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Board Leadership Program Interview!

Hi from BLP!

For those of you who don’t know, Board Leadership Program aims to inspire students by giving them a first-hand experience of the dedication and impact of Kingston non-profit companies. We partner local non-profits with Commerce students by placing the students on the Board of Directors of the non-profit as visiting members.

It has been such a successful year this year and I want to say a huge thanks to all of the students who participated!!

Take a look at this profile of a second year student, Stephanie Stevens, who made a difference this year with Big Brothers Big Sisters and the BLP program.

1. Why did you decide to join BLP this year?

I decided to join BLP this year because it sounded like a great experience to be able to sit on the board of directors of a non-profit organization and make a difference in the Kingston community. Sometimes I feel that it is so easy to get caught up in the Queen’s community and I don’t step outside of the Queen’s ‘bubble’ enough. BLP was the perfect way to still be involved in the Queen’s community but also involved in the Kingston community by volunteering for a local non-profit organization. I also loved the organizations that were involved with BLP, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, and I thought sitting on the board of directors and getting to see their business and operational side was a great way to volunteer!

2. How did you find your experience?
I loved being on BLP. Big Brothers Big Sisters was really great and had Maryam and I on the team to plan Bowl for Kids Sake which is one of their largest fundraisers. I felt really included in the board and was always kept up to date on everything that was happening with BBBS KFLA. Overall I think being on BLP was an invaluable experience and everyone who has the opportunity should take it and sit on the board of directors of a non-profit organization!

3. What was the best part of being on Big Brothers Big Sisters?
The best part of being on the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters was seeing the impact of the organization on the community. At Bowl for Kids Sake there were so many people involved and supportive of BBBS that it made me realize how beneficial it is to the community. Big Brothers Big Sisters really does make a difference in people’s lives. I also really enjoyed working with all of the board members, they were all so nice and welcoming to Maryam and I and made our experience so much fun and helped us learn a lot!

4. What do you feel you have learned from being on the board?
I have learned how much energy, time and passion one has to have to make an organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters successful. Just from speculating what Tracy Holland does as the Executive Director of BBBS, it is incredible how much work is put into their programs and fundraisers, but without the hard work the organization would not be where it is today. Also, BBBS KFLA is not a government funded organization therefore the amount of time and effort that Tracy took to apply for grants to keep the programs running strong really inspired me and opened my eyes to the realities that many non-profit organizations face. Lastly, I learned a lot about communicating and working on a team with professionals because I was put on the team that planned Bowl for Kids Sake with a few of the other board members. Overall being on BBBS through BLP was an incredible learning experience and what I learned I will use in my everyday life.

5. What was a challenge you encountered and how did you manage to overcome it?
One challenge I had was that in between board meetings I would get caught up in my school work and not realize that I had not heard from BBBS in a bit. I overcame this by contacting them myself to ask if there was anything to do and there was always something I could help out with which I loved! Because the boards are so busy all of the time, it is important that I stayed on top of my tasks and what I wanted to do myself because that is how I got the most experience and value out of being on the board of BBBS.

6. Would you suggest BLP to other commerce students for next year?
One hundred percent! BLP is Commerce’s best-kept secret and I think everyone should be involved in it!

I hope that this gives you a better idea of the BLP program! Thank you again for all the student and board participants! Looking forward to another successful year next year!

- Katie Shaw

15Mar

Too busy to volunteer?

Filed in Get Involved | Microvolunteering | Student | Uncategorized 1 Comment

Do you think you’re too busy for volunteering? If you are, welcome to the world of microvolunteering. Commerce students, like you, possess a lot of unique skills in areas such as marketing, blogging, fundraising, social media, and design. Microvolunteering allows you to volunteer online, in your spare moments, to help organizations around the world who are looking for help in areas that you are experts in.

Sparked is one of the world’s largest microvolunteering networks. Simply fill out a short questionnaire that will tell them about the areas you are most interested in, and the skills you possess. Every week, they will email you with a small task that an organization is looking for help with.

Check out sparked.com right now!

05Mar

Film Screening: Invisible Children presents ‘KONY’

Filed in Film Screening | Get Involved | Invisible Children | Student Leave a comment

Invisible Children is a San Diego-based non-profit organization, best known for their commitment to raising awareness about the exploitation of child soldiers in Central Africa. They employ the use of film and the arts in order to inspire the youth of today in promoting peace and education in war-affected communities.

Invisible Children will be touring across North America to screen their newest documentary “Kony”. “Kony” tells the story of Joseph Kony’s rebel war in Uganda, and the restoration of LRA-affected communities in central Africa. Luckily for us, they will be coming to Queen’s! The screening date is set for March 21st, 7-9 PM at Dupuis Hall.

If you’re interested, you can find out more information on the Facebook event.

To get your FREE tickets, click here.

Questions? Contact jessica.whitehead@queensu.ca

05Mar

Summer Volunteer Opportunity with the Youth Diversion Program

Filed in Get Involved | Student | Summer | Youth Diversion Program Leave a comment

Will you be in accounting camp this summer? Will you be in Kingston from April to June? If yes, we have an awesome opportunity for you with the Youth Diversion Program.

