Below are volunteer opportunities that are available at some of United Way Toronto’s member agencies. If you’re interested, please contact the person indicated.

 

HINCKS DELLCREST CENTRE – Carlton & Parliament

 

Opportunity:  Gardening Program Assistant. The volunteer will have fun interacting with children and families while teaching and demonstrating gardening. The volunteer assists staff in running this program for families in the neighbourhood and uses their knowledge and experience to assist families in learning about gardening. The program runs Saturdays from May 1 to August 30 from 1:00 to 4:00pm. Beginning indoors with facility tours at Allan Gardens, real gardening will take place outdoors when the weather warms up.

 

Contact:  Sue Lam, Volunteer Coordinator

Phone:  416-633-0515 ext 111

Email:  slam@hincksdellcrest.org

 

WEST TORONTO SERVICES FOR SENIORS – Bloor & Lansdowne

 

Opportunity:  Cyclists for Meals on 2Wheelers. West Toronto Support for Seniors needs Meals on Wheels volunteers to ride hot meals to seniors in the Bloor Lansdowne neighbourhood. Cyclists must be available to deliver meals Monday to Friday between 10:30am and 12:00pm. Routes take approximately 45 minutess to complete and can be adjusted based on skill and fitness level. Meals on 2Wheelers requires you to have a bike (a trailer can be provided).

 

Contact:  Joanne Alfonsi, Volunteer Coordinator

Phone:  416-653-3535 ext 247

Email:  Jalfonsi@wtss.org

 

DAVENPORT-PERTH NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE – Davenport & Ossington

 

Opportunity:  Board Recruitment. The Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood and Community Health Centre is currently recruiting board members with knowledge and expertise in one or more of the following areas: financial management, fundraising, policy development, human resources, community development, healthcare/Local Health Integration Networks (LHINS), strong strategic thinking skill set, knowledge of Portuguese, Spanish, and Afro Caribbean Communities. There are three spots available for community board members who live within the following boundaries: Bloor Street to the south, the CN/CP rail tracks to the west, Rowntree, Morrison Aves, and St. Clair Ave. W. to the north, Ossington, and Alberta Aves to the east.

 

Contact:  Courtnay McFarlane

Phone:  416-656-8025 ext 242

Email:  Cmcfarlane@dpnc.ca

 

SECOND MILE CLUB OF TORONTO - Between Yonge & Bathurst, Lakeshore & St. Clair

 

Opportunity:  Friendly Visitors. Provide companionship for a senior or disabled adult with similar interests. Meet and visit regularly once per week for an hour. Share stories and news with a client who has become isolated. Go for walks, play games, share the newspaper, or finish a craft or project. Time and day to be arranged with the client; six month minimum commitment.

 

Contact:  Pauline Hui, Coordinator of Volunteers

Phone:  416-597-0841 ext 225

Email:  smcvol@allstream.net

 

ST. CHRISTOPHER HOUSE – Queen & Bathurst

 

Opportunity:  Meeting Place Store Volunteer. The Meeting Place is our drop-in program for homeless community members located at Queen and Bathurst providing supports such as laundry, showers, counselling, advocacy, a community kitchen and First Nations programming. The Meeting Place Store operates to sell the arts and crafts made by homeless and low-income community members and profits made through sales go back to the artist. We are looking for volunteers to help out in operating the store so that store hours can be increased. Volunteers should be available to from 12:00 to 3:00pm and 3:00 to 5:00pm weekdays. The volunteer commitment is three months.

 

Contact: Meagan Cleary

Phone:  416-532-4828 ext 105

Email: volunteers@stchrishouse.org

There are a number of volunteer opportunities available at the moment - here's how you can get involved!

 

Community Living Toronto – North York Opportunity: TTC Readiness Volunteer  

 

Volunteers will help build a foundation of understanding for people with developmental disabilities about public transit. Under the guidance of a teacher and teaching assistant, volunteers will help people with disabilities learn about: TTC maps and understanding north, south, east, and west; safety signs and emergency situations; street signs and pedestrian conduct; how to use a pay phone; how to cross at the lights and the crosswalk; conduct on the TTC; and how to recognize your bus, train or streetcar. Volunteers must commit to 10 full weeks. Minimum age is 16. Saturdays from 1:00pm to 3:00pm starting April 18, for 10 weeks.Contact: Mia McGowan, Volunteer CoordinatorPhone: 416-225-7166 ext 226Email: mmcgowan@cltoronto.ca  

 

SPRINT – North Toronto Opportunity: Piano Player  

 

Enjoy filling the air with the sound of music? Have experience leading a sing-along on the piano? Volunteer to lead seniors in enjoying one of their greatest loves—music. Volunteers need strong piano playing skills, experience leading a sing-along, patience, understanding, excellent interpersonal skills, and love and respect for seniors. Minimum one hour per week.

