• A provincial voice on issues related to volunteer centres and volunteering in B.C..
  
• Credibility and expertise in speaking to government about sustainable support for volunteer centres.
  
• Leadership in establishing core competencies and benchmarks of success for volunteer centres in B.C..
  
• Promotion of volunteer centres and volunteerism through media initiatives at the provincial level and support for volunteer centres to access local promotional opportunities.
  
• Consultation to communities wishing to establish a volunteer centre.
  
• A provincial information source for:
       · Volunteer recognition;
       · Training resources;
       · International Year of Volunteers (IYV);
       · Possible funding sources;
       · Policy development.
  
• Conferences for the purpose of networking, information sharing and professional development.
  
• Consultation on organizational issues for B.C. volunteer centres.
  
• Regular communication with all members via newsletters, bulletins and Internet website.
  
• Strong partnerships with Volunteer Canada and AVRB.C. and collaboration with other provincial voluntary sector organizations.
  
• A membership directory updated regularly.
  
• Special projects to support the work of volunteer centres (e.g., Provincial Screening Initiative, Training Needs Survey, Training Resource Database).
  
• Convening stakeholders discussions on issues impacting volunteerism and volunteer management.

Excellence In Volunteerism To Build A Better British Columbia

B.C. volunteer centres Adopted the "4 Core Competencies" Definition Model in September 2000, recognizing the following as the core competencies of a volunteer centre:

1. Connect people with opportunities to serve. Volunteer centres provide people with easy access to wide variety of opportunities to connect to their community through service. Examples:

• Connect people to volunteer opportunities with a centralized recruitment & referral through individual interviews, directories, searchable database listings etc.
  
• Manage or promote community wide service events (make a difference day, days of caring)
  
• Design programs targetted for special populations (seniors, families, employees…)
  
• Involve volunteers in direct service programs of the volunteer centres itself such as mentoring or tutoring programs
  
• Promote episodic and short term volunteer opportunities thru project calendars, volunteer clubs etc.

• Provide volunteer management training
  
• Share volunteer management resource information through newsletters, libraries, on line resources
  
• Convene & advise professional associations of volunteer leaders such as corporate volunteer councils, and directors of volunteers associations
  
• Provide training & support for specialized groups of volunteers such as board members

3. Promote volunteering. Volunteer centres raise awareness of the power of service, encourage people to volunteer, provide information about volunteerism and recognize the contribution of volunteers. Examples:

• Initiate & support mass media campaigns to promote volunteering
  
• Recruit volunteers & raise awareness of volunteering through speakers bureaus, volunteer fairs, etc.
  
• Create opportunities for public acknowledgement of remarkable volunteers and volunteer teams through award programs, national volunteer week and a variety of informal recognition efforts
  
• Educate policy makers and thought leaders about the importance of volunteering

4. Participate in strategic initiatives that mobilize volunteers to meet local community needs. VCs serve as a convenor for the community and a catalyst for action. VCs work through local partnerships & collaborations with business, law enforcement, schools, & community leaders to identify needs and mobilize volunteer response. Examples include:

• Convene or participate in collaborations to address specific issues such as youth violence
  
• Implement and operate programs such as a school-based service literacy program or a senior home repair program

The B.C. Adaptation of Volunteer Canada's Benchmarking Tool for Volunteer Centres

In September 2000 Volunteer B.C. convened a committee to adopt or develop a benchmarking tool and guide for B.C.'s volunteer centres. This committee' s mandate includes assessing Volunteer Canada' Benchmarking Guide for use in B.C., and suggesting refinements to address issues such as within multi-service organization and stand-alone volunteer centre differences. Further work may include developing a guide for the benchmarking tool that identifies it as a critical process for effective volunteer centres; that explains how to use it, who in the volunteer centre will use it and what to do with / how to use the results. Finally, this committee will recommend how Volunteer B.C. will promote the use this tool/guide to volunteer centres and provide "consulting" to volunteer centres asking for assistance in using the benchmarking tool.

How To Start A Volunteer Centre

You have a sense that your community would benefit from a structured system of connection, leadership and management for volunteers and organizations utilizing volunteers.

Starting a volunteer centre is a daunting mission — one with many steps and hurdles. The comforting news is there are many good resources that provide strong and effective guidance throughout this process. In fact long-established as well as emerging volunteer centres find these resource manuals useful to refer to as a check on the internal "health" of the volunteer centre.

The following publications are available through Volunteer B.C. and are good choices to start your reference library. They are designed to take you step by step through necessary decisions and tasks.

Volunteer Connections
A Handbook from Volunteer B.C. (the B.C. Association of Volunteer Centres)
Suite 302 - 207 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, B.C. V6B 1H7
Tel: 604-873-5877
Fax: 604-873-5802
Email: volbc@vcn.bc.ca

Emerging Volunteer Centres
A manual produced by Volunteer Canada
430 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 0R8
Tel: 1-800-670-0401
Fax: 613-231-6725
Email: volunteer.canada@sympatico.ca

Both manuals also offer lists of multi-media resources and organizations that may be of assistance.

Some of the first steps in establishing a new volunteer centre:

• Research the need in your community.
  
• Connect with community organizations and other volunteer centres.
  
• Fulfill legal requirements / incorporate as a society.
  
• Establish a Board of Directors.
  
• Source and secure funding.
  
• File for provincial charitable status.
  
• Recruit internal volunteers.
  
• Create internal structure: location, staff, supplies, etc.
  
• Seek out publicity and nurture public relations.
  
• Decide on membership and service guidelines.