It was 10 years ago Lacy Kivell signed up as a volunteer at Greenway-Chaplin Community Centre.
She was looking for a way to get involved and give back to the neighbourhood she calls home.
But little did she know the benefits of that decision would go both ways.
"I've been called the Greenway grandma," Kivell said with a laugh.
"I love working with the people. I'm not a social person outside of this so when I need to interact with people, I come here."
Fellow volunteer Andrea Jonkman shares a similar story.
Jonkman started volunteering at the local neighbourhood association eight years ago when her son was taking part in its programs.
She agrees with Kivell that it's the community atmosphere that makes the experience special and the work worthwhile.
"I like the people here and I like the programs they run," Jonkman said.
"You can get experience and you can meet new people."
Kivell and Jonkman can be found doing everything from answering the phones and helping with events to grocery shopping in an effort to assist with the centre's recreational, educational and supportive programs.
Unfortunately, it appears as though not everyone is as eager as Kivell and Jonkman to donate their time.
A recent presentation to city and regional council by the organization Volunteer Waterloo Region indicated that volunteering across the region is on the decline.
Cameron Tai, communications specialist for the organization that helps find volunteer opportunities for residents in the region, believes there's a few reasons why people aren't signing up at the rate they used to.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of living and the aging of current volunteers have all significantly impacted recruitment and retention.
"The people who give the most time are traditionally the older population but they’re aging out of helping and we can’t keep up with it," Tai said.
"It's a question of what the solution is because dedicating time to other people is always a big ask."
Focusing on recruiting younger people is critical but isn't always easy, Tai said.
Every student in Ontario is required to complete 40 hours of volunteering in order to obtain their high school diploma but the way the program is set up often makes it feel like an obligation as opposed to something positive, he said.
"It's been hit and miss," Tai said about the effectiveness of retaining volunteers through the high school requirement.
"Volunteering doesn’t start until you aren't forced to do it. We don’t like the term volunteering attached to it. It's community involvement or community engagement. It’s not volunteering because you're not offering your service because you want to, you're doing it because you have to."
It's an issue Greenway-Chaplin has noticed and tries to correct by making opportunities as engaging as possible for young people.
"It's hard as a non-profit organization because we rely on volunteers to get everything done." Jordan Faber, program coordinator at Greenway-Chaplin, said.
"We notice a lot of the teenagers are just here for their 40 hours. We try to make it as fun as we can for them. We try to make it something they want to do."
Being able to successfully find volunteers isn't just helpful, it's critical to the neighbourhood associations operations.
Without people giving their time, Faber isn't sure how they would continue to offer programs and services.
"Our programs and events wouldn't run without them," Faber said.
"Staffing wise, we wouldn't have enough staff to do it all. Being able to have youth and adult volunteers helps a lot. We try our best to keep them coming."
Knowing first hand the many benefits of volunteering, Kivell hopes more people take the time to do it if they're able.
"We need more volunteers," she said.
"I think everybody has a couple hours a day. It's such a rewarding feeling to give back to the community. I have met people here who are my friends now for life."
