have some fun and develop a relationship, I really had nothing to worry about. With the small commitment of time each week, combined with BGCBigs’ [support] and the teacher setting everything up for me, it was an easy way to step into volunteering again.”
Be one of the 100
Rise to the challenge. Being a mentor isn’t complicated because it’s not about changing the future, just the moment.
Learn more about 100 Men in 100 Days by visiting our website at BGCBigs.ca/100Men.
STRATHCONA COUNTY COMMUNITY MEDIATION
At Volunteer Strathcona, we love learning about the amazing things being done by volunteers and community organizations in Strathcona County.
In December we caught up with Tara Erickson, Program Director at the Strathcona County Community Mediation program (SCCM), to find out more about their volunteer program and impact in our community.
Did you know that SCCM can help neighbours, family members, and community organizations resolve disputes through FREE informal mediation? We learned they have helped neighbours resolve parking disputes and disagreements about roosters (yes, roosters!), assisted separated parents communicate better about the activities their kids are participating in, and helped members of community organization Boards work out disagreements.
We also learned that SCCM can provide organizations with FREE workshops on topics such as effective communication and conflict resolution. This is a great benefit to organizations in helping staff, board members and/or volunteers agree on how they want to communicate with one another and approach conflict constructively!
There are many different ways volunteers can get involved in SCCM work – volunteers can become mediators, workshop facilitators, and/or case developers – or can support SCCM in other ways, like volunteering for casinos or joining their Board. SCCM provides all the training needed – they are looking for good communicators who are empathetic and non-judgemental, and have a few hours a month to volunteer.
If you’d like more information about SCCM’s services and volunteer opportunities, check out their website or reach out to their Program Director, Tara Erickson at (communitymediation@sccm.ca)