The pandemic drove many volunteers away. Now they're reluctant to come back

Cece Van Aertis struggling to replace the volunteers wholeft.

As a volunteer co-ordinator with Ausome Ottawa, a registered charity that enrichesthe lives of children with autism through sportand recreation, Van Aertfound it harderthan usual to recruitvolunteers for the organization'sannual "Trot or Treat"Halloween event.

The event, which took place Sundayat theTerry Fox Athletic Facility, letskids on the autism spectrum makecrafts, braveobstacle courses and even practiseknockingon afakedoor to reduce anxiety aroundtrick-or-treating.

Van Aert said the event, and others like it, can only exist with the help of volunteers.But Ausome Ottawa lost aboutthree quarters of its volunteer base during theCOVID-19 pandemic. Its talent pool ofaround 400dwindled tojust 100at itslowest markthis summer.

"We're not the only ones. So many other organizations need the volunteers," Van Aert said. "It's almost a fight for this small pool of people who are willing to volunteer their time."

Christine Trauttmansdorff,executive director of the recruitment association Volunteer Ottawa, saidthe problem isfelt widely across its hundreds of member organizations.

"The numbers are less than we would like to see them right now," shesaid. "We had, obviously, a really rough couple of years. Lots of programs shut down, weren't able to welcome volunteers into their programs and services, and now they're ready to have them back."

But several local organizations acrossa range of sectors told CBCNews it's beendifficult convincingthose volunteers to return.

These organizations include TheOttawa Hospital, MontfortHospital,LoisirSport Outaouais,Shepherds of Good Hope and theTherapeutic Riding Association of Ottawa-Carleton.

Older volunteers less likely to return

Not all agencies are struggling, however. Aspokesperson for CHEOsaid the children's hospitalisn't having the same difficulty attracting volunteers as other hospitals in the region.

But for many, theshortfall is significant.

According to Trauttmansdorff, the volunteer force at The Ottawa Hospitalshrank fromaround 1,800 active volunteers before COVID-19to around 700 today.

At the Montfort Hospital, thatnumber went from around 300 to less than 100.

Similarly, the roughly 200 Ottawans who volunteer at the Shepherds of Good Hope isa fraction of the500 who did so before the pandemic.

Dierdre Freiheit, president and CEO of Shepherds of Good Hope and the Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, said althoughthe organizationhasn'tcut any services,it hasbeen forced to modify how it delivers them. Theynow servesome meals inbiodegradable containers, for example,because there aren'tenough staff to washdishes.

Many of theorganizations CBCinterviewedsaidolder volunteers were the most likely to leaveduring the pandemicand remain the most reluctant to return.

Although young Canadians are more likely to volunteer, older volunteers contribute more totalhours oftheir time,according to the most recent data fromStatistics Canada.

'Part of the human makeup'

Nonetheless, Trautmansdorff is optimistic the volunteers will eventually return.

"I think volunteerism is part of the human makeup," she said. "I think people want to get out and reconnect and feel as though they're contributing something to their community."

Through a recent recruiting drive in localhigh schools and universities, Ausome Ottawa has partly replenished itsranks fromits summer low, and now hasaround 150 regular volunteers.

Van Aert said around60 of them helpedrunthe Trot or Treat event on Sunday.

"Volunteering is what people do when they're comfortable and they have extra time to fill," she said. "Right now they're still trying to get comfortable."