Volunteering in BC

Newcomers volunteer for many reasons, such as learning about Canadian culture and systems, becoming part of their community, helping others, meeting people with similar interests, improving communication skills, building confidence, expanding their network, exploring new interests, and gaining work experience.

Many people also volunteer to support causes they care about, like circulating a petition for climate action or helping at an event to raise money for disaster relief.

A good volunteer position should benefit both the volunteer and the organization. The Value of Volunteering Wheel from Volunteer Canada highlights the positive impact of volunteering not only for individuals but also for organizations, businesses, neighborhoods, and society.

The article, Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits (HelpGuide.org), explains how volunteering helps you connect with others, supports your mental and physical health, advances your career, and adds fun and fulfillment to your life.

Before starting your volunteer search, think about what you want to get out of it. What are the specific goals you want to achieve?

There are many types of volunteer positions, each with different time commitments, skill requirements, and responsibilities. Some roles are one-time events, like a community clean-up day, while others need ongoing commitment, such as delivering meals to seniors every week. Certain positions require specific skills, like an accountant for a small non-profit or a web designer for a children’s foundation. Other roles may need experience or leadership, such as serving on an immigrant advisory council or as a board member for a library or arts organization.

When looking for a volunteer position, consider how much time you want to give, your interests, and the skills or experience you can offer. Talk to people you know about their volunteer experiences—what worked for them and what didn’t. Many people try different kinds of volunteering, and you can learn from their experiences.

Charitable and non-profit organizations value volunteers and have a responsibility to provide volunteers with a safe and supportive environment. As a volunteer, you have a responsibility to carry out your role with care and act with respect for the cause, the organization, and the community. To learn more about guiding principles and standards of practice for volunteer involvement, review the Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement.

Before you take on any volunteer position, be sure you understand the responsibilities and the time commitment required. A typical role might be 2-6 hours per week for 3 months to a year. For special events, a typical commitment might be 8-12 hours during a weekend festival. For boards and advisories, a one year or longer commitment is common. Consider starting small so that you don’t over commit yourself at first. Also be clear on work conditions such as if you are working alone or in a group or at home, and the benefits to you such as a letter of recommendation, a volunteer certificate, or a free ticket to an event.

Many non-profit organizations have clear policies and procedures for engaging volunteers. You can expect a formal application process, including providing a resume and references and attending an interview, either by phone or in person. You will likely be asked to agree to follow the organization’s confidentiality policy and other volunteer agreements. You may be asked to complete a criminal record check.

Once in a position, you can expect orientation including introductions to the facility, your supervisor, and health and safety procedures. You should receive an outline of your duties and your schedule. Larger organizations will have a volunteer handbook, many of which you can find online.

Sometimes a volunteer opportunity might be closer to you than you think. For example: maybe your children’s school needs parents to volunteer for a field trip or class event or maybe your place of worship (church, temple, mosque) needs someone to help prepare meals, maybe an organization that you attend needs helpers for an event or maybe the strata where you live needs committee members. If you are looking for a volunteer opportunity, you can ask the people around you if they know of anything.

Here are some websites where you can find many volunteering opportunities. Opportunities are organized by the time required, type of opportunity (e.g. Animal Care, Driving, Social & Community Services), location, and other preferences such as flexible in schedule, remote/virtual, accessible by transit, etc.

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer BC
Volunteer BC
Find volunteer opportunities by checking areas you care most about, including Animal Welfare, Newcomer Services, Environment, Festivals & Events, and many more. Then limit your search to types of positions, such as board position, positions where you can practice your English, and virtual positions.

Volunteer Connector
Volunteer Connector
Find volunteer opportunities by entering causes you are interested in and activities you would like to do. Filter by location, time commitment and other preferences such as “work remotely”, “good for youth”, and “soonest upcoming”.

Volunteer Vancouver
Browse Volunteer Vancouver and use the filters to refine your search (e.g., keyword, organization type, category type). When you find an opportunity you are interested in, use the contact form to directly reach the organization that posted the position.

Volunteer Canada – Volunteer Centre Directory
Volunteer Centre Directory
Here is a mapping tool to help you find a Volunteer Centre in your community.

