14 Tips for a Great Meet Your Match Volunteer Fair Experience

As we get closer to our third Meet Your Match Volunteer Fair, we want to share some tips and tricks for everyone to get the most out of their participation. There’s not much more disappointing than scheduling out time and effort to go to an event or take part in one, then walk away with no new connections

We don’t want that for anyone.

If you are an agency who has paid for a table, your time and money are valuable and we respect that.

We want to share with you tips based on our first volunteer fairs to make the best out of your Meet Your Match experience. After all, we are putting this on for YOU. We want to help you get those volunteers you need, or worthy opportunities with those hours you have to spare.

If you are an organization, this will help draw people to your table and hopefully get them signed up:

1. Plan for the day and what roles you want to fill. Volunteers want to know what they’re signing up for. Prepare to answer questions about time commitments, police screening and your onboarding process.
2. Make your table POP with colour! Banners, tablecloths and more can catch a potential volunteer’s eye better than a bare white table with a few lists on it. If things look bland after you set up, may we suggest hitting up the craft store in the mall? Gerri’s Crafts. Can’t miss it.
3. Have items related to your organization or your mission on display. The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre puts out plastic turtles or while YourTV offers hands-on experiences with cameras. What can you bring that helps give a clear idea of what you do? And what you ask volunteers to do?
4. Put out signup sheets for anyone who wants to commit right away. If you can further break it down into specific tasks within your organization (phone calls, event clean-up, front of house, etc.), it helps your potential volunteers make sure they sign up for a task that suits them.
5. Make sure you have a flyer or at the very least a list of available opportunities. If you leave booth for a snack or you have someone very chatty, this gives others the chance to see what you’re seeking.
6. Have more than one person at the booth. This gives you the chance to take a break when necessary and have a second person handy for questions. It also allows you to go and connect with the other nonprofits present in slower moments. It’s amazing how a casual meeting can result in a project partnership!
7. SWAG! Whether it’s pens, candy, reusable bags or other branded items, people love getting things. The most budget-friendly is obviously candy. Even if someone doesn’t sign up right away, that pen or lip gloss or little hand-out may remind them to look you up later.

As always, if you have any problems or questions, our staff will be there in our Volunteer Peterborough shirts to help you immediately.

Are you going as a potential volunteer? It’s a FREE event for you, but we want to make sure you get the most out of it.

Here’s how you can make your time more worthwhile:

1. What causes are close to your heart? Is it animals? Helping the unhoused? Arts? We have organizations representing so many things, you’re sure to find several.
2. What are your skills? Not just the things you could put on a resume, but other attributes that would make you a valuable asset. This can range from typing a blog or listening to someone with empathy for their situation.
3. Have an open mind as to what you want. Your absolutely perfect dream volunteer job (alpaca cuddler) may not exist, but there may be something better, or realistic (kitten socializer).
4. Treat it like a farmer’s market. Make one trip around the room to see what’s there, then visit the groups that caught your attention.
5. Talk to the people at the booths to learn more about an organization and its opportunities.
6. Know your schedule. Ensure that you have the time available that they ask for. Many organizations have a 9-5 operational day, which may make volunteering for specific groups unrealistic with your current work, school or family commitments. To that end, be aware of other logistics, such as transportation or day care, which may impact your ability to volunteer.
7. Have fun! This is their first impression of you, as well. A sour or negative attitude, or worst, seeming like you’re being forced to pick something, is a huge red flag.

For everyone, this is your chance to meet more nonprofits in the community, and the people who are involved in them. Even if nothing works out for you, there may be information you can pass on to friends, family members, or classmates.

As always, our 24/7 Volunteer Fair is waiting for you if you can’t make it to the event in person. It’s easy to put together a profile and start volunteering. Go to the homepage of www.volunteerpeterborough.ca for a preview!

We hope to see you on May 6, 2026 between noon and 5 p.m. at Peterborough Square’s lower level!