The Calgary Annual Volunteer Fair is back for its fifth year and visitors can expect an even larger turnout of organizations with a range of causes that Calgarians can get involved with.
This year the fair will include 65 organizations with a range of causes from mental health and social services to food insecurity, environmental health as well as local attractions and festivals.
“I truly believe that you can find something that that works for you,” said Alexandra Kyrska Gram, president and co-founder of the fair. “Because by coming in and being able to connect and really have those conversations with the groups that you’ll be volunteering with, you can really get a sense right away if this is the right place for you.”
The fair will take place on Thursday, April 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the downtown University of Calgary campus. It’s for people of all ages, with visitors ranging from teenagers to seniors.
“We do see a lot of retirees and seniors, they have long time been a backbone of volunteering in Calgary,” Gram said. “We’re also seeing a lot of newcomers, a lot of folks who don’t have ‘Canadian experience.’ So they’ll volunteer in their area of expertise versus learning a new skill. We’re also seeing a lot more teenagers and young adults coming in.”
It’s difficult to pinpoint which opportunities tend to be more competitive than others, Gram said.
“It’s like picking a favourite child,” she said with a chuckle, adding that it fully depends on an individual’s personal interests and skills.
She advises visitors to turn up showing the most authentic version of themselves so they can find an opportunity that best aligns with their own values.
“It’s up to the volunteer to decide where they feel comfortable,” Gram said. “We really want to empower them and have them feel like they can find something. If that for them means a t-shirt and jeans, great. If that means a suit, also great. They can bring a resume or don’t bring a resume.”
Last year the fair drew between 600 to 800 people and Gram estimates that Thursday’s event may draw a similar turnout.
“The weather forecast is not ideal for tomorrow,” she said. “If they need an incentive, so we’ve got some tickets to the Calgary Surge basketball game in the summer and we’ve got some passes for Calgary Folk Fest.”
At the end of the day, it’s meant to be a casual, fun event.
“We want to give people a reason to come through the door because once they’re in, they’re really happy and surprised and delighted to see all the different organizations and what they have to offer.”
It’s about giving folks a chance to connect in person.
“We are in a digital age and there are lots of resources online,” she said. “That can be a blessing but it can also be a bit difficult to find what you’re looking for unless you know specifically what you want.”
The fair amalgamates resources and gives folks a chance to talk to people already working with the organization.
“There’s something about that, that kind of makes it easier to connect faster and more meaningful right off the top,” she said.