Framework Foundation organizes a unique event in a number of cities across Canada for civic minded individuals. It's called Timeraiser and it's coming up in Toronto on Saturday March 21, 2009.
It's really a cool evening!
Here’s how it works: by purchasing your $20 ticket and attending, you pre-commit to a minimum of 20 volunteer hours. You go the event to check out agencies with which you can potentially volunteer, and you also get to bid on artwork with your volunteer hours – art for volunteer hours, not for money!
It's a great way to support the local arts community, as well as to promote volunteerism within our city. It's held in the Distillery District's Fermenting Cellar, and spread throughout the space are pre-selected agencies set up in booths just ready to interact with you.
These agencies come from all segments - arts & culture, development & housing, education & research, environment, health, international development, social services and the list goes on. Basically, it allows you to 'shop around' for a best fit. They're also pre-screened by Timeraiser, so you know that they have solid resources to handle volunteers and are established and organized entities doing good things in their respective area of expertise - a positive win-win situation for volunteer and the agency.
Last November, I got to sit on a panel that helped select the approximately 30 agencies that will be in attendance that night. It was a great experience as our panel of four (plus the Framework Foundation employee guiding us through the process who had no vote) came from all walks of life and areas of interest.
Together we reviewed each application to ensure the best fit for the Timeraiser event and also that there was enough diversity amongst the agencies in order to give participants the widest set of potential choice. We decided as a team with full consensus. You would think this would take hours, but I was impressed with how well we listened to each others opinions and weighted the benefits vs. cost of each decision to come come to timely decisions that left everyone feeling good.
I hope all of you reading this consider coming on March 21st because it really was a great event and a great experience with Timeraiser. For me, it was a way to find my way back into a higher degree of volunteerism when I just didn't know how and where to start. So get your feet wet! See you on the 21st!
Buy your ticket today at www.timeraiser.ca