Why Volunteer?

Thank you for your interest in joining the STC Canada West Coast volunteer team!

People often volunteer with STC to learn more about technical communication or to make connections that might help them find a job. Then they find that they enjoy working with a congenial group of dedicated volunteers, and some stay for years, continuing to learn while passing on their knowledge to newcomers.

Volunteering is a great way to:

• Learn new skills working with experienced professionals.
• Demonstrate your abilities to peers who can help you build your career.
• Add new accomplishments to your résumé.
• Collaborate and network with colleagues in your field.
• Share your knowledge and help new people.
• Give back to your professional community.

How can you Help?

There’s always work to do, from one-time tasks that take a few hours, to longer-term commitments as a project leader, coordinator, or member of the board of directors. Some positions require STC membership, others need only your enthusiasm and willingness to get the job done. We’re always looking for new ideas and for people to help make them a reality.

Contact us to let us know what skills you have to offer or want to learn. We probably have something that’s a good fit for you, such as the following:

• Write for us. Work with our Web Editor to write and publish content about the chapter and its members for our website, monthly newsletter, news releases, and more.

• Event planning. Build teamwork skills as you work with other volunteers to survey members about popular workshop topics, recruit speakers, research suitable venues, coordinate registration, arrange refreshments, or wrangle technology at workshops and webinars. Plan social events such as the winter party or annual volunteer lunch. Expand your network as you chat with speakers and guests. Work on a single task or a single event, or sign up for several!

• Student outreach. Build ties with instructors and students in post-secondary writing programs. Encourage them to learn more about technical communication, attend chapter events, volunteer, network with experienced writers, join STC at the bargain student rate, and apply for the chapter’s student membership awards.

• Chapter Vice-president. The VP’s job is to observe and learn the President’s job and to help the President and the chapter as needed. The VP succeeds to the presidency after a year, then serves as Past President for a year. It’s a job for someone who has excellent interpersonal skills, has demonstrated a range of leadership and volunteer contributions, and can commit considerable time and effort to serving the chapter effectively over a three-year period. This position is currently open.

• Secretary. Attend and participate in all meetings of the chapter board and volunteers. Record, distribute, and archive minutes of the meetings and arrange for physical or online storage of chapter records and documents.
  

• Treasurer. Keep timely and accurate financial records, prepare monthly and annual reports of chapter income and expenses, and coordinate the budgeting process.