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Event organizers throughout BC are finding it easier to attract volunteers without going any further than their own computers. In 2005, 2010 Legacies Now identified a need for an online tool to register event-based volunteers in BC and developed VolWeb.ca to meet this need. Today, VolWeb.ca has registered over 5,000 volunteers and 1,600 event organizations.
"The FIFA U-20 World Cup is the second largest soccer tournament in the world - second only to the FIFA World Cup. I was asked to locate 250 volunteers to help with all aspects of this tournament; from airport arrivals and hotel information to game day operations and team services," said volunteer coordinator Joanne Reid. "I registered for VolWeb.ca six months prior to the tournament, and had over 300 volunteers by the first kickoff!"
People looking for short-term volunteer opportunities can search the online database of events, and event organizers can detail their needs such as first-aid training, certifications or language fluency. VolWeb.ca then matches the needs of the events with interested volunteers.
"Before VolWeb.ca, every organization had to find their own volunteers, create their own databases and create their own lists. This is a resource tool for everybody in the entire province," said Christine Nicholls who specializes in designing and managing volunteer programs.
Event organizations of all types can register with VolWeb.ca. In the past year, the website has found volunteers for over 400 events, including sport events, theatre productions and community festivals.
