The National Volunteer Week theme for 2022, Volunteering Is Empathy In Action, affirms the strong connection between volunteerism and empathy. This profoundly human connection is at the heart of healthier individuals and stronger communities.

Empathy is a quality that can help people relate to others and build awareness around different experiences. It connects people in ideas and actions and helps create bonds forged in common goals and aspirations. 

Volunteering can help us develop empathy, to see the world through the eyes of others. It can connect people from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, expanding our views. It can build our capacity to work collectively and contribute to a vibrant, inclusive society. 

From coast to coast to coast in formal and informal settings, volunteers create caring, collaborative, and compassionate communities. During National Volunteer Week 2022, we celebrate the contributions volunteers everywhere...their actions, their understanding, and their genuine concern for the world around them. 

Volunteering, putting empathy into action, can build communities where people feel happier, healthier, and more welcome – creating a stronger, more connected Canada.