In June, an insightful report on Promoting and Encouraging Intergenerational Volunteerism was presented to the House of Commons by Tony Van Bynen, MP for Newmarket-Aurora and a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. The report comes after the committee adopted a motion in November of 2022 that called for a study on how the government can encourage volunteerism between seniors and youth. This study shed light on the benefits of intergenerational volunteering for both individuals and society.What is Intergenerational Volunteering?Intergenerational volunteerism refers to volunteer experiences that build connections between people from different generations through thoughtful and productive working relationships.There are many benefits to intergenerational volunteering:
Fostering social cohesion
Reducing loneliness
Breaking down age-related biases and stereotypes
Developing unique and transferable skills from different age cohorts
Encouraging diversity and inclusion
Passing down history and family stories or for transmitting cultural knowledge, including in Indigenous communities.
Increasing the sustainability and longevity of volunteering in an organization and across the sector
Festivals, special events and fairs naturally attract individuals from many different walks of life as volunteers; highschool students looking for volunteer hours, university students looking for new ways to support and attend their favourite festivals and expand their networks, families creating shared experiences and traditions, and elderly individuals looking to give back and connect with others. This makes festivals and events a hot spot for intergenerational volunteering to take place.
Although people of different ages may naturally come together and interact, the
report
notes,
“
Intergenerational volunteerism is much more complex than putting a 14-year-old in a room with an 80-year-old and telling them to figure it out.
”
A relationship of trust must be developed to help form productive intergenerational volunteerism experiences and relationships. With trust, people at different life stages can work together to accomplish things and help their community.
Building trust and fostering a positive volunteer experience
takes intentional coordination and support. When volunteers of different ages are paired for a shift, have
a volunteer coordinator
facilitate
introductions
and
lead icebreaker activities
to help volunteers get to know each other and create a welcoming environment.
Provid
e
clear, shared goals and responsibilities
to let the volunteers know how to work together, succeed, and understand how their role contributes to the big picture. Trust can also be built by encouraging open communication and active listening which ensures everyone's voice is heard, creating respect and a shared understanding.
Coordinators can also pair experienced volunteers with newcomers to mentor and guide them, creating a supportive environment. By taking these steps, coordinators can help volunteers build trust and work together more effectively, enhancing their overall experience and impact.
Get involved! Look for local volunteer opportunities that bring together various age groups, discuss these benefits with people in your community, and encourage people you know to volunteer and share their unique skills and experiences. Why not put together a group of friends, or get together with your family and start an intergenerational tradition of volunteering?
The Ottawa festival scene is
a great place
to get started and look for fun volunteer opportunities that appeal to people of all ages.
By
participating
,
you’re
investing in a more connected and sustainable volunteer experience for everyone and harnessing all the individual and community building benefits found through intergenerational volunteering.
If you or someone you know is looking to find out more information on how to volunteer at festivals, special events and fairs
in Ottawa, subscribe to
Read the full report here:
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