New “Done-For-You” Recruitment Campaign by OCSA Supports Urgent, Ongoing Need for Volunteers

Volunteers Essential to Keeping People Safe at Home Through Community Support Services 

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TORONTO, April 21, 2021 – Sunday, April 18, marked the start of National Volunteer Week in Canada. It’s a coast-to-coast-to-coast celebration of the commitment, dedication, generosity and selflessness of Canada’s almost 12.7 million volunteers. Today we’re releasing a Done-For-You Recruitment Campaign to help CSS organizations connect more easily, and more effectively, with the volunteers they need to keep supporting our communities.

As we enter the second year of this pandemic, volunteers are more important and more needed than ever, especially in community support organizations that deliver Meals on Wheels. 

As a vital component of home and community services, the community support services (CSS) sector relies heavily on volunteers to deliver services to the most vulnerable people in our communities, including seniors and people with disabilities. The pandemic has put tremendous pressure on the sector, causing massive spikes in demand for services that have yet to level out. Volunteers are key to sustainability. 
 
“Before the pandemic, many volunteers in our sector were over 70 years of age,” says Deborah Simon, CEO of the Ontario Community Support Association. “Understandably, they’ve had to step back during COVID-19 and this week we want to celebrate those who managed to continue volunteering as well as those new volunteers that have stepped forward.”

Early in the pandemic, some organizations lost as much as 80% of their volunteer base as seniors stayed home. The pandemic has highlighted the need for renewal and diversity amongst volunteers in organizations that provide essential community-based care such as Meals on Wheels that helps vulnerable people stay home safely. 

“Volunteers create positive change all across our province,” stated Hon. Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. “They are showing the true Ontario Spirit in helping to keep our communities safe and connected.” Since April 2020, his Ministry has funded $11 million into the Ontario Community Support Program (OCSP) to coordinate and subsidize deliveries of meals, medicines and other necessities to low-income seniors and people with disabilities who are isolating during the pandemic.

“This National Volunteer Week, we also want to recognize the challenge that many organizations have faced in recruiting and onboarding new volunteers -- including youth, newcomers, and people in early or pre-retirement -- in the midst of all the other pressures of COVID-19,” says Simon. “Our “Done-For-You” Recruitment Campaign hopes to ease those challenges.” “ 

The Recruitment Campaign and the Volunteer Management Link Hub that houses it were developed by OCSA with OCSP funding. CSS organizations can visit the Link Hub for useful, relevant tips, tools, and training on recruiting, onboarding, engaging, and protecting volunteers during COVID-19. 

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About OCSA

The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) represents close to 230 not-for-profit organizations that provide home care and community support services to over one million Ontarians. Our members help seniors and people with disabilities live independently in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. These proactive and cost-effective services improve quality of life and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, emergency room visits and premature institutionalization. They are the key to a sustainable health care system for Ontario. For more information, visit www.ocsa.on.ca or @OCSATweets.

For more information please contact:

Sandra Kahale – Media Coordinator
Ontario Community Support Association
647-997-1800
sandra@onwordconsulting.com 

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