Community is a key part of life here at Coast Capital Savings. Each year, Coast Capital gives back 10% of our bottom line to support our local communities with a specific focus on empowering youth. In 2018, we provided over $5.9M in funding to support BC youth.
Volunteering has always been an integral part of our commitment to our local communities. Through our Help Heroes Employee Volunteer Program, we encourage our 1,800 employees to connect to what’s important in their lives, both inside and outside of work, by giving back. In 2018 alone, our employees spent over 12,000 hours volunteering in their communities. We think that’s pretty great.
Thinking about volunteering? Here are three reasons to get out and volunteer.
1. Give back to your community
Volunteering is a truly wonderful way to give back to your local community and create meaningful impact on a cause that you care about. Whether you are looking to commit to a long term volunteer opportunity or simply want to get out for a day, there are a number of ways to get out and give back. Wondering where to start? Look for opportunities with organizations you are passionate about or check out your local volunteer centre for a list of volunteer opportunities in your community.
It can also be helpful to engage through your employer-supported volunteer program if your company currently offers one. Many not only share volunteer opportunities, but also provide unique opportunities to get out and volunteer. Here at Coast Capital, as part of our commitment to empowering our employees to give back to their communities through volunteering, we provide full-time employees with a paid day off to volunteer and part-time employees with a half day of paid volunteer time each year. We also encourage them to volunteer in their personal time by providing 10 reward dollars to donate to a Canadian non-profit or Charity of their choice for every hour that they volunteer, up to $1,000 per year.
“The paid time off to volunteer is great because it shows that Coast Capital cares enough about the communities we’re in that they’ll give their employees that time to get out there and volunteer. Coast Capital’s commitment to community is the whole reason I decided to work here. I know that the work that I put in every day, helps contribute to the growth of my community, and I love that!” – Cameron, Relationship Manager
2. Build relationships
Have you just moved to a new city or are you trying to get out and meet new people? Volunteering is a great way to connect with others in the community who share your interests and values. You can also look to engage a group of friends or your colleagues to get out and volunteer as a way to strengthen bonds and have a little fun.
At Coast Capital, we encourage our teams to go out in to their community and provide help to a local non-profit or community group through our Team Power program, which is all about helping people and celebrating the spirit of giving while also creating a meaningful team bonding experience. Last year, 56 teams got out to volunteer by supporting their local food banks, community gardens, in-school breakfast programs, and so much more.
“Coast Capital’s volunteer program includes a component where we’re encouraged to get out with our team and help the community together. My team recently helped out with a project through Fresh Roots, which was such an amazing experience to share together. I feel as a team we strengthened our ties to the community and at the same time developed new relationships with one another.” – Zara, Manager, Payments & Cash Management
3. Develop skills
Volunteering can be a great way to develop new skills or hone your existing ones, particularly if you align your volunteering with a project you are passionate about. Are you looking to build your leadership and coaching skills? If so, maybe a mentoring opportunity is right for you. Or perhaps your skill set could be leveraged to support a fundraising committee or a non-profit Board. Want to learn more about skills-based volunteering? Our friends at Volunteer Canada have some great resources to help you find your next volunteer project.
Whether you have two hours a year, two hours a month, or two hours a week to volunteer, there is an opportunity that can fit your schedule. Whether it helps you build new skills or meet new people, I can guarantee that it will leave a lasting impact on your community.
Check out what else we do to help our communities. And if you’re looking for an employer that supports you as you power your purpose through volunteering, take a look at our career opportunities.
