Volunteering

Why volunteer?
The Youth Project relies on the time and energy of volunteers in order to continue the great programs we are able to offer. It is a great opportunity to give back to the community, mentor youth and meet new people. Volunteering can be both fun and rewarding.

What is expected of volunteers?
The Youth Project is a youth serving agency. We expect volunteers to be professional and respect the policies and practices of the Youth Project. We expect volunteers to be responsible, reliable, and trusted mentors for youth. Finally, we expect volunteers to feel valued, appreciated and to have fun.

What kind of time commitment do I need to give?
Your level of time commitment depends on your availability. However we ask that volunteers be able, at minimum, to provide 3 hours per month, 1 day for training, and 2 volunteer meetings per year.

What experience do I need?
You don’t need any! Any experience you do have is valuable, but don’t worry of you don’t have any. We provide training. All we ask is that you are youth friendly, have an open mind, and are able to give us some of your time.

Do I have to be LGBTQ to be a volunteer?
No. Allies are an important part of the community. We do not require volunteers to be LGBTQ. We value our straight allies. We want people who are LGBTQ supportive regardless of their own identity.

How do I become a volunteer?
In order to become a volunteer at the Youth Project you must first fill out the volunteer application. This will give us a little bit of background about you and what your interests are. From there you can begin the volunteer process:

Volunteer Orientation
We offer the volunteer orientations a few times a year. This is an opportunity to bring together potential volunteers and discuss the expectations of and opportunities for volunteers at the Youth Project. It also gives potential new volunteers a chance to see what kinds of opportunities exist, what openings are available and how the organization functions.

Volunteer Check
All volunteers at the Youth Project are required to provide a police background check. This can be done at the HRM police station or an RCMP detachment. The costs associated with this can be reimbursed by the Youth Project. Volunteers are also required to sign a Code of Conduct Agreement and a Confidentiality Agreement.

Volunteer Training
Volunteers will be required to attend a day long or two half day new volunteer training. Depending on the role the volunteer is taking on, there may be additional training. There are training opportunities provided throughout the year that volunteers may take part in.

Opportunities for Volunteers...
We have many opportunities for volunteers at the Youth Project. They range from helping out at events to office work to regular group facilitation. You can be involved as little or as much as your time allows.

Here are some roles for volunteers:

Youth Volunteers
The Youth Board is a good way to get involved in the overall running of the Project. If you have the time and energy, the Youth Board is an excellent way to volunteer. If the Youth Board isn’t for you, there are plenty of events and activities and tasks that require youth volunteers.

Student Placements

The Youth Project is open to providing students in various professional and youth-related programs with opportunities to do work placements. We welcome students who value the mission and principles of the organization and feel connected to the issues. In the past we have welcomed students from nursing, social work, child and youth care, administration, and law. Please contact us for further information.

Donate

There are many ways you can donate to the Youth Project. Although we have funders, we still rely on the generosity of the community in order to continue providing the programs and services we offer. We are a registered charity and can provide a charitable tax receipt for donations. Here are some ways to donate:

Cash Gift

A one time or annual gift of cash is always appreciated and goes directly into our programming. You can write a cheque or donate through Paypal. Every little bit helps no matter how small. We will provide a charitable tax receipt for your donation, a heartfelt thank you, and an annual update from the Youth Project so you can see how your gift was used.

Monthly Giving

Join the monthly giving program for a set amount each month. No amount is too small. This is a good way to spread out your giving. At the end of the year you will receive a charitable tax receipt for your gift. Contact us for more details.

Fundraising Events

Each year we have a few fundraising events such as the barbecue at the annual Dykes vs. Divas softball game and our annual Auction. Come out and support us by attending these and other events.

In-kind Gifts

We are always happy to accept gifts other than cash. Each year we look for items for our fundraising auction. If you are an artist, business owner, or community member and have something we can feature at our auction, your gift can go a long way. The auction is our largest fundraiser.

We are often looking for other donation items that we need around the Youth Project. This could be furniture, books, DVDs, clothing, appliances, paint, etc. A charitable tax receipt can be provided for the value of the item. Here are some things were are looking for:

• Young Adult books with LGBT themes
• LGBT DVDs
• Lawnmower
• Paint
• Pots and kitchenware

Check out our Amazon wishlist for book and movie titles.

Skills

There is plenty of work to do around the Youth Project that requires someone with skills. Whether those skills are around graphic design or around plumbing, chances are we have a job that needs doing. If you have some time to give and are looking for a way to share check with us about opportunities. We are unable to provide a tax receipt for services and skills, but that doesn’t change the impact your gift will have on the work that we do at the Youth Project.

The Youth Project is a registered charity with the Canadian Revenue Agency. Our charitable tax number is 865-991-913-RR0001

Job Opportunities

We presently have no open positions at the Youth Project but keep checking back. We will post anything that becomes available.