An 18-month project to help reimagine the volunteer program at Actionmarguerite and Charités Despins (Résidence Despins and Villa Aulneau), has come to an end, though the volunteerism itself has just begun. “After the pandemic, we saw a shift in who wanted to come out to volunteer, and who could come out to volunteer,” shares Tracy Laluk, Manager of Volunteer Services at St.Amant and part of the team who ran the pilot project. “Our whole goal was to build meaningful connections and a strong foundation for someone else to come in continue to build after our time here.”
This means that the pilot project is over, and the volunteer program now lives within the organizations themselves. Each site involved has new roles and procedures just for them. This comes down partially to the intentional way that the project team approached staff, families and residents. “We asked people to dream big,” says Sarah Van Mackelbergh, one of the Volunteer Services team members. “We spent three months interviewing folks, and we really wanted to know what they needed. What we heard is that people are looking for connection, however that may look.”
The work of the pilot project team, which also included Charisse DiMacali and Kamillah Elgiadaa, yielded positive results. Over 190 volunteers were onboarded, roles and activities were created to reflect the needs of residents, and volunteer program guidelines and policies were created, among much other work.
“We have to say that half the battle in volunteerism is getting staff buy-in,” explains Elgiadaa. “We had that from all levels, and it made a difference. We know what coming into an organization with a strong volunteer program feels like: it’s like a warm hug. Community, residents and staff should walk into a building and feel that they’re walking into a warm environment where they feel connected. Staff often lead the way on that.”
That’s not to say that creating a volunteer culture that feels welcoming and inclusive is an easy task. “I was lucky because when I came to St.Amant, it was already established,” admits Laluk. “This time, we started from the bottom. We had tears and we had to hug it out sometimes. We learned so much from each other. It takes a lot of individuals to make a system like this successful, and everyone has to want it. You’re breaking down barriers with staff, you’re talking to residents, it’s truly a group effort.”
The timing of the pilot project, just after the pandemic, was not coincidental. “Everything has changed, in so many ways,” confirms Van Mackelbergh. “Due to the pandemic, there are younger people who have never had a volunteer experience. Sometimes we had staff ask us why we couldn’t just bring people in right away, but we know that proper training, taking it slow and ensuring the volunteers feel welcomed and prepared is a major part of a good program. More of the volunteers are likely to become longtime, dedicated members of the team if they’re onboarded properly.”
The team is proud of their work, but most excited to see all that is to come. “There aren’t even words to sum up all that has happened in 18 months,” concludes Van Mackelbergh with a laugh. “The challenges, the growth, the lessons, the success. We’re just so excited to see it keep going!”
This project was made possible with funding from Réseau Compassion Network and the United Way.