As young professionals, we recognize the need to give back to our communities. Making donations is great, and charities and not-for-profits rely heavily on the monies they acquire through fundraising. But another, sometimes forgotten aspect of supporting community endeavours is, simply, a helping hand. Volunteering helps these organizations accomplish the backend of their endeavours. And Timeraiser helps young professionals find the perfect spot to donate their time in a unique and interactive way.
Timeraiser is a notable idea: it’s part volunteer fair, part silent auction, and part night on the town. The 6th Timeraiser Calgary is on June 16th, but Timeraiser events are nationwide (stay tuned to find out when the next one is happening in your city). After arriving, you’ll tour around and browse the different agencies, finding out their needs and matching your skills to suit. Once you’ve selected what agencies you’d be interesting in supporting, you’re eligible to bid on artwork during the exciting auction. Here’s the twist: instead of bidding money, you bid volunteer hours, essentially using your pledged hours as currency. If your hours bid wins you the prize, you have 12 months to complete your pledge with the agency(s) of your choice.
Timeraiser’s model is laudable, and young professionals should take note: volunteering can even help your career. Timeraiser began in Toronto in 2004, and expanded nationally in 2006. In that time, Timeraiser has generated over 83,000 volunteer hours, invested $410,000 in the careers of emerging artists, engaged 6,500 Canadians to pick up a cause, and worked with 395 charitable organizations. To find out more about Timeraiser initiatives, click here.
Painting by Rod Coates, up for auction at Timeraiser.