Volunteer

Volunteer with the Burnaby Neighbourhood House!

Volunteering is a great way to refresh old skills, gain new ones, meet new people, and make a difference in the community. Assist with or lead our programs & events!

If you have any questions about volunteering with BNH or you want to know more about our programs, please contact: Janice Ho, Coordinator of Volunteers and Community Programs

Email: janiceh@burnabynh.ca

Phone: 604-294-5444

If you have questions regarding leading a community program, please contact Gisela Briceno, Community Engagement Supervisor

Email: volunteer@burnabynh.ca

Phone: 604-431-0400 Ext.128

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Food bank or Food Distribution Volunteers

Do you have concerns about food security or want to help those in need with accessing free or affordable food? We are looking for individuals who can help sort, bag, store, shop and/or deliver food for isolated individuals and/or seniors living in Burnaby. Times and days are flexible.

Office Volunteers

Do you want experience working in an office setting? Do you enjoy working with others or chatting with people? Or do you enjoy sorting and organizing information? We are looking for office volunteers to help out at our South office once a week for 3 hours.

Seniors Programs

We are looking for individuals who enjoy working with Seniors (55+) who can lead conversation groups (in person or on the phone), walks, or facilitate workshops. You must be available during the weekday and during the day.

Literacy Now

If you are passionate or interested in increasing literacy in Burnaby there are several volunteer options available at this time. We are looking for Food Hub librarians, Online Outreach through Social media streams, and Working Task Groups that work to build and enhance literacy services, programs and networks in Burnaby.

Community Program Facilitator

If you enjoy bringing people together to learn and connect, the Community Program Facilitator volunteer role is the opportunity you were looking for. The Community Program Facilitator will design, develop, and implement an engaging program where participants will learn and develop skills, connect with each other, and build vibrant communities together. Times and days are flexible.

The time commitment will be 2-3 hours per week, to prepare and lead the sessions.

Tech-Savvy Volunteers (In-Person)

We are looking for tech-savvy volunteers to support the delivery of our in-person tech program for Seniors, Building a Community Online (BACO). Come and join us if you want to gain leadership/teaching experience, get tech-related professional experience, and work with seniors and vulnerable populations. It’s a great opportunity for you to improve your problem-solving & communication skills and it’s a space where you can be creative and see the impact of your work!

Note: Volunteers must be available from early September (for training) until October 21, 2021, and able to attend at least 4 workshops.

The workshop will be hosted at South Burnaby Neighbourhood House every Thursday from September 16, 2021 to October 14, 2021 (total 5 workshops).

EAL Teacher Volunteers

We are seeking enthusiastic volunteers to teach or assist community based EAL classes for adults for the following online classes: Mondays: 5-6pm (beginners), Thursdays: 1-2pm (intermediate) and Fridays: 1-2pm (beginners)

Digital Volunteers (In-Person)

We are looking for tech savvy, patient and multilingual individuals that are able to work one-on-one or in small groups with adult/senior learners. Volunteers need to be comfortable working in-person at both our south and north locations. Mondays 10am-12 pm (North House), Mondays 12- 2pm (South) – In-person and/or online and Thursdays 3-5pm (South).

How to become a volunteer?

1) Volunteer application form:
Please complete the application form on our new volunteer software, Better Impact.
- If you are an adult over 19, click here
- If you are a youth under 19, click here

2) Informal Interview (10 minute interview):
- After submitting your form on BetterImpact, you will be prompted to book a quick informal interview with us by emailing janiceh@burnabynh.ca your availability between Mondays to Thursdays. This is so we get to know a bit more about you, your interests and skills, and help you find the right volunteer opportunity match.
3) Cleared criminal check:
- After your volunteer interview, you will be sent either a link or a letter to obtain a free criminal record check.
4) Reference check:
- We will contact your non-family reference (friend, neighbour, classmate, or colleague) listed in your application. If possible, please provide their email as it helps expedite the process.
5) Volunteer orientation (30 minutes):
- Online orientations will be conducted online. Once you complete your interview, a sign up link will be sent to you.
6) Signed understanding of policies and procedures
- Completed at the orientation
7) Photo:
- Upload your photo onto the Better Impact site when you create your volunteer account.

We apologize for the long list of items, but we want applicants to fully understand the volunteer application process in the beginning. We look forward to welcoming you to our Volunteer Team!

Community Garden

Did you know you could support the BNH and its programs through gardening? Our education garden plot, located at the BARAGA allotment gardens in Burnaby, is a place for volunteers to learn and teach about gardening, to build community, and to grow food for the BNH and Food Bank.

The pandemic changed things quite a bit this year. Since we had to limit the number of volunteers at the plot, we did not host large community groups or educational workshops, but focused on increasing food production to meet the greater demand in the community. We added compost and mulch to improve the soil; renovated our greenhouse; built trellises to increase our vertical growing space; and planted crops for a winter harvest. And our efforts did pay off. Despite a wet spring (hello, slugs!) and a dry summer, we managed to harvest over 140 lbs. of vegetables and herbs. The bulk of the produce was shared between the Food Bank and the Burnaby Neighbourhood House, whose meal program supplied about 150 affordable, nutritious frozen meals to local seniors every week.

This season was a great experience in many ways – we formed a small, but dedicated volunteer group, and despite the pandemic, we got a chance to get outside, get our hands dirty and have some social interaction (albeit at a distance). We learned how to water efficiently (take it slow!); how to tell when a squash is ripe (when you cannot scratch the skin with your fingernail); and how to bake beet brownies.

While work at the garden is now winding down, we are already planning for the next season. We are looking for more volunteers to join us – no experience needed, just a willingness to get your hands dirty!

Whether you are interested in planting and harvesting veggies, herbs, and flowers, helping with small construction projects, or applying for grants and donations that keep the garden running – please get in touch via email (bnhcommunitygarden@gmail.com) or on Facebook: Burnaby Neighbourhood House Community Garden. Thank you!

Volunteer Community Garden Coordinators, Darija and Alicia