National Volunteer Week 2022 – A message from Greg Pollock

Greg Pollock, April 25, 2022

As we emerge from the pandemic, the value of volunteering has never been greater, and Advocis is proud to voice our support once again for National Volunteer Week 2022.

While many of the unpredictable circumstances from the last two years have now settled, a great deal of social trust between us has eroded. Around the world, we see countless examples of the stress, division, and inequality that COVID-19 has created – a separation that I believe can be healed by coming together in ways that allow us to see the best in each other. What better way to do that than volunteering, and recognizing the efforts of those who do?

The theme of National Volunteer Week this year is Empathy in Action, and I think it should be noted that while volunteering is always an active affair, the empathy that underlies it is often underestimated. By giving our time to help others through the challenges they face, we gain an appreciation for how their challenges relate to our own. Through this relationship, we grow both as people and as members of our communities. This leads not only to better mental health, but a greater sense of belonging and fulfillment in everyday life.

At Advocis, our volunteers know this feeling well. Through volunteering, they give back not only to their local communities but to their profession, building the strength of both as they do. This creates a stronger and more connected Advocis: one that can weather the fiercest and most unexpected storm and emerge better for it – one which I am proud to say already has.

Thank you to our volunteers and to all volunteers across Canada. National Volunteer Week is a celebration of your efforts, and you are an inspiration to the many who will follow you.

Greg Pollock
President & CEO
Advocis, The Financial Advisors Association of Canada