By Michael Onesi, Alumni Communications Officer

Some of Queen’s engaged volunteers are gathering this Friday and Saturday to expand their volunteer management skills at the Alumni Volunteer Summit (AVS).

“Our volunteers are integral to the success of the Queen’s University Alumni Association (QUAA). The Alumni Volunteer Summit allows the QUAA to inspire volunteers and to thank them for all their hard work,” says Jess Joss, the outgoing QUAA president. “The event is capped by the Alumni Gala Awards which celebrates alumni achievement and the spirit of volunteerism.”

Scott Carson, a professor of strategy at Queen's School of Business and director of the Monieson Centre, is one of the speakers at the Alumni Volunteer Summit.

AVS is a professional development conference at the Donald Gordon Centre offering reunion coordinators, alumni branch executives and other members of the Queen’s community the chance to network and increase their knowledge of topics such as recruitment and succession planning. The conference features workshops run by world-class instructors from Queen’s Industrial Relations Centre and Queen's School of Business, as well as an award-winning volunteer leadership expert from the United Way. While many of the participants are Queen’s volunteers, the summit is open to anyone who works in the volunteer and non-profit sector.

The Alumni Relations department will be unveiling its new Volunteer Opportunities Directory during AVS. The initiative, which took two years to develop, is a one-stop, online resource for both volunteers and volunteer managers.

The directory promotes volunteer opportunities to alumni, helps with volunteer recruitment, and supports the tracking and recognition of volunteers. The new directory is a good starting point for people who want to give back to Queen’s but are not sure how to get involved.

There are so many amazing volunteer opportunities available at Queen’s, and this directory is a wonderful way to showcase them and recruit volunteers in one convenient location.

– Maryanne Wainman, Alumni Officer, Volunteer Relations

“This is the first time to my knowledge that Queen’s will have a central hub for alumni volunteer opportunities. There are so many amazing volunteer opportunities available at Queen’s, and this is a wonderful way to showcase them and recruit volunteers in one convenient location,” says Maryanne Wainman, Alumni Officer, Volunteer Relations. “Additionally, we’re delighted to be able to provide a central repository of resources and enrichment opportunities for current volunteers.”

The directory is also geared to experienced volunteer leaders – such as alumni branch executives and reunion coordinators. It offers resources such as training materials (on topics such as recruitment) and a pool of volunteer applicants to find people to serve on committees or organize events.

The Volunteer Opportunities Directory is housed on the Queen’s Alumni website.