MatchBoard, a Capacity Canada partnership with Manulife, links Manulife colleagues with volunteer opportunities on the boards of charitable non-profits across Canada. Through the program, Manulife offers employees a chance to support the causes they care about most while giving back to the community through skills-based volunteering.
Jennifer Smart, an Employee Experience Enablement Lead with Manulife, was looking for a meaningful volunteer opportunity, when in 2017 she discovered Capacity Canada’s MatchBoard program. Fast forward five years, Jennifer was matched to a board of her choice and happily volunteering with the Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy (MTML).
“I was looking to give back to the community and grow my professional skill set, and I also wanted to make sure the organization I volunteer with would be a good fit,” says Jennifer. MTML is a non-profit organization advocating for adult literacy in the Toronto and York regions that supports and promotes the work of over 33 literacy and basic skills agencies.
With thousands of non-profits across Canada and new responsibilities to learn in a governance position, the process of finding the right board and learning how to fulfill a director role can be daunting. “The MatchBoard program provided regular in-person training and was supportive with ad hoc advice. With being a part of the program, I felt I had the right level of support to take on a new challenge of joining a board as a director,” Jennifer added.
Comprehensive training and one-on-one sessions are critical to MatchBoard’s success. Once matched with a non-profit organization aligned to interests, participants are encouraged to be part of governance training to better prepare them for their role. “The regular training sessions were a great opportunity to boost my confidence and knowledge of board governance. I appreciated having these sessions available as ‘real-life’ scenarios came up, and I could discuss any questions or challenges I faced during my time on the board with those present at the training session,” says Jennifer.
Since 2012, Capacity Canada has placed over 300 Manulife colleagues on boards across Canada.
Interested in donating your time to impact meaningful change? Visit MatchBaord for more information and contact Andrew Wilding ([email protected]) directly to find your match today!
