Blog

Today’s blog post is all about saying thank you.

Since 1985, when the United Nations Volunteers founded International Volunteer Day, December 5^th has come to mark a special day in our calendars—one dedicated to the global celebration of volunteers.

Here at OSPE, we know that our volunteers are vital to the work that we do. We are fortunate to have the support of many enthusiastic volunteers who help ensure that OSPE can continue to make an impact in this province and generate positive change in the overall understanding and appreciation of the engineering profession.

Did you know?

• Approximately 1 billion people in the world volunteer their time each year
• Over 13.3 million people (or 47% of Canadians aged 15 and over) did volunteer work in 2010, with an average of 156 hours each year
• Volunteers gain important social capital by working with others and learning new skills
• Research also identifies numerous health benefits associated with volunteering, including physical and cognitive gains
• The economic value of volunteering in Canada is around $50 billion each year

Opportunities for volunteering with OSPE:

• Board of Directors: provide policy and strategic direction for the Society
• Task Force and Committee members: ensure OSPE’s reports and submissions to government are rooted in evidence-based solutions with sound engineering expertise
• Political Action Network (PAN) representatives: raise concerns of interest to the engineering community with MPPs, and elevate OSPE’s profile with government
• Pilot Mentorship Program: mentors provide young women in the early stages of their engineering careers with advice to help navigate the licensure process
• Event volunteers: share your passion for the profession with others by offering logistical support at OSPE events across Ontario

Do you know an OSPE volunteer who deserves recognition?

OSPE recognizes the hard work and dedication of its volunteers through service pins and the President’s Volunteer Award – the latter of which is conferred at OSPE’s Annual General Meeting. Through the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (MCI), the Government of Ontario also recognizes the valuable contributions volunteers make with prestigious honours and awards.

Nominations for the President’s Volunteer Award are due on December 30, 2016. Click here for full details.

 Unsure what type of volunteer opportunity is right for you? Check out Volunteer Canada’s interactive online tool.