Winter has a way of rearranging us. The light slips out early. Mornings feel undecided. Emails multiply while motivation quietly packs a bag and heads somewhere sunnier. For some people, this seasonal shift is more than moodiness; it can be linked to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression associated with reduced natural light. … Continue reading 8 Tips for Beating the Winter Slump: At Home & Work
Shaping the National Volunteer Strategy: The Role of Volunteer Engagement Professionals
If you work in volunteer engagement in Canada, you’ve probably felt it. Recruitment feels harder, retention isn’t what it used to be, expectations are shifting, and at the same time the need in our communities keeps growing. For decades, Canada has had a strong culture of volunteering. But in recent years, amid rising costs of … Continue reading Shaping the National Volunteer Strategy: The Role of Volunteer Engagement Professionals
Stop Waiting for the Weekend: The Art of Making the Most of Your Workday and Evenings at Home
There is a quiet habit many of us fall into without noticing. We begin to treat the workweek as something to get through rather than something to live. Days are measured by their distance from Friday. Evenings become recovery time. Life, it seems, resumes later. But most of our lives do not happen on weekends. … Continue reading Stop Waiting for the Weekend: The Art of Making the Most of Your Workday and Evenings at Home
Slowing the Volunteer Exodus: Practical Ways to Foster Meaningful and Inclusive Volunteer Experiences
Psychological Safety and Voluneer Retention Picture this, you are in the office kitchen, coffee in hand, and someone casually asks, “Why do we never have enough volunteers, and why do the ones we recruit keep leaving?” Too often, volunteers are treated like spare parts, they are slotted in where needed, asked to fill gaps, and … Continue reading Slowing the Volunteer Exodus: Practical Ways to Foster Meaningful and Inclusive Volunteer Experiences
Volunteer Screening: Balancing Volunteer Risk Management with Accessibility and Inclusion
When most people hear “volunteer screening,” they think of background checks, long forms, piles of paper work and red tape, basically a process all about risk. But here’s the thing, great volunteer screening can do much more than protect your organization. It can open doors, making volunteering safe, welcoming, and inclusive for everyone. Whether it’s … Continue reading Volunteer Screening: Balancing Volunteer Risk Management with Accessibility and Inclusion
A Modern Approach to Menopause at Work: Professional Strength Through Change
Common. Natural. And long overdue for the spotlight in workplace conversations. Menopause is a natural part of life; and for some, it can begin as early as their thirties. But when it coincides with deadlines, presentations, and the everyday pressures of modern work, it can feel like an extra full-time job. Hot flashes in the … Continue reading A Modern Approach to Menopause at Work: Professional Strength Through Change
Redesigning Volunteer Programs: Exploring the Decline of Long-Term Volunteering and the Shift Toward Short-Term and Event-Based Engagement
Volunteering used to look a lot like a long-term commitment. People signed up for weekly shifts, joined committees, or served on boards for years at a time. It was a rhythm - steady, predictable, and deeply rooted in community life. But lately, things have changed. Many nonprofits are seeing fewer long-term volunteers and more people … Continue reading Redesigning Volunteer Programs: Exploring the Decline of Long-Term Volunteering and the Shift Toward Short-Term and Event-Based Engagement
Talking to Strangers & Leaving a Positive Community Footprint
Today, while on the train, a woman in her eighties gingerly took the seat beside me. We exchanged friendly smiles, and she offered me a digestive biscuit (though I’m not sure why they call it that, as they are anything but easily digested). I accepted a piece and asked if I could take a picture … Continue reading Talking to Strangers & Leaving a Positive Community Footprint
Making Friends in Adulthood
“Living a long life, the conventional wisdom at the time said, depended to a great extent on who we were—that is, our genes. It depended on the decisions we made—on what we chose to eat, and how much we chose to exercise, and how effectively we were treated by the medical system. No one was … Continue reading Making Friends in Adulthood
Start Your Day with a Morning Walk
Want an easy, energizing way to boost your health and mood? Try a morning walk! There’s nothing like fresh air and a little movement to wake up your body and mind. Fitness expert Bari Lieberman says that morning exercisers not only feel more upbeat and focused, but they are also more likely to stick with … Continue reading Start Your Day with a Morning Walk
The Middle Slice 