Volunteer Sharing Forum – 725 Bernard Street June 14, 2019
Residents from the Overbrook neighbourhood involved with CDF work were interested beginning a volunteer peer network. The Volunteer Sharing Forum came about as a joint venture with resident volunteers, staff from the CDF, Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre, Ottawa Community Housing and Options Bytown. Resident volunteers wanted to share what is working in their communities and look at what volunteering within could look like and consider what they need to strengthen their roles and connections.
The strong assets which were identified within the community were, being inclusive, strong commitment to community, responsiveness, feeling a sense of belonging and diverse skill sets in the community.
The issues identified in the forum that day included training to better address conflict, learn about effective collaboration and how to work together across differences. Mentorship and peer support programs, particularly focused on mental health, was also identified in the forum.
The next steps include more informal gatherings to further this work. The volunteers also hope involve more people in volunteering and increase access to resources.