Roshan Basnet has kept something in the back of his mind for nine years: powerful words about volunteerism from the judge who welcomed him as a new Canadian citizen.
“The message the judge delivered on the day of my citizenship was so important that it is engraved in me,” Basnet recalled in an interview June 24. “Canada is stronger, better, when we work as a community, when we give back to the community. It is not just about individual interests. It‘s a common goal.
“We have a role in shaping Canada, and that is such a beautiful message.
Basnet and colleagues from Manulife Financial’s head office in Toronto attended a recent lunch to find out more about MatchBoard – sponsored by Manulife in partnership with Capacity Canada (formerly Capacity Waterloo Region).
Since 2012, MatchBoard has paired more than 70 Manulife employees in Waterloo Region with local charitable non-profit organizations that wanted to strengthen their governing boards.
Now it‘s expanding into Toronto.
“It has worked,” said Steve Farlow, who spoke to the group as Capacity‘s incoming chair. “When we have an impact on board effectiveness, the effectiveness of the whole organization improves enormously.”
Capacity itself is a product of volunteerism, he said. Community leaders saw a need in the social-good sector for the kind of innovative thinking that drives Waterloo Region‘s tech culture.
Manulife promotes volunteerism as part of its corporate mission. Last year, its employees around the world contributed almost 89,000 hours of volunteer time.
Directors make up the pool of potential match candidates for the Toronto program.
Candidates who want to proceed complete a survey. The survey leads to an interview, and the interview finds out more about individual interests and values – key components of matches that last.
A team leads the pilot project: Farlow, as Capacity‘s chair; Cathy Brothers and Andrew Wilding, as executive-director-in-residence and director of operations, respectively.
Moira Taylor and Judy Blasutti organize board-governance training and co-ordinate matches in Waterloo Region. Taylor is a former president of St. Mary‘s Hospital in Kitchener. She now serves as an executive-in-residence at Capacity Canada.
Blasutti is Manulife‘s manager of community investment, branding and communications in Waterloo. The team also includes two Manulife retirees – Bob King and Fern Stimpson.
Stimpson will work with Lisa Watson, principal of Strategies for Social Impact, to match the interests of Manulife employees with volunteer opportunities on Toronto boards.
Boards face increasingly complex issues, Watson told the Manulife group.
“They need people like you to help them through these challenges,” she said. “My job is to find the organization best suited to what you are looking for.”
The program involves in-house training, and follow-up once the matches are in place.
“You won‘t be left alone,” Stimpson said. “We will continue to support you along the way.”
Basnet, a native of Nepal, told the group that he has never forgotten the judge‘s focus on volunteerism.
But in recent years, most of his attention has gone elsewhere – to his two children.
“Now the time is right,” Basnet said. “I want to give back. That‘s why I‘m here.”
