Volunteer Centres: Investing in People

Volunteer Centres: Investing in People  

The Ontario Volunteer Centre Network (OVCN) is the provincial network strengthening the individual and collective ability of Volunteer Centres in Ontario to promote, support, and enhance volunteerism.  

Volunteers across Ontario continue to step up in the face of COVID-19. A record number of individuals have invested their time, talent and human spirit to meet essential needs in food security, health care, seniors’ services, and taxation support and continue to support the delivery of social service programs in every corner of this province. 

We See You.  

As institutions struggled to adapt, you leaped into action by responding to local needs. Relentlessly organizing, connecting and sharing. Your local, grassroots efforts ensured that our province’s most vulnerable community members were not left behind.  

We Value You. 

The reality is that the pandemic has impacted the volunteer infrastructure in Ontario. To recover from COVID-19, we need to invest in people. Ontario volunteers contribute $2.07B to Canada’s GDP as volunteerism plays a critical role in delivering essential programs, building personal opportunity (skills and employment) and fostering social inclusion.  

You may be surprised to know that 1 in 2 organizations have laid-off or permanently re-deployed their volunteer leaders. This trend has significantly disrupted volunteer engagement across Ontario as volunteer demand outstrips the supply of available positions.  

Over the past 18 months OVCN members have built connections with 4,300 nonprofits and 3.3 million volunteer seekers from every demographic and we’re here to work with community partners and the provincial government to ensure we harness the Ontario Spirit as we #BuildBackBetter because every Ontarian benefits from the contribution of volunteers.  

This Thanksgiving Holiday we know what we’re grateful for: Ontario’s 5.08 million volunteers.

We Thank You.