FAQ on Volunteering
ANSWERING SOME FREQUENT QUESTIONS ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED
Q: What is Volunteering?
A: Any time you give your time, talents, and effort to the community or others without the expectation to get anything back in return. Volunteering is building your community and helping others!
Q: How do I get involved?
A: Our information system has over 120 different volunteer opportunities that you can browse and apply to across Waterloo Region. If you are looking for a way to get involved, you have come to the right place, just visit our volunteering page!
Q: Can I get a job through Volunteering?
A: Volunteering does not lead directly to employment, but does build up many different skills that employers look for, as well as being a great addition to your resumé. Volunteering lets you show off your soft skills, shows that you are able to be dedicated to your community, and that you are willing to help and support others, or a cause that you believe in, without remuneration.
Q: How much time does volunteering take?
A: It depends on the role you will be doing! Volunteering can take anywhere from 1-2 hours a month to 5-6 hours a week. You can find a role that works well with your schedule and fits in with your routine.
Q: I have availability on evenings and weekends, are there any roles that fit into my schedule?
A: There are definitely roles that happen on evenings and weekends, but there is usually higher demand during weekdays. When you are using our search tool, you can indicate what your availability is, and find roles that work for you.
Q: I applied to a volunteer role and I haven’t heard anything back yet, what do I do?
A: Be patient! Volunteer managers sometimes take time to respond to requests since they also handle scheduling, support, and organization of volunteers at an organization. If after 2 weeks you have not heard anything, try reaching out again by phone or email and confirm that they have seen your application. If you still don’t hear anything else back, you can always look for other volunteer roles that may interest you.
Q: I am looking for a volunteer to help out with me, can I post a position on your site?
A: Volunteer Waterloo Region only works with registered nonprofits and charities that serve the Region of Waterloo and does not allow for personal advertisements through our site. If you are looking for support, we always recommend looking through our membership list; our membership consists not only of organizations that are looking for volunteers, but also organizations that serve the community in many different ways!
Q: I am looking for something that I can do remotely, are there any roles that I can do from home?
A: There are plenty of roles that can be done virtually in the Region of Waterloo! Check out our virtual positions page for some examples of virtual and remote roles!
Q: Is there an age limit on volunteering?
A: If you are worried about age restriction on a specific volunteering role, contact the organization you are looking to volunteer with. One thing we will always suggest in whatever role you are looking to fill, make sure it is within your own physical limitations.
Q: I am looking to volunteer with a group of friends/family/coworkers/teammates, are there any options for us?
A: There are definitely opportunities for group volunteering in the community! If you are looking for support with this, please contact Mary at [email protected] for more information and support!
Q: I am having issues with the website and navigation, can you help me?
A: We are here to help you! If you are ever having trouble with our site, technology, or would like additional support, we have office hours to support volunteers here in the region. Just email us at [email protected] or call us at 519-742-8610 to book an appointment for us to assist you. Our office hours are from 9:00 am until 4:00pm from Monday to Thursday.
Contact Us
Still have more questions? Reach out to one of Volunteer Waterloo Region’s Staff to connect one-on-one for additional volunteer navigation and support.