 

Any day but Saturday; time is flexible. Contact: Abha Govil, Volunteer RecruitmentPhone: 416-481-0669 ext 267Email: a.govil@sprint-homecare.ca  

 

Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre – Toronto  Opportunity: Copy Editor Community Newspaper 

 

The volunteer position will assist in the production of the paper with editorial planning and/or writing and/or copy editing and/or design. Assets include experience in journalism, communications, graphic design; knowledge or experience with community-based initiatives; exceptional writing and proof-reading skills, knowledge of editorial standards, attention to detail; ability to think creatively and excellent organizational skills; and ability to work in collaboration with others. Good working knowledge of Quark Xpress an asset. Time is flexible. Contact: Gabrielle Langlois, Volunteer Program CoordinatorPhone: 416-656-8025 ext 377Email: glanglois@dpnc.ca 

 

 ESS Support Services – Etobicoke  Opportunity: Volunteer Visiting 

 

Provide a weekly social visit to an isolated senior or an adult with a disability in the Etobicoke area. Responsibilities including making a reminder phone call prior to visit; keeping a record of time and duration of all visits & number & duration of phone calls; reporting contact information at the end of each month; and reporting any changes or concerns about the client immediately.

 

 Contact: Menaka KulendranPhone: 416-255-5969 ext 200Email: mkulendran@ess.web.ca 

I’ve lived in a few different communities and I’ve always tried to be involved, so when I moved to Toronto last September I started volunteering for different events around the city. 

 

 In January I started working for CityEvents, an event management company, and began planning FastLane, a modern monthly networking experience for professionals in the GTA. 

 

 When I came across GenNext, I felt that there was an instant connection with FastLane; I decided that an “In The Community” FastLane event was in order! This would be a great way to expand the FastLane network as well as provide an opportunity for young professionals in attendance to seek out volunteer opportunities in the GTA. 

 

The event has been in the planning stages for several weeks and it’s now time to get people in the GTA excited! FastLane In The Community will be held April 21st from 6:00pm-9:30pm at Kultura, 169 King St East.  Get your friends and colleagues out and show why you Give A Damn about Toronto and the United Way! 

Tickets are only $25 in advance and can be purchased here.

 

 For more information visit www.torontocityevents.ca or checkout the Facebook event page here.

Ernestine's Women's Shelter
Etobicoke
 
Opportunity: Child and Youth Volunteer
Volunteers will provide assistance to children living in the shelter through different activities. This could include one-on-one work, arts and crafts, homework, outings, discussions, and childcare. Volunteers will encourage and give support to our clients. Tuesdays from 3:30pm to 9:00pm
Contact: Denise Galindo, Volunteer Coordinator
Email: volunteers@ernestines.ca
 
Horizons for Youth
422 Gilbert Ave.
 
Opportunity: Volunteer Website Support
The candidate will be responsible for updates and maintenance of the Horizons for Youth website and will have the ability to communicate with staff on the changes made. Time is flexible.
 
Contact: Keith Clarke, Volunteer Coordinator
Email: keith@horizonsforyouth.org
 
St. Christopher House
248 Ossington Ave.
 
Opportunity: Income Tax Assistant
The Client and Family Services and Financial Advocacy Programs at St. Christopher House host an annual Income Tax Clinic, and volunteers assist low-income seniors and people with disabilities in completing their income tax returns.
 
Contact: Meagan Cleary, Volunteer Coordinator
Email: volunteers@stchrishouse.org
 
University Settlement Recreation Centre
23 Grange Rd.
 
Opportunity: Volunteers for English Café
Volunteers will participate in by assisting others with their English. The English Café is a weekly learning session which encourages peer interaction between English-speaking and Mandarin-speaking participants. It also creates a common learning environment for community members from diverse backgrounds. Wednesdays from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.
 
Contact: Salim Rashid
Email: samim.rashid@usrc.ca

United Way Partners With MicroSkills – Etobicoke Guardian

MicroSkills is taking action to provide residents in Rexdale with the resources they need to strengthen their neighbourhood. As they put the finishing touches on their office at 2667 Kipling Ave., MicroSkills hopes to open the Action for Neighbourhood Change (ANC) in Rexdale early this month. Part of the United Way's Building Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy, the ANC seeks to provide residents with the resources and help they need to address concerns they identify in their neighbourhood.

Toronto School Board Thinks Outside The Box – National Post

At the TDSB, a movement is growing for new alternative or specialty schools, which "help retain and attract students." The board currently offers nine arts-focused programs, six sports programs and 11 programs that focus on technology, math, or science. In addition, 37 alternative schools take educational approaches that cater to different types of students. Three other alternative schools will open their doors for the first time in September: The holistic Whole Child School, the much-debated Africentric Alternative School, and the da Vinci school, which puts as much emphasis on physical education and art as on traditional subjects such as math and science.

Hidden City Seen By Young Eyes – Toronto Star

Canon Canada and the City of Toronto are partnering to provide digital photo workshops for youth in the 13 priority neighbourhoods. On completion, they will get a camera to photograph their lives and enter the pictures in a contest. Winners will have their work on display at City Hall next February, published in a book, and will receive an internship with the city's culture division.

Race And Poverty Matter As Early As Grade 3 – Toronto Star

Students who live in poverty or come from certain racial backgrounds are falling behind in school as early as Grade 3, says a survey conducted by Toronto District School Board. The survey found that while there are high achievers from all backgrounds, there is a big overall gap when children are as young as 8. The report finds, "at this early age, there are already differences between the achievement of some children based on student and family background characteristics, with some of the largest gaps" seen among black, Latin American, and Middle Eastern students.