The Youth Diversion Program is launching Rebound, a 10 week cognitive skills program for youth ages 11-17. Volunteers work with youth once a week for 3 hours in a group setting and teach them life skills. Lots of training and support is provided. You are able to help out at the following times:

- Tuesdays, April 10 to June 12 (9:45am -12 noon)

- Wednesday, April 11 to June 13 (6pm-9pm)

- Thursday, April 19- June 14 (Time to follow)

You must attend one of the following Rebound training sessions:

- Thursday, March 29th, 4:30 – 8:30PM

- Monday, April 2nd, 4:30-8:30PM

New volunteers will also be asked to attend one of the following orientation sessions:

- Thursday, March 15th, 4 – 6PM

- Wednesday, March 21st, 4-6PM

There are many benefits to volunteering with the Youth Diversion Program. They offer lots of training, continuous staff support, hands-on experience working with at-risk youth, mandatory Police Checks are done for FREE, dynamic monthly workshops, certificates are given at the completion of your volunteer placement and for attending the workshops, opportunity to volunteer in other areas of the Program, open door policy to the Executive Director, and car- pooling can be arranged for some sessions.

To participate, or for more information, please contact Jackie Franklin at (613) 548-4535 x 221 or email her at jfranklin@youthdiversion.org.

03Mar

Interview with Darren Cole

Filed in Interview | Kids Against Canadian Hunger (KACH) | Student Leave a comment

Darren Cole is a first year Commerce student at Queen’s, and the founder of Kids Against Canadian Hunger (KACH). KACH is a charity that works through Toronto schools to raise money for Food Banks Canada and educate students about Canadian hunger.

Darren’s charitable work began in 2000 when he and his two brothers began packing backpacks with school supplies for children who could not afford them. Over four years they filled almost 10,000 backpacks with 1 million dollars worth of supplies obtained through corporate sponsorship. The backpacks were distributed by the Daily Bread Food Bank, which is how Darren became involved with the issue of hunger in Canada. He then founded KACH in 2008, when he was in grade 9. On his website, www.KidsAgainstCanadianHunger.com, Darren explains, “We all know world hunger is a big issue. But did you know that there are many people across Canada who cannot afford food? K.A.C.H. is targeted at Canadian hunger because there are many people in our own country who still do not have enough food to eat. In such a rich country, this is a serious tragedy”. Last year there were 90,000 users of food banks in Canada, so KACH is addressing a significant need. It is volunteer-run, and all fundraising proceeds are given to Food Banks Canada.

Darren had some advice for students looking to work in the non-profit sector or start their own organization. “Be passionate. Everyone says it, but you’re going to be putting in a lot of time so you should be working towards something you’re passionate about.” Bringing together a group of people with similar goals has also been important for Darren. “You motivate each other working in a team. It’s a great environment to be in.” Moreover, Darren emphasized that dedication and persistence are important attributes when founding an organization. He started KACH during the recession, at a time when it was difficult to obtain sponsorship funding despite an increased need for food banks. “Sometimes it can be hard to get things going, but really stick with it,” he said of this experience. “In contacting people for sponsorship, a lot of people are scared to hear a no, but you really can’t lose anything. If you contact more people you’ll get more responses.” Darren’s hard work and commitment paid off – he obtained sponsorship from Kraft and Kellogg. “Once you’ve established, there really is a snowball effect – things build fast and that motivates you to keep going.” Darren is still the driving force behind KACH, and his friend Nobu helps him keep things running smoothly in Toronto when he is in Kingston. Darren looks forward to establishing a structured committee to oversee KACH’s Toronto operations during his time at Queen’s.

The non-profit sector provides many opportunities for Commerce students to develop their skills and pursue challenging, rewarding jobs. Darren agreed that in a non-profit organization, “the intent for where the money is going is different, but you’re still using skills you need in business.” He said his work with KACH requires “a lot of skills that are transferrable to the business world. Communication is really important. So is leadership – you’re always working with other people towards a common goal.” Darren said that in the not-for-profit and for-profit sectors alike, “there’s always an opportunity to step up and do more, even in a big organization.”

What can Commerce students do to help alleviate hunger in Canada? “Spread awareness about the problem,” said Darren. “People don’t realize how bad things can be in Canada.” We can also support our communities by donating to local food banks.

Darren welcomes students to reach out to him for help with fundraisers, or with any questions about KACH or working with non-profits. He can be contacted at darrenrcole@sympatico.ca.

For more information about Darren, KACH, and Canadian hunger, please visit www.KidsAgainstCanadianHunger.com.

08Feb

Welcome to the New QNP Blog!

Filed in Get Involved Leave a comment

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the Communities and Careers section of the Queen’s Non-Profit Gateway website. As you may already know, our committee’s mission and passion is to facilitate student involvement within the non-profit sector and to stimulate student awareness and interest in this field. The 2011-2012 executive team is excited to present this new component of our website, which will function as our platform to connect students at Queen’s with local organizations in Kingston as well as on campus.

In the upcoming weeks, the new Communities section of this site will contain:

A calendar with events containing information about meetings, events and ways to get involved with the non-profit sector in Kingston and extra-curricular activities at Queen’s;

Non-profit blogs: Where we discuss all things related to working and/or volunteering in this industry;

Interviews and spotlights, where inspiring men and women involved in the non-profit sector are featured; and

Quick links: where relevant information on volunteering, job portals, and other interesting items we stumble upon can be found.

For any suggestions for further improvements, or if you are involved with an organization you would like to see featured in an interview or on our calendar, we`d love to hear from you. Check back often to see what new updates have been implemented!

Sincerely,

The Queen’s Non-Profit Executive Team