This week is National Volunteer Week, an annual celebration of all things volunteers. We’ve been giving you the tips you need to start volunteering. From the benefits, how to start and what kind of roles there are out there. We hope you feel confident enough to start seeking volunteer opportunities and now you’re probably wondering, where do I volunteer?

Read below for three places to find volunteer opportunities in Edmonton!

1. Every year we host a volunteer fair at West Edmonton Mall. This year, we’re bringing the volunteer fair to Edmontonians online! If you missed the volunteer fair, visit our Virtual Volunteer Fair to see the organizations who are currently recruiting volunteers.
2. Volunteer Connector: Edmonton’s one stop shop for volunteers is volunteerconector.org! With hundreds of volunteer roles, you’re sure to find something you like. New opportunities are being posted daily so visit back often to see what’s new.
3. Web search: once you’ve narrowed down what you want to do, try doing a web search based on the cause you want to support. Type in “animal volunteering Edmonton” or “seniors volunteering Edmonton” or whatever cause you’d enjoy and browse the many different organizations. The plus side to this is that you’re able to visit their website and see more about their mission and values.

All of the options above will lead you to an organization. So what do you say when you find the right organization for you? Besides how you start volunteering, ask these important questions to know if it’s the one:

• What training do you provide for this role?
• Will I need a police information check?
• Do I have to wear a uniform or anything in particular?
• What hours are available for volunteering?
• Is there an opportunity to try different roles in the organization?

Asking a few simple questions will help you know for sure if you’ve found the right role for you. So what are you waiting for? Your volunteer adventure is right around the corner!

Every weekday during National Volunteer Week, we’ll post an article about a different aspect of volunteering in Edmonton. Missed our other NVW blog posts? Check them out here.

What brings your volunteer spirit to life? We encourage you to join the conversations on Twitter this week by following @EdmCVO and by using the hashtags #yegvolunteers and #NVW2018!