Volunteering is one of the most productive and rewarding ways that we as young people can spend our free time. Any opportunity to make a positive difference in our community, no matter how small, is worth taking the time to pursue! However, many traditional volunteer opportunities are not available anymore due to the COVID-19 pandemic - especially with BC’s restrictions, we can’t exactly go to a soup kitchen or an old folks home at the moment. But, contrary to what you might think, there are still actually a ton of safe, socially-distanced volunteer and philanthropic opportunities for youth in our community! Read below to see five opportunities available for you this year and next year, and how you can get involved!
Youth Leadership Advisory Board (YouthLAB)
The Family Services of North Shore’s YouthLAB program is designed for high school students who are eager to develop their volunteering skills! The program involves two meetings each month, in which students learn about mental health issues, bullying, LGBTQ+ issues, and other problems that the youth of today face, by hearing from and working with experienced counsellors in the field. The program allows students to give presentations to other high school students about these issues to advocate for change, as well as to help develop effective youth-outreach plans for the community.
YouthLAB will begin accepting applicants for their 2020/2021 board in the spring of 2021, so if you’re entering grade 10, 11, or 12 next year, click here to find out more information!
Jessie’s Legacy Eating Disorders Prevention and Awareness Program
This program, also organized by Family Services of North Shore, allows students to be involved in advocating for the effective prevention of eating disorders among people in our community. Those involved in this program work to promote healthy body image and eating habits through presentations and community outreach, making this a very meaningful cause to engage in!
Click here for more information on how to apply!
Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia (WBT)
This is an exciting opportunity for anyone ages 16 and up who is passionate about local wildlife and our environment! The Wild Bird Trust of BC aims to “provide wild birds with sanctuary through ecological protection and restoration, and support communities with education, culture, and reconciliation programs.”
This specific volunteer opportunity involves working with the organization’s social media team to increase its digital presence and promote their work. The WBT also accepts volunteer submissions for their magazine “Wingspan”, including writing, art, and photography related to the protection of wild birds, making this a great virtual experience for students passionate about wildlife!
North Vancouver City Library (NVCL) Teen Advisory Council (TAC)
The NVCL has adapted their teen volunteer programs to accommodate for BC’s health restrictions, meaning that all the opportunities that have always been offered are still available! The NVCL TAC helps students develop their leadership skills by promoting library programs, providing their input on teen services at the library, and working on various projects with the team!
The volunteering work will all be done virtually this year, so you can get involved and make a difference right from your home! Click here for more information!
West Vancouver Memorial Library (WVML) Teen Advisory Group
Similar to the NVCL opportunity, the West Vancouver Memorial Library allows teens to get involved in library events, promote library programs, and earn volunteer hours! This program is relatively low-commitment (there is no registration involved; you can just show up to the virtual meetings!), so if you have a busy schedule, this is a great opportunity!
Click here for more information!
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