Posted by Jorge LeClair in 
April 19th to 25th, 2009 is National Volunteer Week. National Volunteer Week celebrates and acknowledges the efforts of Canadian volunteers. National Volunteer Week is an annual campaign organized by Volunteer Canada – a national organization involved in volunteer research,
training, policy development and the promotion of volunteerism in communities.
There are many ways to get involved and volunteer; in the spirit of National Volunteer Week, I thought I would discuss the myriad of volunteer opportunities that exist.
If you enjoy parties and being creative, then consider asking a non-profit organization of your choice if you can be part of their Events Committee. Consider volunteering for The Brazilian Carnival Ball - Toronto’s largest and most prestigious fundraising event, or The Sporting Life 10k – an annual fundraising run on Yonge Street, organized by Camp Oochigeas to assist children with cancer.
A language exchange is a great way to make international friends and learn a new language, all while helping someone new to Canada improve their English and learn about Canadian culture. Language exchanges can be arranged through websites like Craig’s List, BitsLounge (a Japanese community web portal) by contacting an ESL school or newcomer organization such as the Centre for Spanish Speaking Peoples.
Scouts Canada and Girl Guides Canada is a good way to mentor
youth through sports, environmental and outdoor leadership.
Volunteering can be as simple as contacting your former high school and offering to be a guest speaker. There are also fun opportunities through college and university alumni associations. Donating your professional web design or marketing skills through pro-bono work adds incredible value to organizations who are in need of such skills but are not able to afford to hire professionals.
For animal lovers, animal organizations such as the Toronto Wildlife Centre often require assistance.
For those with an interest in corrections or law, organizations such as the John Howard Society of Canada offers volunteer opportunities that involve working with current or past offenders.
Volunteering does not have be limited to the non-profit world, for example, small film companies are usually looking for volunteer actors, makeup artists, set designers, etc. The Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario offer countless volunteer positions. Coaching a hockey or soccer team can be highly rewarding.
For those looking to travel and willing to take on a challenging commitment, there are many organizations that provide opportunities for volunteering abroad. The Ontario Council for International Cooperation has a list of organizations that send volunteers abroad.
There truly are countless ways to volunteer.
