The County Foundation in partnership with Thrive PEC, has established a Connections Directory at thrivepec.ca/connections to help residents find activities, groups, hobbies and volunteer opportunities in Prince Edward County,
The directory is being promoted at community events, to new residents, and to students who require volunteer credits.
Volunteerism makes a significant difference to the vitality of Prince Edward County, providing time and expertise that allows the delivery of services and programs that could not otherwise be offered. However, especially since the pandemic, local nonprofit organizations are facing volunteer shortages.
Shortage of volunteers is not unique to Prince Edward County. Statistics Canada (Nov/22) data shows that most organizations in the nonprofit sector are facing challenges related to volunteerism; 67% report facing a shortage of new volunteers, 51% report challenges with retention, 42% report that volunteers aren’t able to commit long term, 29% lack time or resources to recruit volunteers and 26% report high volunteer burnout and stress.
A helpful resource for volunteer recruitment is Volunteer + Information Centre of Hastings Prince Edward. Their free services include volunteer recruitment and referral, volunteer appreciation campaigns and celebrations, and training & education.
Linda Downey, President of the Wellington & District StoreHouse Foodbank,
talks about the value of volunteerism and building community.
Do you love Prince Edward County and want to contribute to making it a place where everyone belongs and thrives?
Are you looking for a way to be connected and meet new people in your community?
thrivepec.ca/connections. Volunteering is not only vital to our rural community but can also provide you with benefits including greater sense of place, positive sense of wellbeing, career pathways, and greater connectivity.
Shown at right is the Student Volunteer Information Day on March 8/23 at Prince Edward Collegiate in Picton. ~400 students from grades 9-12 visited throughout the morning, learning about volunteer opportunities in our community.
Shown below is the Connections Cafe volunteer info fair at the Thrive PEC Symposium. ~150 people attended the event on March 25/23 at Prince Edward Collegiate. This was truly a day of connecting people and ideas.
