Volunteering

Volunteers have a long history of supporting events and activities in Waterloo. Find current openings, recognition and volunteer resources below


On this page

  1. Be You @ Waterloo
  2. Current volunteer opportunities
  3. Volunteer recognition 
  4. Community Builder Awards
  5. 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:

  • be age 14 or older with current Bronze Cross certificate
  • First Aid and CPR certified
  • commit to the full session

We are not recruiting volunteers at this time. Please check back in early August to apply for the fall session.

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:

  • be available weekdays from 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. with the option of one half or full weekday per week 
  • be a friendly, dependable adult age 21+ with great communication skills
  • have a valid MTO G driver's licence for a minimum 4 years and access reliable vehicle
  • have access to a smartphone
  • meet screening requirements
  • we're also searching for drivers who speak additional languages

Apply now

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. Many of our civic awards also speak to the spirit of volunteers in the community. 

2025 Volunteer Salute
2025 Volunteer recipients
Two year

Amanda Read

Brianna Bowman

Brooklyn Norris

Callum Mitchell

Cecily Hedge

Emma Kuchma

Emma Lunnie

Eshan Singh

Hailey Davis

Hannah Baird

Ishaan Bansal Jesse Ploc-Canning

Keiara Raitt

Leigh Murphy

Madison Tokarz

MJ Johnson

Petar Dragicevic

Raphael Airapetyan 

Alex Irvine, Waterloo Concert Band

Five year

Adam Gibson

Adam Kawecki

Alexander Bardelcik

Anna Antczak

Annette McMurren

Ashley Wallace

Ben Cornish

Beth McLay

Brent Elsey

Brian Carter

Brian Doucet

Callum Irving

Carolyn Baltaz

Carolyn Fuss

Cate Justason

Chad Wittig

Chris Lemieux

Christine Dale

Connor Legault

Cooper Moore

Corey Cruickshank

David Finch

Derek Lebert

Diana Clipsham

Doug Burrell

Duan Bailey

Edward Psutka

Emily McLaughin

Emily Moran

Graeme Stover Gregory Simpson Ian Patterson

Jack Legault

Jack Wodnicki

Jake Eimers

Jason Dixon

Jean Costello

Jeff Smith

Jenn Justason

Jill Wittig

Joel Widmeyer

John Loncar

John Peebles

Julie Trudel-Gutscher

Kathy Kibble

Kelly Armstrong

Kensi Chaure

Kristen Morrison

Lindsay Arbeau

Lindsay Malec

Lisa Bater

Lora Giangregorio

Lynn Teixeira

Mark Burjoski

Mark Wyman

Marlene Gervais

Mary Jo Megginson

Matt Duench

Megan Justason

Melinda Hannusch

Michael Ansell

Michael Cinelli

Michael Stork

Mike Richardson

Nick Vafiades

Nicole Edgar

Nicole Miller

Nigel Vanderlinden

Patrick Gilbride

Peter Johnson

Rachel Gondosch

Rob Gondosch

Rob McKenzie

Ron Levene

Sarah Clews

Scott Hannusch

Scott Hastings

Scott Weldon

Spencer Gross

Stephen DesChamp

Steve Tarasko

Timothy Lavell

Tom Thompson

Tony Fraser

Trevor Strassburger

Tyler Tennant

 

Victoria Richardson

Ying Zhang

Ten year

Adam Shortt

Al Meagher

Allan VanBrunschot

Andrew Dunbrack

Bobbi-Jo Schweitzer

Brendan Thomas

Carla Shouldice

Cathy Wordley

Christine Jakobsen

Dan Costello

Dan Weber

David Morrow

Fabricio Perez

Greg Cressman

Heather Gawal

Jamie Joseph

Jason Lane

Jen Hamilton 

 Jenna Ferguson

Jerry Walker

Jocelyne Suits

John Durdan

John Loncar

Karina Graf

Ken Willsie

Kris Birkby

Laurie Poetker

Linda Kruger

Luke Stuart

Marv Franz

Michael Perkins

Michael Suits

Michael Tomka

Mihai Comsa

Nora Morales Montoya

Paul Stumph

Peter Woolstencroft

Phil Steckley

Punisha Bogicevic

Rachel Prichard

Rob Wallace

Robert Theodosiou

Robert Lusk

Sarba Broderick

Sawyer Poetker

Scott Dougall

Shawn Humes

Shawn Weatherdon

Simonne Marchesseau

Steve Bienkowski

Susan Casserly

Tanya McCracken

Val Cornish

Victor Herbert

Zak Martin

Fifteen year

Andrea Kiff

Barry Peters

Bill Schram

Bonnie Rollo

Deb Kraemer

Erich Sonnenburg

Jef Kent

Jeff Willsie

Jenn Schnider

Joshua Stephens

Ken Schultz

Kevin Doerbecker

Laura Tunstall

Leah Chapman

Leasa Peters

Magda Siemiginowski

Marcel Gaudet

Mark DeGraaf

Mark Struyk

Martin Slejska

Melanie Norris

Mike Ingram

Paul Ellingham

Rebecca Pawlec

Richard Zehr

Rick Bond

Scott Murphy

Sharon Kingsbury

Shawn Turner

Sherry Kerr

Ute Schram

 
Twenty year
Chris Walker

Ellie Rimmer

Erich Scheffler

Jamie Adams

Jason Ireland

Jeff Poetker

Jim Bolle

John Wright

Johnathon Holtz

Kim Ireland

Liz Bender

Lucie Allard

Pat McMann

Robert Brennan 
Twenty-five year
Andy Rath

Fraser Gibbs

Guy Exley

Jason Gawal

John Armstrong

Norbert Haiser

Paul Dyszuk

Peter Klinkman

Sandra Hattl

Sheri Markle

Tom Platt

 

Thirty year

Dan Greener  Janet Greener Todd Nichol  
Thirty-five year
John Enns John Graham John Wolfe Roger Janke
Tom Greer      
Forty year
Elsa Elliot Janet Lanteigne

Nominating organizations

We thank these community groups for nominating their volunteers:

  • CAFKA
  • City of Waterloo
    • Committees of Council
    • Community Programs
    • Events
    • Outdoor Ice Rinks
    • Partners in Parks
    • Pollinator Working Group
  • Erb West Share and Care House
  • KW Community Orchestra
  • K-W Silver Stars
  • KW Water Polo
  • Laurelwood Neighbourhood Association
  • MT Space
  • Waterloo Concert Band
  • Waterloo Girls Minor Hockey
  • Waterloo Minor Soccer
  • Waterloo Public Library
  • Sunnydale Community Centre
  • Waterloo Ringette

 

 


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.