Volunteer at OCS
We sincerely thank our volunteers for their hard work toward building community by inspiring hope and belonging for all!
The Crisis Line could not have continued to operate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic without the dedication of our 170+ Crisis Line volunteers. Within the past year, the Crisis Line has answered upwards of 50,000 calls, the most calls we have ever received in a one-year period. Millennials are leading the way, and our volunteers are the next generation of helpers and many will go on to pursue careers in social work, counselling, policing or health care. Along with dealing with their own COVID impacts, the Crisis Line volunteers have continued to spend time volunteering and supporting others in the community over the phone.
Whether for one shift a week or every day of the week, the generosity and commitment of all our volunteers in supporting our community is unparalleled ~ we couldn't imagine doing this without you.
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." ~ Aesop
Thank you!
The Volunteer Coordinator at Options Community Services (OCS) connects people with a desire to volunteer with a variety of opportunities.
Take a look or give us a call to see if what we are doing fits with your special interests and skills.
*Postings for practicum students can be found under Careers
Every year, hundreds of people donate their time and skills to the diverse array of programs at Options. In 2011, over 23,000 hours were contributed and in 2012 this number rose to 28,000! Volunteers at Options engage in a variety of activities, including answering distress calls for the Fraser Health Crisis Line, mentoring and supporting families, youth or newcomers to Canada, cooking, teaching, crafting, researching, assisting with administrative tasks, building playgrounds, landscaping, painting, IT-related tasks, and more. Some programs require short-term or even one-time commitments (i.e., special events) while others may require regular commitments over a period of weeks or months.
Many of our volunteers are:
- looking for opportunities to build an employment resume
- looking for Canadian experience
- new to the community
- recently retired
- students seeking to complete a project
- practicum students and interns
- multi-lingual and able to support people in languages other than English
Our volunteers share a desire to connect with others and to give something back. At Options, we deeply value and appreciate our volunteers and the difference they make.
As an Options volunteer you can expect to receive:
- thorough orientation to Options programs and procedures
- supervisory support
- a job description
- extra training, where needed
- regular progress reports
- loads of appreciation!
To get started, take a look at the current list of volunteer opportunities. If you have a particular skill you would like to share that is not listed in the postings, give us a call or contact us by email. We will try to find an opportunity for you.
What to see what others have to say about volunteering for the Crisis Line?
If you want to apply to another Options program, you can drop off your completed application at one of our main offices or email it to info@options.bc.ca.
Contact(s)
Please contact us at: volunteersupport@options.bc.ca