Additional Resources
General
Six tips for engaging youth volunteers – Volunteer Toronto: This resource page has tips for youth engagement that come directly from youth volunteers themselves.
Engaging Young Volunteers – 5 Tips – Volunteer Hub: This resource page has a guide to best practices for generating youth interest in volunteering.
Ten ways to make your organization more youth-friendly – Volunteer Canada and Apathy is Boring: This page has simple tips for not-for-profits and suggestions for changes can be made to attract and keep youth volunteers engaged in their organization.
Engaging Young Volunteers Resource Page – Community Sector Council of Newfoundland and Labrador: This resource hub has in-depth information on how to recruit and retain youth volunteers, including designing youth-specific orientation, training and recognition programs.
Youth – Engaging Volunteers Resource Page – Volunteer Canada: This resource hub has links to documents, guides for organizations, as well as engagement tools, such as questionnaires for youth to find out what kind of volunteer they are.
Building the Bridge to Youth Volunteers – Volunteer Canada: This document shows how adults can support young Canadians in their search for volunteer opportunities and allows youth to determine their skills and interests and apply them to volunteering.
Youth Volunteering: An Essential Part of Organizational Success – Volunteer Vibe: This blog post covers the advantages of youth volunteer engagement and what they can contribute to your organization.
How to recruit youth to volunteer for your organization – Volunteer Canada: This blog post explains the steps you can take to help your organization recruit youth volunteers.
Guides
Designing virtual volunteering programs for young people – Volunteer Toronto and Pledges for Change: This playbook serves as a guide for non-profit groups looking to create, improve, and enhance their youth (under 18) virtual volunteering programming in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Engaging Youth Effectively: A Case Study for Volunteer Centres – Volunteer Action Centre and Volunteer Canada: This document presents the findings of a youth pilot project on volunteering. The case study gives suggestions for youth involvement programs across Canada.
10 Ways to Create Fun Projects for Youth Volunteers– Youth Central Calgary: This how-to guide provides a simple framework for creating one-time or micro-volunteering opportunities for youth.
Beyond 40 Hours: Meaningful Community Service and High School Student Volunteerism in Ontario – Hoda Farahmandpour, University of Toronto: This thesis examines the role of the mandated 40 hours of community involvement in Ontario. Policy recommendations are given as to how curriculum should be created to enable students to serve more effectively; program structure is necessary for reflection; and not-for-profits can meet both above needs.
Capturing the Talents of newcomer Volunteers: A Guide to Developing Effective, Culturally Inclusive Volunteer Programs – Mosaic BC: This guide contains practical ideas and actions you can take to ensure your not-for-profit benefits from the rich experience and diverse skills of newcomer volunteers.
Webinars
Making Room for Young People – Ontario Presents
The webinar provides new strategies for engaging youth, how to adapt general volunteer roles to be more appealing and how to create new roles that can be developed to attract youth. It also shares best practices for dealing with youth.
Youth Engagement Webinars – Youth Central Calgary
Youth Central offers three youth engagement webinars to organizations, schools and members of the community. Their webinars can be purchased for $25 each. They include:
- Basics of Working with Youth & Developing a Youth Council
- Creating Meaningful Youth Volunteer Projects
- Marketing to Youth