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The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on National Volunteer Week: “As we celebrate the start of National Volunteer Week, we come together to recognize the generosity and invaluable contributions of Canadian volunteers to our communities – and to our world. #CanadaServiceCorps #Canadiancommunitysupport #Canadiandisasterresponsevolunteering #CanadianVolunteerAwards #Canadianvolunteersimpact #communityvolunteeringCanada #ThérèseCasgrainaward #volunteerleadershipskills #volunteerrecognitionCanada #volunteerstoriesCanada

💡 "Could More Lives Be Saved?" 🌍 Our CEO, Stuart Callison, shares an eye-opening perspective in The Herald, exploring the urgent need for action to create safer communities and prevent unnecessary loss of life. From missed opportunities to future solutions, Stuart highlights the steps we can all take to drive positive change and support life-saving initiatives. This is a must-read for anyone passionate about community safety and making a difference. Discover how we can work together for a safer future and read the article below⬇️ https://lnkd.in/ex2HegmC

October 2022: The Dream Takes Shape The Veteran Trike Brigade and Civilian Support Squad of Forgotten Not Gone rallied around one audacious goal: securing a grant from the City of North Las Vegas that would increase our capacity to proactively serve more veterans and finally enable us to open a commercial location, hire our very first paid staff—after nine years of purely volunteer-driven service. Why It Matters Veterans returning home often face suicidal ideation, isolation, depression, and a sense of disconnection. By taking them outdoors on recumbent trikes—powered by camaraderie and the sheer joy of movement—we help them reclaim their lives. Our initial grassroots impact was undeniable; with proper funding, our vision could expand far beyond what an all-volunteer team could manage. Why should people care? In a world where veterans often fall through the cracks, Forgotten Not Gone offers connection, purpose, belonging, and hope. Every wheel on the road represents a veteran choosing life over despair, and community over isolation. When you see our recumbent trikes blazing through the streets of Vegas, know that each mile is a step away from hopelessness and a step toward a thriving future. From $1.5 Million to $1.6 Million: A Reimbursement-Based Award We initially requested $1.5 million. When the City approved a  $1.6 million grant, we were ecstatic—but it was reimbursement-based. That meant every bike, every ride, and every improvement came first out of our pocket. Only afterward could we bill the City for reimbursement. It was a leap of faith on both sides—a sign of confidence that our community leaders believed in our mission enough to ensure we had the resources to do it right. 2023: Turning Hope Into Reality First Paid Staff For nine years, Forgotten Not Gone operated with a 100% volunteer force. In 2023, that all changed. Thanks to the grant, we hired our first official staff to organize rides, maintain equipment, train volunteers, and expand outreach. In concrete terms: we went from a lean-but-passionate crew to having a structured team that could more effectively serve more veterans proactively before it’s too late. 2024: Non-Stop Activity & Impact By the September 2024 close-out date, our Strava GPS data and Trike cpu told the story: 38,000+ Miles Ridden: The miles logged weren’t just numbers; each one represented a veteran strengthening their mental health, connecting with others, overcoming their disabilities, Dispar and finding renewed purpose. 155+ Recorded GPS Rides in 2024: Our Strava calendar is packed with rides, day and night. Every outing combats the stigma of mental health struggles and replaces it with a tangible sense of accomplishment. We met any concerns about funding misuse head-on by sharing our open-source GPS data and photos. The proof was in every mile: funds were going exactly where they were meant to—getting veterans outdoors and engaged. https://lnkd.in/gtJCF3XB

We are excited to share a project that's grown from our volunteer emergency services community! After identifying common challenges in organising annual Santa Runs across multiple units, we developed Santa Squad - a purpose-built platform to streamline these important community events. The platform emerged from our own brigades needs, focusing on three key areas we all struggled with: Route optimization and planning Real-time tracking and community engagement Present delivery management and coordination What began as an internal solution has evolved through collaboration with various emergency service units. The result is a robust platform that maintains the community spirit of these events while reducing the administrative burden on our volunteers. We've incorporated valuable feedback from our test brigades and other emergency service units to ensure the platform serves diverse organisational needs while remaining intuitive and volunteer-friendly. For those interested in exploring the platform, we've created a live demo environment: https://lnkd.in/gnc82V67 and structured the pricing to be sustainable yet accessible for volunteer organisations. It's been incredibly rewarding to see how technology can support our volunteer community while enhancing these cherished community events. Looking forward to connecting with other emergency service units and volunteers who might benefit from this solution. Country Fire Authority (CFA) Victoria State Emergency Service NSW State Emergency Service South Australian Country Fire Service NSW Rural Fire Service ACT Rural Fire Service #EmergencyServices #VolunteerManagement #CommunityEngagement #TechnologyForGood #Innovation #RuralCommunities #SoftwareDevelopment

