Connecting in Community
407,300
users visited
VolunteerToronto.ca
Our website is home to the largest and most diverse portfolio of volunteer roles in Toronto, so it’s no surprise we get a lot of web traffic from volunteer seekers. Our data tells us that each month at least 30,000 people visit our website and more than half go on to search for available roles.
Our 40-year Volunteer Advisor program has helped guide thousands of volunteer seekers every year through in person, phone appointments, and email support. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, ten dedicated Volunteer Advisors provided advising services during three hour in-office shifts from Monday to Friday.
2,515
one-on-one
appointments
12,500
attended our events
We supported a record number of volunteer seekers in 2019-2020. Our Volunteer Advisors, Ambassadors, and summer students were core drivers as they held appointments, attended events, and hosted presentations in the community.
In an expanded partnership, our Volunteer Ambassadors were deployed to Toronto Public Library branches across the City to present to groups of 15-40. For newcomers and jobseekers, the sessions provide clarity on how to access volunteer experiences that benefit their personal journey.
This partnership provided a great opportunity to help library customers learn more about engaging and volunteering in their community, and develop the necessary skills and strategies they need to succeed. In addition, it provided us with the opportunity to share information with participants about our programs, services and resources available in libraries across the city. TPL is proud to work closely in partnership with Volunteer Toronto and their Volunteer Ambassadors to host these sessions!
— John Neil, Volunteer Services
As tradition, every fall Volunteer Toronto hosts our city’s largest volunteer fair—the Youth Expo. This year the fair once again expedited the recruitment of youth volunteers by filling Roy Thompson Hall. More than 1,300 parents and students showed up and 76 diverse non-profits shared on-the-spot information and held pre-interviews for roles.
Volunteer Toronto is renowned for our annual Legacy Awards ceremony. As a bold pilot in April 2019, we expanded the event as an official kick-off celebration for National Volunteer Week. This time, we invited more people, including all of our non-profit subscribers, Legacy Award nominating organizations, all nominees, and their families, to join us for the recognition of exceptional volunteers.
Also new for 2019, were the five award categories that reflect our core values in addition to a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Being What's Needed
Tom McFeat
Tax Clinic Volunteer with Woodgreen Community Services
Positive Change
Jagger Gordon
Founder of the food security initiative: Feed it Forward
Connection
Jessica McDougall
Volunteer with Emily's House, Toronto’s only child hospice
Inclusivity
Lisa Cherry-Cherniak
Co-founder of Artists Against Racism
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Growth & Learning
Youdon Tsamotshang
Volunteer with Tibetan Children’s Project Canada and Free Tibet Canada
Lifetime Achievement
David Lockett
Volunteer leader and non-profit founder for over 30 years
Watch below to see the celebration, and 2019 Legacy Awards, come to life:
