By Organizing A Hands Up! Expo In Your Community, Your Citizens Will Find These Answers...

• "I'd love to volunteer but I don't know how or where."
• "I want to volunteer but I don't know which organization needs me the most."
• "I really care about my community, its a great place to live. How can I share my skills or time to help others?"
• "I've never volunteered before, what do I do to get started?"
• "I don't have much time but I do want to help. Where are there volunteer opportunities for just an hour or two a week?"
• "I'm looking for an opportunity to find ways I can involve my teenagers to help in our community."
• "I'm a student and I'm looking for some volunteer experience to list on my resume."
• "I'm a newcomer to this city, I'd like to get involved in my new community and meet some new friends, where do I go?"

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“A Hands Up! Volunteer Expo event can best be described as inventing the wheel and jet propulsion at the same time for the non-profit sector in your community to obtain more volunteers. Hands Up! is a successful model and event to initiate, promote, activate and celebrate volunteerism in your community!”

1. What is the “Hands Up! Volunteer Expo”
The Hands Up! Volunteer Expo was a first of its kind in Canada held on October 24 and 25, 2008 in Moncton NB (link here for results). It offers those of all ages, the ability to learn about the many volunteer opportunities in their community at a single event. As well, it is a community knowledge exchange for those in non-profit organizations to assist them in delivering services to our community with more understanding and success.

2. What will draw attendees to your event?
There are two types of volunteers, the thousands that already volunteer and the thousands that just have not had a way to find out more about volunteering. Hands Up! is for both of them and so it is focused on two types of citizens. The ones that want to help out in our community yet these unanswered questions have stood in the way like:
• "I'd love to volunteer but I don't know how or where."
• "I want to volunteer but I don't know which organization needs me the most."
• "I've never volunteered before. What do I do to get started?"
- AND -
The "Be a Volunteer ~ Bring a Volunteer" Challenge!
For the first time at such a venue as Hands Up!, current volunteers have the ability to invite potential new volunteers. Every current volunteer wants to help find more volunteers. Now they have a stress-free, uncomplicated way of introducing their friends and neighbors, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and moms and dads to hundreds of volunteer opportunities.

3. Who will attend your Hands Up! Volunteer Expo?
• Students from high schools, community colleges and universities;
• Service Clubs will invite their members;
• Corporations will send their leaders or soon-to-be leaders. They will also send their staff to find ways to gain many valuable skills related to working within a volunteer organization. As corporate leaders know, employees who volunteer often develop leadership qualities within their own organizations;
• Retirees and active seniors will attend to seek opportunities to help out in the community;
• Parents will attend with their children and teens to find new opportunities for involvement in the community, including areas where participation and leadership opportunities for their children can be found;
• As with many shows or expositions, over 30% of the attendees are there simply because someone invited them or they tagged along. Our“Be a Volunteer, Invite a Volunteer” initiative will further address this opportunity as current volunteers will bring their brothers, sisters, friends, neighbours, children, moms and dads to the Hands up! Expo.
• Finally, as a result of media coverage and the general public’s curiosity, many will attend to explore how they can help out in their community.

4. How will the citizens of your community benefit from this event?
Hands Up! is a stress-free way for a person or family to explore potential volunteer opportunities. Let’s compare it to shopping in a retail mall. You can simply browse at Hands Up! – you don't have to buy today. You can then contact the non-profit or volunteer organization at your convenience to learn more. That’s the advantage of Hands Up!

Your Hands Up! Volunteer Expo will be an EVENT, not just another show!