Volunteer Internships in a Community Project in Urban Canada

Overview: volunteer community work in urban Canada

• As a voluntern in the city you have the opportunity to either work in service organizations or advocacy organizations. This Voluntern placement is ideal for students with a background in management, or a degree in social sciences. 

Cities:

• Vancouver (EN)
• Calgary (EN)
• Toronto (EN)
• Ottawa (EN/FR bilingual)
• Montreal (EN/FR bilingual) 
• Quebec City (FR)
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Description: volunteer community work in urban Canada

For a city placement in a charitable organisation you should be highly motivated and flexible. The projects take place in many interesting fields and types of organisations and are comparable to an internship in a regular company. The program can be booked by University students as part of their studies, but a university contract is not a requirement. As an example, you may conduct a research project in a health advocacy charity. This charity focuses on a single major public health issue. Participants will work with the fundraising team and help them rationalize their fundraising tracking. This project will include work with staff, learning how fundraising is currently done, work with stakeholders, looking at when and how they contribute to the charity, and work with the charity's technical team to look at how possible options could be implemented.

City placements allow you to work in senior centres, where you can support the team in their daily efforts. You can also work in care centres for individuals with special needs, some publicly owned tourist destinations, community outreach groups that help the poor and people with addictions. Candidates may work in marketing, administration, financial / fundraising services or provide hands-on work with clients and community. As an example, you may conduct a research project in a health advocacy charity. This charity focuses on a single major public health issue. Participants will work with the fundraising team and help them rationalize their fundraising tracking. This project will include work with staff, learning how fundraising is currently done, work with stakeholders, looking at when and how they contribute to the charity, and work with the charity's technical team to look at how possible options could be implemented. Another placement could be done with a faith-based charity that concentrates on services to poor and needy people on Vancouver's downtown eastside. This project centres around the development of new after-school programs for at-risk and aboriginal youth. Participants will research similar programs in other cities, and look at how they can be made to fit the Vancouver context. You can also work in the parks and animal shelters of the cities if you prefer to support nature or animal protection but do not want to live in the wilderness. You will work 25-30 hours per week within the organisation for a duration of usually 4-16 weeks.