Welcome and thank you for arriving at the public portal for the Saskatoon Pride Volunteers Program. Listed below are just some of the volunteer roles we are recruiting for. There are several others as well.
This Pride season we require volunteers for our first Rainbow Run, in Victoria Park in the morning of Sunday, June 9. You can also register to run or walk instead if that appeals to you. You can find the link to do this on our home page at www.saskatoonpride.ca
We are also looking for volunteers to assist with our one-day human rights forum, Hope & Health: Tools for Reclaiming Your Human Rights, in various capacities, from assisting at the registration desk, to assisting with hospitality, guiding participants to breakout rooms (in the afternoon), and for helping to set up the conference for dinner (late afternoon/evening).
Of course, we are in need of setup staff for the Festival Grounds on Friday, June 21 (afternoon), of Parade Marshals on June 22, guest services ambassadors and booth staff (June 22), assistance with Market setup and dispersal (June 22), bar staff (June 22), grounds staff and recycling monitors (June 22), pancake breakfast volunteers (June 23) and Festival take-down (June 23).
If you have specific skills and would like to volunteer them, or if you have any questions about any volunteer role, email volunteer@saskatoonpride.ca for assistance. Sarah, our Volunteer Coordinator, will be able to help.
Thank you and Happy Pride!
Board Members are typically elected at the AGM (Annual General Meeting) of Saskatoon Diversity Network Inc. (the name of the legal entity that constitutes Saskatoon Pride) which is generally held in the late fall of each year. If openings arise during the year the Board recruits from those who have indicated interest. Board meetings are typically held on Thursday evening every third week. This schedule is subject to change.
Walks along with parade entrants, watching for safety obstructions, keeping spectators back to the curb, ready to call for assistance if a safety incident or emergency occurs. If all goes well, you're biggest challenge will be to manage the enthusiasm and love between the entrants and the spectactors.
Parade Pacing Marshals walk with the parade at key positions to work with parade entrants to keep the pace of the parade steadily moving forward at a comfortable speed. Pacing Marshals should also ensure that entrants in their section are aware that they should allow a minimum of 10 feet between the start of their entry and the end of the previous one and for them to display the entrant's name prominently. They should also ensure that the captain of each parade unit is displaying the entrant's official entrant's ID tag in case of emergency.
Nothing happens on Festival Day without the important Setup Staff. This role may require some lifting. Most setup will happen on Friday, June 21.
Many of our events will have a Saskatoon Pride information table and some will also be offering sales of merch. Are you friendly, approachable, and love to chat with people? Are you good at math? All of these qualities would help someone enjoy and be effective in this important volunteer role.
Vision
Our vision is of an inclusive, safe, equitable, sustainable world and community that recognizes, values, celebrates, and supports the lives of two-spirit, queer, lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, and other gender- and sexually-diverse people, and their families, regardless of gender expression or identity.
Mission
Our mission is:
to instil and promote a sense of pride in the diversity of 2SLGBTQ+ community in Saskatoon and area and elsewhere;
to raise awareness and increase visibility of 2SLGBTQ+ lived experiences;
to facilitate and organize activities and events throughout the year that contribute to awareness, visibility, well-being, and culturally-appropriate education of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and that celebrate its culture, contributions, and achievements;
to organize and produce, through cooperation and partnership with other appropriate organizations and individuals, the annual Saskatoon Pride Festival, including the Saskatoon Pride Parade, which shall have the same mission as SDN;
to foster community activism to ensure equity, legal protection, and safety of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, to address discrimination, and to ensure that existing rights and protections are maintained and strengthened as needed;
to participate in community and capacity building through involvement in regional, national, and international organizations that share our vision;
to continually assess, through community feedback, the purpose and effectiveness of our planning, events and activities and to use this assessment to improve our performance and hold ourselves accountable.
Values
Be Aware - remember our history and those that came before us.
Be Inspired - act and advocate where needed.
Be United - create a community of communities; acknowledge differences but focus on our common good.
Be Mindful - support each other.
Be True - honour our identities and be authentic.
