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Hands up! for volunteer expo. First event of its kind in Canada runs Friday, Saturday at Agrena
Thursday October 23rd, 2008 By James Foster

The most important form of capital for money-starved non-profitable groups is often human capital, says Tony Hebert.

"It's not always money a non-profit needs, it's volunteers," Hebert says.

"When you have the volunteers, the money comes."

Hebert is chairman of this weekend's first-ever Hands Up! volunteer expo and conference, which takes place Friday and Saturday at the Moncton Coliseum-Agrena Complex on Killam Drive.

"Don't get me wrong, it's never easy to get money," the Moncton businessman says, "but it is easier when you have the volunteers."

The expo and conference has been dubbed Hands Up! because a raised hand is the universal sign of someone volunteering.

"It's ingrained in us. It's a great icon," Hebert says.

For volunteers, both existing and potential ones, there is no other place in New Brunswick where you can check out the myriad of opportunities to do some good in your community.

For organizations seeking volunteers, here is where you can hone your skills at attracting volunteers, learn about the role of boards of directors, risk management, volunteer supervision and how to properly manage a volunteer organization.

For corporations, you can find out about worthy causes your firm could support and why you should support them, for example, to give back to the community.

Spin-off benefits of corporate volunteerism range from showing the corporate flag to a wider audience, giving staff a broader range of experiences and creating a favourable impression among the public and within the corporation's own ranks.

This is the first such expo of its kind in Canada and could provide a template for similar events nationwide on an annual basis.

So far so good, says Hebert, with all exhibitor spaces filled and all volunteer spots at the expo quickly snapped up.

After spending the past 33 years with volunteer groups, Hebert thought it would be fruitful to organize an expo like Hands Up! so that dozens upon dozens of groups could benefit at the same time.

While different non-profit organizations certainly solicit help independent of each other, which is fine, Hebert could see the benefit of bringing more than 100 of them together as they strive towards a common goal -- the search for volunteers.

"For the first time, we see that we all have the same notes in front of us on the screen as we all sing the same tune," Hebert says of the non-profit event.

"It's actually a very simple concept."

Codiac Transit offers free transportation to the Coliseum for Hands Up! Simply get on any bus at a regular stop and tell the driver you are going to the expo. Upon reaching Highfield Square, you'll transfer to a bus that will take you to the Coliseum.

Shuttles will depart on the hour and on the half-hour from Highfield Square and at 15 and 45 minutes past the hour from the Moncton Coliseum beginning at 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, and again on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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