From the Heart is a space for the reflections of our staff on issues that matter to them, to our network, and most importantly, to those we walk alongside.
In honour of Volunteer Appreciation Week, which took place April 14 to 20, we spoke to Paul Vermette, Director of Strategic Initiatives, about how Réseau Compassion Network is trying new ways to create connections through volunteerism.
Réseau Compassion Network (RCN): Paul, let’s start with a sense of the landscape for volunteerism across the Network. What are you seeing?
Paul Vermette (PV): Obviously, during the pandemic, restrictions caused almost all in-person activities to be stopped. As it became safer to participate again, some organisations told us that volunteers simply didn’t come back, for a variety of reasons. It’s a big gap because many of the volunteer roles in the network are crucial to emotional, spiritual or mental well-being of the people the Network supports.
RCN: Tell us more about that.
PV: Here at RCN, volunteerism aligns with our values of attending to the whole person. We used to live in a world with big families and small communities. Now, some people never have children, or have children who move away. We also live in big cities where we can live in anonymity. Health issues and life circumstances can quickly leave you disconnected from a social network that gave you joy, purpose and a sense of belonging. Volunteers ‘raise their hand’ to jump in to help rebuild that social fabric for people; to build connections, participate in a favourite pastime, to help them get to religious services, or even to run errands – those are roles that can make a huge difference to someone’s life.
RCN: Why else is volunteerism woven into the fabric of the work RCN does?
PV: I think about the Sisters who live at Despins Residences or Villa Aulneau. Still now, well into their eighties, they are giving back. Is there a better representation of community and volunteerism? The Sisters didn’t call it that, but they were there for the community. If someone needed support, they did their best to provide. Frankly, if you’re looking for a reason for RCN to be involved with volunteerism, it’s this: we’re carrying on the legacy of the Sisters. We’re being there for each other and making life worth living, together.
RCN: Has the way we recruit and plan for volunteers changed? Are we adapting to a changing landscape?
PV: Some things have changed, like the way we communicate and get the word out, but at the heart of things its very much the same. People need to feel connected to what they do to keep coming back. The volunteer managers, who are so important to all of this, try to match everyone to people or areas that would especially appreciate their gifts: whether that’s sports, arts, crafting, puzzles or anything else. What gets overlooked often is that volunteerism is transformational for the volunteer themselves. Sometimes I think we need a new word for volunteer. This isn’t about doing something for someone, this is about building community. If it’s done right, everyone finds meaning and purpose.
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If you’d like to learn more about how to get involved as a volunteer within Réseau Compassion Network, please click here.