February 26, 1998 | Read Time: 1 minute
Volunteer vancouver is hoping that people who want to donate their time will no longer show up at the group’s front door.
The Canadian charity has installed a touch-activated computer kiosk in the Bentall Centre, a popular downtown mall. Shoppers there can find out about the volunteer needs of more than 400 local non-profit groups.
From the opening screen, potential volunteers can select “Volunteer Testimonials,” “Volunteer Opportunities,” or “About Volunteer Vancouver.” Screens are also available in Chinese, because Vancouver has a large population of Chinese immigrants.
People who select “Volunteer Opportunities” can then pick from 10 different categories, such as the environment, education, or the arts, and select a charity that meets their interests.
The listing for the Victorian Order of Nurses, for example, notes that the group is seeking Chinese-speaking volunteers to help deliver hot meals to elderly Chinese people. The potential volunteer receives a printout from the kiosk with that information, as well as a contact name and phone number for the charity.
Dale Cuthbertson, executive director of Volunteer Vancouver, says that he is not sure how many volunteers have been recruited through the kiosk but that it has been extremely popular. He said the charity plans to set up six more kiosks around the city. Each costs about $7,000 to set up and maintain.
For more information, contact Volunteer Vancouver, 3102 Main Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5T3G7; (606) 875-9144; e-mail volvan@volunteer.ca; World-Wide Web http://www.vancouver.volunteer.ca.
