Summer is finally upon us and it’s the perfect time to use the extra free time you have to give back to the community. Volunteering is a great way of making lasting memories and connections and will also be a great thing to show on your resume as it shows employers that you are passionate about giving back to the community. It might feel overwhelming trying to look through the amount of volunteer opportunities online, but there’s a volunteer opportunity out there that’s perfect for you.

Here are the 6 places you can volunteer at this summer:

1. Animal Shelters

You get to spend free time with animals and do good at the same time? Sign me up! You can combine your love for animals as well as volunteering by working at an animal shelter this summer! Animal shelters are dedicated to providing care and finding loving families for animals in need. Even though most people think of animal shelter volunteers as being able to have fun and play with animals all day, a less glamorous yet still vital role that animal shelters need volunteers in is help with administrative tasks and transportation for animals.

Interested in helping animals in need? Check out Team Cat Rescue Inc., they’re based in Toronto and have saved over 4000 cats and kittens since 2013!

2. Wildlife Conservations

Want to help a larger variety of animals? Why not go volunteer at a wildlife conservation. Canada is renowned for its natural beauty and wildlife. However, there are a lot of wild animals out there that are in need, and it takes a lot of people to help care for them and rehabilitate them for release back to the wild. You can volunteer to help with building and repairing enclosures, becoming a driver to rescue and transport injured wildlife, or even lead educational programmes for visitors! Wildlife conservations also provide virtual volunteer opportunities for those who can’t drive out to their facilities, consider signing up to work for their hotline to assist members of the public when they encounter emergency situations with wild animals.

Interested in helping out a wildlife conservation? Check out the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation, they’re focused on rehabilitating and releasing injured and orphaned wildlife and have helped more than 36,000 since their founding!

3. Festivals and Cultural Events

One of the best things about spending summer in Canada are the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations that happen almost on a weekly basis! Volunteering at these festivals means you get to immerse yourself in their culture and have fun at the same time. There are a bunch of roles volunteers can assist with, being a translator, an ambassador, or even a photographer.

Interested in helping out at an arts and cultural festival? Check out the Asian-Canadian Special Events Association, they’re focused on working with partners across British Columbia to build a more cohesive and diverse society!

4. Community Centres

Spend this summer giving back to the community and gain new skills by volunteering at your local community centre. Community centres play a vital role in the community, it allows people to foster connections, engage is sports, and offers valuable resources to the entire community. Positions you could volunteer as include being a lifeguard, working as a support group facilitator, or an event organizer for older adult programs as well as youth programs.

Interested in volunteering at a community centre to give back to the community? Check out the Community of Hearts Lifelong Learning Centre, they’re focused on supporting youth, adults and seniors with developmental exceptionalities to achieve independence!

5. Summer Camps

Summer is a great time for children to let loose and have some fun, and the best way to do that is for them to attend summer camps. By volunteering at summer camps, you’re helping to create memorable experiences for children, and you’ll also be able to practice and develop leadership and mentoring skills. Positions you could volunteer as include leading recreational activities, workshops or providing academic support. Volunteering at a summer camp is also perfect for high school students looking to get their 40 volunteer hours in before they graduate, since you get to finish the required 40 hours in 1 week!

Interested in helping out at a summer camp? Check out Rainbow Programs For Children, they’re based in Guelph and offer recreational day camp experiences for children and youth!

6. Food Banks & Meals on Wheels

Food banks are vital to local communities, especially during our current times when inflation has pushed the price of food so high, people have to decide between eating or paying their bills. You can help out with meal preparation, serving food and also organizing donations. Want to go a step further and have a driver’s license? You can volunteer as a driver for Meals on Wheels and deliver meals to homebound seniors.

Interested in helping out in a food bank? Check out Daily Bread Food Bank, they’re dedicated to working to end hunger in communities, and have distributed 13 million pounds of food in 2020 alone!

Want to look for volunteer opportunities but don’t know where to start? Sign-up today with Volunteer Success and start looking for your next summer volunteer opportunity today! If you have any other questions, we’re here to help! Contact us at support@volunteersuccess.com