Planning reforms can help to address climate change, nature loss, housing and public health if nature is at the heart of new developments, according to a wildlife charity. The Wildlife Trusts has urged the UK Government to put nature first as it seeks to build 370,000 homes a year. Swift and Wild: How to Build Houses and Restore Nature Together, published today (9 October) contends that nature's recovery should be embedded into strategic planning for new homes and energy production and usage. This should be done by “integrating a nature recovery objective” into the remit of GB Energy and the Crown Estate. https://lnkd.in/etgpcMV7

📣 NEW MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENT 📣 We’re thrilled to announce Royal Life Saving – Australia as part of the IAKS ANZ network. Royal Life Saving - Australia is a national peak body for drowning prevention and Australia’s leading water safety educator. As a peak authority on safety and risk management at swimming pools and inland waterways, they excel in facilitating collaborative approaches to standards development, industry advancement, research, and advocacy. They offer a range of highly respected events, education and training programs, and expert aquatic risk management advice to governments, investigators, planners, designers, and managers. As a federated non-profit, volunteer community service organisation, they deliver comprehensive programs nationwide to more than one million Australians annually and run public safety campaigns that reach 15 million Australians every year. Their mission is to create a water-loving nation free from drowning. Internationally, they are involved in drowning prevention advocacy, research, and initiatives as members of the World Health Organisation - Global Alliance for Drowning Prevention, Royal Life Saving Society – Commonwealth, and the International Life Saving Federation. #newmember #iaksanz #globalnetwork #industryleaders #sportandleisure #notforprofit #drowningprevention #advocate #professionaldevelopment #publicsafety #rlsa

🌍 Today, on International Red Cross Day, we celebrate the spirit of humanity that keeps compassion alive in our world. As we reflect on the theme "Keeping Humanity Alive," we recognize the profound impact of the Red Cross in the lives of the most vulnerable communities globally. In remote villages and urban centers alike, the Red Cross is a beacon of hope, extending a helping hand to those in need. From providing emergency relief during disasters to offering long-term support for healthcare, sanitation, and education, the Red Cross is tirelessly present, ensuring that no one is left behind. As a MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) lead within the Red Cross, my role is crucial in ensuring that our interventions are not only present but also effective. Our internal control mechanisms are robust, designed to uphold the highest standards of quality and accountability. Through rigorous monitoring and evaluation processes, we continuously assess the impact of our programs, making adjustments to better serve the communities we support. These internal control mechanisms are more than just bureaucratic procedures; they are the cornerstone of our commitment to making a real difference in people's lives. By ensuring that our responses are of the highest quality and effectiveness, we maximize our impact and uphold the trust placed in us by donors, partners, and, most importantly, the communities we serve. On this International Red Cross Day, let us reaffirm our dedication to keeping humanity alive through acts of compassion, solidarity, and service. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the most vulnerable, wherever they may be. #redcross #WRCD #Nigerianredcrosssociety #humanity #qualitycontrol #IFRC #ICRC #volunteers

🔥 In times of crisis, spontaneous volunteering plays a crucial role—it fosters community connectedness and boosts self-esteem. It also empowers individuals, transforming them from passive victims into active contributors to community recovery. Volunteers, both formal and informal, are the backbone of emergency and disaster response. However, disasters pose unique challenges in Indigenous communities. External emergency practices can deepen marginalization and trauma, worsening disaster impacts. State-sponsored programs often neglect Indigenous rights and knowledge, perpetuating racialized disadvantages, which shows the need for cultural alignment. To build true resilience and deliver effective measures during emergencies, we must embrace local perspectives on risk, hazard knowledge, and coping strategies.    All the information and quotations were taken from the research publication 'The Role of Disaster Volunteering in Indigenous Communities' which underscores the importance of respecting Indigenous resilience in emergency planning by Yumagulova, L., Phibbs, S., Kenney, C. M., Yellow Old Woman-Munro, D., Christianson, A. C., McGee, T. K., & Whitehair, R. (2019). For a deeper exploration, refer to the publication via https://lnkd.in/gcSZVbh8 Let's rethink emergency management with cultural sensitivity and local collaboration at its core. #CommunityResilience #IndigenousKnowledge #EmergencyResponse #FNWEP #WildfireManagement #FNWEPresearch #ResearchInsights

Here's to the next 110 year partnership.