Disability Alliance BC (Special Event Assistant)

Organization Name: Disability Alliance BC
Opportunity Title: Special Event Assistant
Category: Special Events / Festivals
Commitment: 6 months to 1 year
Start Date: February 14, 2018
End Date: September 27, 2018

Email: jloh@disabilityalliancebc.org
Website: http://www.disabilityalliancebc.org
Details:

• Appropriate for volunteers aged between 18 and 55

Opportunity Description:

Disability Alliance BC (DABC) is a provincial not-for-profit, founded in 1977. DABC’s mandate is to support people with all disabilities, to live with dignity, independence and as equal and full participants in the community. Each year DABC helps hundreds of people with all disabilities living on very low incomes to access the supports they need. These supports include disability benefits and pensions, wheelchairs, and special diet allowances. Many of the people we help are homeless or at risk of being homeless. All of our services are provided free-of-charge.

Volunteer Opportunity:

Since 2013, we have been hosting an annual fundraising gala called Swing Into Spring, which has now been changed to Fall Fling. Here’s a link to information about our 2018 gala, which will feature CBC’s Stephen Quinn as our host and entertainer David C. Jones: http://disabilityalliancebc.org/fall-fling/

We are seeking a Special Event Assistant to help us with Fall Fling 2018. Our 6th annual fundraising gala will be on September 27th at Vancouver’s Italian Cultural Centre. It will feature dinner, live and silent auctions, entertainment and a raffle. The event also includes our Employer of the Year Awards, which facilitate awareness about employment for people with disabilities.

This event has promotional and fundraising goals. Fall Fling brings together many organizations and individuals from BC’s disability community and helps to raise awareness about DABC’s work. It is DABC’s biggest fundraiser of the year. All of the proceeds generated from Fall Fling go towards supporting programs and services that assist people with disabilities who are living on low incomes.

The volunteer will work with our team and assist with various aspects of the planning for Fall Fling 2018, work at the event and help with post-event wrap-up. Tasks/responsibilities will include:

Contacting potential sponsors and auction donors.
Picking up auction donations and updating shared auction donation spreadsheets.
Recording and updating event activities and communications in shared files.
Assisting with event correspondence and the creation of event materials.
Helping to recruit and organize event volunteers.
Assisting with event set-up and décor prior to the event.
At the event, helping staff to make sure that the event runs smoothly. (Exact role at the event is TBD).

Qualifications

We are seeking volunteers with energy, enthusiasm and maturity to be responsible representatives of DABC.

Skills and Qualifications:
• Good written and oral communication skills.
• Attention to detail, strong organizational skills and the ability to follow-up on tasks in an independent manner.
• Volunteers should be comfortable and confident approaching dealing with a wide variety of people and situations. Ex: Comfortable approaching new potential donors and sponsors.
• Computer skills and knowledge of common programs, ex: Word, Excel, Publisher, Google Docs, Photoshop.
• Some fundraising knowledge or experience would be preferred, but not required.
• Special event skills would be preferred, but not required.

Volunteers should have their own laptop computer.