TAVA Member Spotlight
Name: Emily Poirier
Organization: Centennial Infant and Child Centre
Role: Volunteer Coordinator
Professional Journey: I volunteered at CICC for 4 years before stepping into the Volunteer Coordinator role in November, 2018
Been a part of TAVA for: 5 months
"My primary focus and consequent challenge is recruitment, knowing the impact that numbers can have on the quality of our programming."
As someone who is newer to the Volunteer Engagement sector, how does TAVA help you?
TAVA provides access to a wealth of resources and professional development courses that will, without doubt, elevate my skills in this role. Perhaps my favourite perk that TAVA offers is that just by nature of being a member, I gain access to a whole network of professionals in my field whose diversity of knowledge and experience are a gift that keeps on giving.
What motivated you to enter Volunteer Engagement as a profession?
When the Coordinator role came up, I was an active Volunteer at CICC facilitating a dance/movement program that I had started in 2014. Having worked firsthand in the Volunteer role, I knew the value that each individual Volunteer brought to the program and jumped at the chance to support and speak daily about an organization that I believe so strongly in. As someone who loves meeting and learning about new people, the opportunity to build upon and develop the Volunteer team at Centennial felt nothing short of a perfect fit.
In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge to working in Volunteer Engagement?
My primary focus and consequent challenge is recruitment, knowing the impact that numbers can have on the quality of our programming. I have so much respect for each of our Volunteers, and am constantly inspired by their commitment and dedication to our program and the children who they support.
How awesome it would be to snap my fingers and have 40 more energetic, passionate, trained individuals walk through our front door! In reality, recruitment to onboarding is a lengthy process, taking time, persistence and ongoing learning. But, hey, the challenge is half the fun, right?!
If you could travel back in time to one year ago, what Volunteer Engagement advice would you give yourself?
Ask me in one year!
When you're not working, how do you like to spend your time?
I am a movement fanatic: dancing, running...if I'm sweating I'm happy! That, and I have a serious travel bug. My goal is to check off all 7 continents by 2025!
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