Volunteer Appreciation Policy

Approving Authority: President and Chief Executive Officer

Administrative Responsibility: Director, Policy Research & Advocacy

Original Approval Date: February 21st, 2025

Date of Most Recent Review/Revision: 

Related Policies, Procedures, and Documents: Volunteer Recruitment Procedures

1. Purpose

1.1. This policy outlines the Student’s Union’s commitment to ongoing volunteer appreciation initiatives for unpaid staff and sets limitations on funding available for those initiatives within departments beyond Internal Operations. 

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2. Definitions

2.1. Volunteer: A Wilfrid Laurier University undergraduate student who voluntarily undertakes a service for the Students’ Union. 

2.2. Volunteer Appreciation: An event, program, or gift organized by the Students’ Union to show appreciation for volunteers.

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3. Jurisdiction/Scope 

3.1. This policy applies to all Students’ Union employees and volunteers. 

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4. Policy

4.1. The Vice-President: Internal Operations shall be responsible for the primary coordination of organizational volunteer appreciation initiatives. 

4.2. Beyond organizational appreciation initiatives planned and executed by the Vice-President: Internal Operations, volunteer appreciation spending must be based on the number of active volunteers during the budget year. 

4.2.1. The Vice-Presidents, in consultation with their committee coordinators, will provide the Vice-President: Internal Operations with a volunteer estimate for budgeting purposes that aligns with the Volunteer Recruitment Procedures. 

4.3. Vice-Presidents and Committee Coordinators will have access to limited funds per volunteer for departmental or committee one-time only volunteer appreciation initiatives. 

4.3.1. Coordinator volunteer appreciation will be allocated within department central budgets and managed by the respective Vice-President. 

4.3.2. Executive (including Team Lead) volunteer appreciation will be allocated in committee budgets and managed by the respective coordinator, in conjunction with their supervising Vice-President or Associate Vice-President. 

4.3.3. General volunteer appreciation must be allocated in committee budgets and managed by the respective coordinator, in conjunction with their supervising Vice-President or Associate Vice President. 

4.4. Volunteer funding must be allocated according to the following role distribution grid: 

• Coordinators - $40/student

• Executives (Including Team Lead) - $30/student

• General Volunteers - $20/student

4.5. A budget amendment submitted to the Finance & Administration Department is required to allocate volunteer appreciate funds in a manner that differs from the role distribution grid. 

4.5.1 ​The Vice-President: Internal Operations and Director, Finance & Administration will provide the approval requirements for a budget amendment.