The Bata Shoe Museum holds a sock drive each November called ‘Warm the Sole’. We ask visitors to donate new, unworn socks for those in our community that are in need (socks are the most needed but least donated item of clothing to homeless shelters). This year, I challenged our volunteers to contribute to the drive by collecting from their friends, family, neighbours, and co-workers. We had weekly draws and offered prizes for the three volunteers that donated the most socks. It was a great success, and we had a lot of fun while also building awareness and helping our community.

Would you please explain the professional success you're most proud of and how you implemented it?

I’m most proud of the work that I have done to implement the Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement. I used the Code as a framework and adapted it to our organization. Volunteer Canada offers an online Code Audit tool that helped me assess our volunteer program and determine areas in need of improvement. Adopting the Code has helped our organization strengthen its capacity for engaging volunteers and improved volunteer retention.

What advice would you give to someone looking to take the next step in their Volunteer Engagement career?

Find a mentor! Mentors allow you to tap into a wealth of knowledge and experience. They can connect you with others in the profession, help build confidence, and encourage personal and professional growth.

When you're not working, how do you like to spend your time?