Apply to Volunteer

Victim Services Toronto relies on volunteers to help fulfill its mission. Volunteers are valued members of our team and critical to the ongoing success of the agency. They support all aspects of agency programming, service delivery and operations.

There are three types of volunteers Victim Services Toronto relies on: Task-Specific Volunteers, Volunteer Crisis Counsellors and T.E.A.R. Youth Volunteers.

Become a...

Becoming a Task-Specific Volunteer

Task-Specific Volunteers assist with a wide variety of responsibilities, such as:

  • Fundraising
  • Event organizing
  • Community outreach
  • Administrative support
  • Marketing support
  • Language Interpretation

Minimum Requirements

At a minimum, our volunteers must:

  • Have expertise in one or more if the above skills
  • Be able to make a one year commitment

Selection Process

Volunteer applications can be submitted online at any time.

The volunteer selection and training process includes:

  • Submission of an online application form
  • Pre-screening via email
  • In-person interview

Becoming a Volunteer Crisis Counsellor

Volunteer Crisis Counsellors work alongside our professional Crisis Counsellors and do things like:

  • Take referrals from police, agencies, and individuals
  • Provide emotional support and crisis intervention over the phone
  • Provide referrals and linkages to victims and their families
  • Provide multilingual services, if you speak additional languages
  • At the discretion of a Crisis Counsellor, attend on scene with a Crisis Counsellor to provide support to victims and their families

Minimum Volunteer Requirements

At a minimum, our volunteers must:

  • Be at least 19 years old
  • Have never been charged and/or convicted of a criminal offense for which a pardon has not been granted
  • Be able to attend training
  • Be available to complete a minimum of 2 shifts per month
  • Be able to make a one year commitment

Selection Process

Volunteers are recruited annually in the fall. Volunteer applications can be submitted online at any time.

The volunteer selection and training process includes:

  • Submission of an online application form
  • Pre-screening via email
  • Orientation/information session (by invitation only)
  • In-person interview
  • Completion of a Vulnerable Sector Police Check
  • Completion of reference checks
  • Completion of training sessions and mentoring shifts

Becoming a T.E.A.R.™ Youth Volunteer

The T.E.A.R.™ Volunteer Youth Leadership Program enables youth to analyze root causes of gender-based violence. These leaders can then deliver T.E.A.R.™ workshops and develop innovative forums for dialogue on healthy relationships, violence against women, and gender equity within their schools and the broader community.

T.E.A.R.™ Youth Volunteers:

  • Receive training around leadership skills, intimate partner violence dynamics, cyber violence, healthy relationships and public speaking
  • Are able to co-facilitate T.E.A.R. workshops
  • Opportunity to create content for #TEARtalk social media strategy
  • Opportunity to encourage your peers to end the cycle of violence through community-based initiatives

Minimum Requirements

T.E.A.R.™ Youth Volunteers must be:

  • Currently enrolled in high school in Toronto area
  • Concerned about intimate partner violence and want to make a difference
  • Interested in co-presenting a T.E.A.R.™ workshop
  • Available for 2 hours per week on Thursday evenings from September to June

Selection Process

Interested in becoming a T.E.A.R.™ Youth Volunteer? Submit an online application form and a member of our team will be in touch with you.


Will You Join Us?

Four ways to take action.