Volunteer Canada – Virtual Volunteering Opportunities
Virtual Volunteering Opportunities
Virtual (online) volunteering offers opportunities that may be more flexible than in-person. Examples of virtual volunteering include social media development, graphic design, tutoring, and telephone assurance for seniors.

Charity Village
CharityVillage
Find volunteer opportunities by entering keywords, job title or organization, and a location.

If you can’t find a volunteer center in your area, you can reach out directly to these types of organizations, which are common in most communities: food banks, Habitat for Humanity, homeless shelters, Lions Club, Rotary Club, family resource centers, senior centers, animal shelters, and hospital foundations.

Volunteering with your city

Most cities have many volunteering opportunities, including sitting on advisories, volunteering at special events, assisting instructors in recreational activities, supporting seniors, community/environmental clean-ups, and volunteering at art galleries and other fine arts programs. Training is provided for some positions. Below you will find links to volunteer opportunities in cities across BC.

• Abbotsford
• Burnaby
• Campbell River
• Castlegar
• Comox
• Chilliwack
• Coquitlam
• Courtenay
• Cranbrook
• Duncan
• Delta
• Fort St. John
• Kamloops
• Kelowna
• Kitimat
• Langford
• City of Langley
• Township of Langley
• Maple Ridge
• Mission
• Nanaimo
• Nelson
• New Westminster
• City of North Vancouver
• District of North Vancouver
• Penticton
• Pitt Meadows
• Port Alberni
• Prince George
• Prince Rupert
• Quesnel
• Richmond
• Saanich
• Smithers
• Squamish
• Surrey
• Terrace
• Trail
• Vancouver
• Vernon
• Victoria
• District of West Vancouver
• Whistler
• White Rock
• Williams Lake

Volunteering with your regional health authority

Regional health authorities also offer volunteer opportunities on advisory boards, providing emotional and spiritual support to patients, or hosting an information desk at hospitals or health care centres and many more. There are five regional health authorities in BC:

• Fraser Health Authority
• Vancouver Coastal Health
• Interior Health
• Island Health
• Northern Health

Volunteering can come in many forms, whether it’s organizing an event, helping with a fundraiser, driving kids on an outing, or giving advice. Most volunteer activities pose little to no legal risk — but some do. For example, volunteers caring for children or working with older adults and people with disabilities need to take extra care. Learn about the risks and how to minimize them
Volunteering and the law | People’s Law

In this webinar, lawyer Mary Child answers common questions about volunteering and the law in BC. Highlights include the risks of driving on a field trip at your child’s school, whether you can be held responsible if money goes missing for a local fundraising charity, and your responsibilities if you have been elected to a strata council and the work becomes too much.
Volunteers and the Law in BC (Recorded Webinar) | People’s Law

Volunteering is common and important for many organizations and communities, but there are times when unpaid work may not be appropriate. A key principle of volunteering is that both the volunteer and the organization benefit from the experience. If you don’t feel you’re gaining value or feel taken advantage of, it might be time to explore other opportunities.

Here are some questions you might use to guide you in finding the right volunteer opportunity:

• Why do you want to volunteer?
• What are your goals for volunteering? (Is there something specific you want to achieve?)
• What are your passions and interests?
• What causes or issues are important to you?
• What skills and experience can you bring to a volunteer job?
• Do you want a one-time only position or an ongoing position?
• Do you want an in-person position or to work remotely from home?
• Would you like to work with adults, children, animals, or another group?
• Do you prefer to work alone or as part of a team?
• Are you better behind the scenes or do you prefer to take a more visible role?
• How much time do you want to commit to volunteering?

Talk to people about their volunteering experiences. Ask them what worked for them, what didn’t and why.

When you attend interviews or orientation sessions for volunteer positions, ask questions. You want to make sure that the experience is right for your skills, your goals, and the time you want to spend. Questions for the volunteer coordinator might be:

• What time commitment is expected?
• What will be my responsibilities?
• Is there training available?
• Who will I be working with?
• Who should I contact if something goes wrong, or I am unable to carry out my responsibilities?

There are many other questions you might ask. Make sure that your volunteer position offers what you are looking for and don’t be afraid to make a change if it isn’t. Talk to the volunteer coordinator about changing your focus or look for a different organization that is a better fit.

Enjoy yourself. The best volunteer experiences benefit both the volunteer and the organization.