Volunteering
Volunteers have a long history of supporting events and activities in Waterloo. Find current openings, recognition and volunteer resources below.
On this page
- Be You @ Waterloo
- Current volunteer opportunities
- Volunteer recognition
- Community Builder Awards
- Volunteer Resources
Be You @ Waterloo
At the City of Waterloo, we are committed to recruiting a diverse volunteer team that represents the community we so proudly serve. All interested and qualified candidates, including Indigenous persons, Black persons, non-Black racialized persons or persons of colour, women, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQ+ and those interested in joining our team are encouraged to apply.
Current volunteer opportunities
Aquatics volunteer |
Assist with aquatics instruction at the WMRC, under the supervision of aquatics staff. You must:
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Grocery Shopper Escort Volunteer |
Help an older adult or adult with a disability by taking them to the grocery store in your personal vehicle, assisting with the shopping and helping put the groceries away.
Commitment is approximately 2 hours per week on a weekday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Volunteers must:
We will reimburse you for your mileage.
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Outdoor ice rink volunteers |
We're seeking responsible, community-minded adults or teens (16+) as neighbourhood rink volunteers. Assist with flooding, clearing snow, communicating rink rules. This position requires a minimum commitment of 2 hours per week (day, evening or weekend). Find a complete list of outdoor rink locations on our website |
Volunteer drivers |
Help an older adult or adult with a disability by driving them to local appointments or community programs. We will reimburse you for your mileage. Waterloo Home Support volunteer drivers needed Position requirements:
Apply to be a volunteer driver Lunch program volunteer drivers needed Lunch program drivers bring participants to and from the Community Dining program at the Community Pavillion on Father David Bauer Drive. This program provides nutritious meal and the opportunity to connect with others. Volunteer drivers make it possible for people to attend the program who would not be able to attend otherwise. Position requirements:
Apply to be a lunch program volunteer driver Bilingual drivers needed If you speak another language and would like to support newcomer older adults, please apply to be a bilingual driver. |
Volunteer recognition
Each April we celebrate National Volunteer Week by sending a special thank you to thousands of dedicated volunteers who make a positive impact in the community. We recognize volunteer milestones by saluting community builder award recipients with an ad in the Waterloo Chronicle.
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Nominating organizationsWe thank these community groups for nominating their volunteers:
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Many of our civic awards also speak to the spirit of volunteers in the community.
Community Builder Awards
This award recognizes volunteers who provide ongoing service with the City of Waterloo and affiliate programs.
Nomination forms are sent to eligible organizations in early January.
Recognition |
Recognition takes place through the organizations that volunteers support. There are two types of pins, a standard Waterloo volunteer pin and milestone pin for service in increments of five years. A two year milestone pin is also available for persons age 25 and under. The city recognizes all recipients in the Waterloo Chronicle during National Volunteer Week in April. Organizations choose how to recognize recipients. It's typically done at board meetings, annual general meetings or volunteer recognition events. The city distributes pins to the organizations in March to coincide with National Volunteer Week. |
Volunteer resources
- Volunteer Waterloo Region has local volunteer postings from over 150 different organizations
- Volunteer Canada provides tools and guidelines for those interested in volunteering or managing volunteers
- PAVRO is the provincial resource for Volunteer Managers
- VMPC is the national resource for Volunteer Managers.