» Tourism Vancouver Volunteer Program Overview
Volunteer Program Role:
Tourism Vancouver is the official provider of travel information to visitors of Vancouver. In addition to operating its flagship Touristinfo Centre in Downtown Vancouver, Tourism Vancouver also operates Visitor Centres at convention and special event locations throughout the city. Tourism Vancouver will be opening a Satellite Visitor Centre in downtown Vancouver in early 2008. This exciting visitor servicing initiative will help create positive guest experiences before, during and after the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The role of the Volunteer Program is to provide support services in assisting visitors with their travel needs as well as assisting staff where necessary. The volunteers play an essential role in maintaining a high level of quality service & sales delivered to both visitors and members of Tourism Vancouver.
Volunteer Job Opportunities:
The role of the Volunteer Visitor Counsellor/Greeter is to interact with visitors, extending a welcome, assisting with travel inquiries and promoting member products and services. Volunteering at Tourism Vancouver is a wonderful opportunity to meet people, learn about our city and province, contribute to the success of an exciting industry in our community, and work in a fast paced, fun environment.
General Qualifications of Volunteers:
Volunteer recruiting for Tourism Vancouver is selective. Candidates must complete an application form, followed by a personal interview to determine their professionalism, enthusiasm, availability, commitment and interest in promoting Greater Vancouver and Tourism Vancouver members. The volunteer role requires a few specific qualifications:
- Ability to communicate fluently in English, second language a definite asset;
- Enjoy meeting other people and interacting with other cultures;
- Excellent general knowledge of Metro Vancouver and British Columbia;
- General knowledge of Metro Vancouver Transit system;
- Good interpersonal & sales skills, engaged, enthusiastic, and friendly;
- Be a Permanent Resident, Canadian Citizen or have Work Authorisation and have lived in Greater Vancouver for at least two years;
- Comfortable volunteering in a busy, energetic, fun environment;
- Be willing to make a commitment to completing the training program;
- Commit to volunteering 4 hours a week for at least one year
- Basic computer knowledge
Volunteer Training and Orientation:
Volunteers make an essential and important contribution to Tourism Vancouver's visitor centres. The visitor experience is greatly enhanced by the high level of knowledge of our staff and volunteers. The commitment of service excellence to the visitor demands a strong commitment to training and ongoing learning by the volunteers, the program Manager and the staff. The training sessions are designed to meet the needs of the volunteer while providing the tools necessary to assist visitors. Areas emphasised in the training include; the structure and membership of Tourism Vancouver, the information resources used to assist visitors and visitor service skills.
Benefits of Volunteering at Tourism Vancouver's Visitor Centres:
The commitment to be a volunteer is a tremendous opportunity to:
- Give back to your community and help others;
- Enjoy being part of an exciting organization and the tourism industry in Greater Vancouver;
- Promote ans share the wonders of Vancouver and British Columbia;
- Experience and contribute to a supportive, fun, professional work environment;
- Gain further service experience and expand your unique skills;
- Interact with and assist visitors from around the world;
- Develop new friendships;
- Receive a multitude of rewards and recognition
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