Volunteering is a great way to learn more about the criminology sector, build your resume, and give back to criminal justice-involved communities and organizations. When exploring what volunteer opportunities to pursue, it can be helpful to consider the following:
• What sector(s) of criminology are you interested in learning more about?
• What population or group are you interested in working with?
• What knowledge, skills, or abilities do you have that would make you a good fit with the organization?
• What knowledge, skills, or abilities are you hoping to acquire by volunteering with the organization?
There are many local organizations that need volunteers. Below are links to some resources to help you explore what types of volunteer positions are available.
General Volunteer Opportunity Websites
Volunteer BC: https://www.volunteerbc.bc.ca/
Volunteer Canada: https://volunteer.ca
Volunteer Connector: https://www.volunteerconnector.org/
Work in Non-Profits: https://workinnonprofits.ca/volunteer-jobs/search
Advocacy Organizations
Access Pro Bono: https://www.accessprobono.ca/volunteer-with-us
Amici Curiae Friends of the Court: https://www.legalformsbc.ca/volunteer
People’s Law School: https://www.peopleslawschool.ca/about/volunteers/
Seniors First BC: https://seniorsfirstbc.ca/get-involved/volunteer/
Crime Prevention & Community Policing Organizations
Chinese Community Policing Centre: https://app.betterimpact.com/Application?OrganizationGuid=5867eaa8-d30b-4984-997f-d050a9e7de50&ApplicationFormNumber=1
Grandview-Woodland Community Policing Centre: https://www.gwcpc.ca/
Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers: https://www.solvecrime.ca/index.php/en/support-us/volunteer
Strathcona Community Policing Centre: http://www.strathconacpc.ca/#volunteer
Surrey Crime Prevention Society: https://www.preventcrime.ca/
Police Organizations
Abbotsford Police Department: https://www.abbypd.ca/volunteer-opportunities
Delta Police Department: https://www.deltapolice.ca/joindpd/volunteer
New Westminster Police Department: https://www.nwpolice.org/join-nwpd/volunteer7/
Port Moody Police Department: https://www.portmoodypolice.com/careers/volunteers/
Royal Canadian Mounted Police: https://rcmp.ca/en/careers-rcmp/volunteer-programs
Surrey Police Service: https://www.surreypolice.ca/volunteers
West Vancouver Police Department: https://westvanpolice.ca/volunteer/
Vancouver Police Department: https://vpd.ca/police/volunteer/index.html
Restorative Justice Organizations
The link below lists all Restorative Justice Programs in British Columbia. Please use the contact information listed with each organization to inquire about current volunteer opportunities:
Victim & Crisis Service Organizations
CHIMO Crisis Services: http://www.chimoservices.com/volunteer/overview
Crisis Centre BC: https://www.crisiscentre.bc.ca/volunteer/
Encompass Support Services Society: https://www.encompass-supports.com/volunteer.html
Kids Help Phone: https://kidshelpphone.ca/get-involved/participate/volunteer/
Kuu-us Crisis Line Society: https://www.kuu-uscrisisline.com/about/employment-volunteer
Options Community Services (Fraser Health Crisis Line): https://www.options.bc.ca/volunteer-at-options
Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre: https://www.salalsvsc.ca/volunteer/
Student Organizations
Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Career Development Services (Volunteer Services): https://www.kpu.ca/volunteer
Kwantlen Student Association: https://start-ksa.weebly.com/
Support Service Organizations
Association of Neighbourhood Houses of BC: https://anhbc.org/support-us/volunteer/
Atira Women’s Resource Society: https://atira.bc.ca/get-involved/volunteer
Battered Women’s Support Services: https://www.bwss.org/take-action/volunteer/
Belkin House: https://belkintsa.ca/volunteer
Big Brothers and Sisters of Canada: https://bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/find-agency-near/
Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver: https://efry.com/volunteer/
Greater Vancouver Food Banks: https://foodbank.bc.ca/volunteer/
John Howard Society: https://johnhowardbc.ca/get-involved/volunteering/
MOSAIC BC: https://www.mosaicbc.org/about/volunteer/
Options Community Services: https://www.options.bc.ca/volunteer-at-options
SHARE Family and Community Services: https://sharesociety.ca/volunteer-for-share
Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives: https://www.rcrg.org/VolunteerNow?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21313567647&gclid=Cj0KCQjw94bTBhDQARIsAN3vv0xHanK_5-x-SE0DOgoJIu7b3EfSwS9UO4Y5I2IKsXAFMyqG-VnC-XEaAn4xEALw_wcB
Surrey Urban Mission Society: https://sumsplace.ca/volunteer
Surrey Women’s Centre: https://surreywomenscentre.ca/volunteer
Vancouver Coastal Health: https://www.vch.ca/en/volunteer
Wish Drop-In Centre Society: https://wish-vancouver.net/support/volunteer/
YWCA: https://ywcavan.org/help/volunteer
Municipal Government Organizations
City of Coquitlam: https://app.betterimpact.com/PublicEnterprise/7e80495c-0eac-456b-b4d2-21e2c3d1eb65
City of Delta: https://www.delta.ca/city-hall/careers/volunteering
City of Langley: https://www.langleycity.ca/community-culture/volunteer-opportunities
City of New Westminster: https://www.newwestcity.ca/city_hall/employment/volunteer.php
City of Maple Ridge: https://www.mapleridge.ca/resident-services/volunteering-opportunities
City of Port Coquitlam: https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/explore-poco/volunteering
City Port Moody: https://www.portmoody.ca/parks-recreation-and-environment/volunteering/
City of Richmond: https://icanhelp.richmond.ca/custom/501/volunteer_home
City of Surrey: https://www.surrey.ca/about-surrey/volunteer-opportunities
City of Vancouver: https://vancouver.ca/people-programs/volunteering.aspx
District of North Vancouver: https://www.dnv.org/government-administration/volunteer-opportunities
District of West Vancouver: https://westvancouver.ca/government-administration/volunteering
Township of Langley: https://www.langleycity.ca/community-culture/volunteer-opportunities