WHY VOLUNTEER???

Boost your career options

A survey carried out by TimeBank through Reed Executive showed that among 200 of the UK’s leading businesses

• 73% of employers would recruit a candidate with volunteering experience over one without
• 94% of employers believe that volunteering can add to skills
• 94% of employees who volunteered to learn new skills had benefited either by getting their first job, improving their salary, or being promoted

Also, if you are thinking of a career change then volunteering is a perfect way to explore new fields. If you have a passion for the arts but have career in computing then why not volunteer at your local theatre? Or if your ambitions are to be a doctor why not find out about volunteer opportunities at your local hospital – the ideal way to expand your work portfolio in your field and to gain a real insight into your chosen path.

Taken from: World Volunteer Web

Volunteering and employment-related benefits

Generally, the same groups that are most likely to volunteer to improve their job prospects are also more likely to say that volunteering increased their skills and improved their job prospects. For example, volunteers aged 15 to 24 were more likely than older volunteers to report gaining increased communication skills (82%) and interpersonal skills (77%) from their volunteer activities. However, those aged 55 to 64 were more likely than other volunteers to report gaining knowledge from their volunteer activities. Unemployed volunteers were more likely than other volunteers to report gaining communication skills. Three quarters (75%) of unemployed volunteers reported gaining communication skills, compared to 68% of employed volunteers and 66% of volunteers who were not in the labour force. Similar, but less pronounced, patterns were seen with other skills. Just under half (49%) of employed volunteers aged 15 to 24 said their volunteer activities gave them new skills that they could apply directly to their job. Additionally, almost one quarter (24%) of volunteers aged 15 to 24 said that their volunteer activities had helped them in the past to obtain employment.

Perhaps the most compelling finding regarding the effectiveness of volunteer activity in helping people to obtain employment is that 28% of unemployed volunteers (and 16% of employed volunteers) said that their volunteering had helped them obtain a job in the past and 62% of unemployed volunteers believed that it would help them to find a job in the future.

The Benefits of Volunteering, from the 2000

National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating

(NSGVP), Canada

For Volunteer Positions in City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton and surrounding areas, visit: click here FourInfo.com

Benefits for Employers of Using an Employment Agency

A non-profit employment agency can be a valuable resource for employers. If you are a business looking to hire such a service can assist in the following ways:

Determine the needs of the business
An experienced job developer will come to your work place and discuss the opportunities within your work place; the duties and tasks of the position, the skills you require to complete the tasks and duties, your organizational culture and the nuances of your business.

Create a job description
In the event that a formal job description does not exist; a job developer can develop one with the employer using a variety of resources. Labour market information is available to assist with finding suitable wages within our region to offer competitive wages.

Assist with finding suitable candidates
Through internal review of candidate’s working within the agency, the job developer can pre-screen job ready clients and discuss their attributes with the employer. External posting of the position allows the employer to access a public virtual and physical job board.

Building Relationships
As services are provided a lasting relationship develops between the employer and the job developer. Business solutions are available for the employer to access on a regular basis. Opportunities to discuss business activities come in the form of presentation or one on one business meetings.

For further information on how VCCS can assist you as an employer, please contact us at your convenience.


Resources for Employers: http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/intro-eng.aspx

5 Tips for Managing the Stress of Starting a New Job

Starting a new job can be overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you get through the first few days.

1. Get organized, plan your day.

Spend some time the night before to plan your day. Choose your clothing, make sure it's all clean and pressed. Pack your lunch. Charge your cell phone. Pack a notebook and pen to take with you. If your job requires special tools or equipment, make sure they are in working order and ready to go.

2. Know your workplace.

You probably did some research about your new company during the job search and interview process. Now is the time for additional research. Prepare the night before by reviewing what you learned in your interview. Take another look at the company website, this time to learn the company's mission statement and philosophy. It's now your mission statement, your philosophy.

3. Know your job.

Keep a copy of the job ad, or job description, with you during the first few weeks. This will help you to learn the functions of your new role. Study the company's policies and procedures. Avoid making too many changes too soon in your new job. You want to learn the culture of your new environment before you try to change it. Don't compare your new employer to your old employer. Forget the probation period. Adjust to the rhythm of the workplace right away. You might have a 90 day probation period, but the truth is, no one needs 90 days to learn their place, and if they do, this may not be the right job for them.

4. Keep calm and carry on.

Relax. No one expects you to remember everyone's names in that first day. Be patient with yourself. You didn't learn everything about your last job in one day. You're not expected to know everything about your new job, but you are expected to be a positive contributor to the workplace.

You might want to review our post, "6 Topics to Avoid Discussing at Work".

5. Review your accomplishments.

You were hired for a reason. Keep your résumé with you during the first few days, and read it. Review your accomplishments throughout the day. Stay positive.

If your stress level is becoming too much for you to handle, visit the Canadian Mental Health Association. They can help.

Additional Reading:

* Starting a New Job: How to be Comfortable

* Four tips to overcome fear and anxiety in your new job

photo from flickr commons

How safe are you at work?

In 2010, 3.86% of all insured workers (or 154,862 total workers) were reported to be injured on the job based on statistics provided by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. Reported incidents of injury are down for 2010 as in the previous year, 4.21% of workers were injured on the job 9 or 165,495 total across all insured workers in Ontario. The trend towards more stringent Health & Safety measures for employers and workers to follow has demonstrated a statistical decline in Reported incidents since 2006 when the WSIB reported an injury and illness rate of 5.38%.

It is important to note that While statistics indicate a decline in injury rates that lead to time off the job, the numbers could actually be worse because of accidents in the “underground economy” and “under-the-table paying” jobs that companies and workers never report.

Despite the push for better job safety and a decrease in injury rates, an alarming trend shows that workplace deaths have jumped 16 per cent in Ontario during the last year. A breakdown of the figures from the Ministry of Labour and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board reveals that job fatalities alone climbed by 11 in the latest year or 15 per cent to 84. It is important to note that although in the last year this jump in workplace deaths is significant, overall workplace fatalities since 2006 are down from a 5 year high of 101 in that fiscal year.

Data sourced from from the Toronto Star and the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board websites (WSIB) | www.thestar.com | http://www.wsib.on.ca

Rural Workshops

Live in the surrounding areas of City of Kawartha Lakes. We have many workshops lined up to help you find that summer job. Click here for information and for the July calendar click here and here for August.

VCCS hosting Open House for Student Centre

VCCS Employment Student Centre is having their open house July 14, 2011. Click here.

July Employer Presentations

Register for our FREE employer presentations. Call 705-328-0180 or e-mail scolville@careerservices.org

Learn about employment and career opportunities.

Total Cable Inc. July 19, 2011
RCMP July 25, 2011