A Young Nonprofit Professional’s Guide to Vancouver

Image Credit: Paul Caputo

New to the Vancouver nonprofit scene?
Young in age or young in career?
Here are some places for you to get yourself started.

1. Careers
2. Volunteering
3. Networking
4. Professional Development
5. Learn More About the Sector
6. Social Media
7. Mentorship Programs

Got more ideas to add? Great – we’re just getting started! Comment and I’ll plug them into the post.

Careers

• CharityVillage.com
• Association of Fundraising Professionals Vancouver chapter (fundraising jobs)
• Alliance for Arts & Culture (arts organization jobs)
• Craigslist.org
• Individual organizations’ websites – time consuming but true. To find organizations that are connected to causes that interest you, visit the Red Book Online and browse by organization subject area and sub-subjects. The site is archaic, but useful if you have time to browse.
• University sites (for current students/alumni):
  • Capilano University Student Employment Services
  • SFU Career Services
  • UBC Career Services
• Networking using the topics below.

Volunteering

• GoVolunteer.ca -1000s of volunteer opportunities, searchable by location, activity, organization type, etc.
• VolWeb.ca – event volunteer opportunities – create an account and get notified of positions that match your interests
• CharityVillage.com – volunteer opportunities around Vancouver and across Canada
• Craigslist.org – user-posted volunteer opportunities
• Urbantastic – a focus on microvolunteering
• University sites (for current students/alumni):
  • Capilano University Student Employment Services
  • SFU Volunteer Services

Networking

• Net Tuesdays – a place to meet those interested in social media for social good and learn about current initiatives of local peeps
• Next Leaders Network – inspired by YNPN in the US, this network includes discounted workshops, newsletters, a private LinkedIn group and social events for the nonprofit sector’s next leaders

Professional Development

• Cheap(ish)
  • CharityVillage.com
  • Volunteer Vancouver
  • HR Council for the Voluntary & Non-profit Sector – a database of nonprofit training offered by the HR Council and other organizations
  • Enterprising Non-Profits – for nonprofits considering social enterprises
  • Volunteer BC’s training calendar – a list of nonprofit training events around BC
  • The Centre for Non Profit Management
• Not-as-cheap
  • BCIT Associate Certificate in Nonprofit Management
  • SFU Certificate in Dialogue and Civic Engagement

Learn More About the Sector (by browsing for free!)

• CharityVillage.com
• HR Council for the Voluntary & Non-profit Sector
• Imagine Canada
• Volunteer BC
• Volunteer Canada
• Voluntary Sector Knowledge Network
• Blogs
  • ABCD Network by Joey Rudichuk (asset based community development in BC)
  • Miss 604 (specifically her nonprofit tagged entries)
  • Trina’s Nonprofit Blog (disclosure – that’s me!)
  • Volunteer Vancouver Vantage Point

Social Media

• Take advantage of LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook to increase your online profile
• Connect with Vancouver nonprofit organizations and professionals on Twitter (are you one? @ me or email me to be added)

Mentorship Programs

• Association of Fundraising Professionals Vancouver chapter (fundraisers)

Credit: This resource was inspired by Rosetta Thurman’s slideshare about nonprofit professionals in Washington, DC.