The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge Your Turn - Volunteerism, What You Do and Why You Do It
May 7, 2026
Listeners share stories of trail maintenance, youth sports and decades of coaching that knit communities together. Accounts cover long-term care support, programs for people with disabilities, and practical tasks like driving seniors. Themes include volunteer leadership, barriers such as police checks, and how civic action spans local projects to international aid.
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Volunteering With Adults With Down Syndrome
- Patrick Chung volunteered weekly at University of Waterloo taking adults with Down syndrome to social activities, discovering their communication and job abilities.
- He stopped volunteering after having children on the spectrum but remains grateful to volunteers who support such programs.
Therapeutic Horse Handling Brings Joy
- Margaret Robinson volunteers as a horse handler for Therapeutic Riding of Ottawa Carlton, grooming, tacking, and leading horses to ensure safe lessons.
- She calls it the best volunteer gig because she also gets exercise and occasional riding time.
Volunteerism Has Evolved Not Vanished
- Tina Lowry observes volunteering hasn't declined but evolved into different forms, with informal volunteering often overlooked and rarely counted.
- She emphasizes volunteers add value beyond free labor and remain vital for connected communities.
