International Volunteer Day 2025

A time to celebrate community builders everywhere

Every year on Dec. 5, we recognize International Volunteer Day and the work of volunteers around the world. This year’s theme, “Every Contribution Matters,” marks the official launch of the United Nations plan for Sustainable Development in 2026.

This plan outlines 17 goals, among them-- addressing poverty, homelessness, health, education, inequality, sustainable communities, climate, and peace and justice—all reasonable things for a better world.

As Nova Scotians face the darkest and coldest nights of the year, volunteers who scrambled all year to provide necessities to a growing number of people are moving into high gear, trying to add some sparkle into the holidays.

The UN estimates that 2.1 billion volunteers-- about 34.5 per cent of the world’s population-- give their time and talent to help their communities in whatever way they can. Here and abroad volunteers continue to be the threads that bind communities together

Volunteers who operate and support food banks and shelters; volunteers fighting fires, floods and crashes on icy roads; people dedicated to protecting the environment, and our most vulnerable.

Helpers who wrap gifts and care packages, people who rally for healthcare, afterschool programs, and raising money for research. All those who advocate for dignity, equality and human rights.

The willingness to help others is alive and well, but the ways and means aren’t always available. We may not have the ability to solve the world’s problems, but we can help things here at home by recognizing and supporting the work of volunteers here.

Thanks to everyone who is working hard to make our communities places to belong!

Looking ahead to the new year

As 2025 draws to a close, we are looking forward to a busy and productive 2026!

Our education committee is finalizing details for the winter workshops and planning our spring Symposium! We hope to expand our regular schedule of workshops and offer additional programming next fall. More about that later.

In the meantime, our winter workshops will kick off in the new year with sessions including: A workshop on Risk Assessment led by Richard Bridge; in February, Joel Stoddard will lead a session on Financial Management for Nonprofits; and Annette Vautour of Volunteer Greater Moncton will lead a spring session on Volunteer Screening.

More details will follow in early January. Happy new year!