Group volunteering or volunteering with your family or a friend can be very gratifying, wholesome, fun, and positively impact your community.

Yes, you can volunteer with a friend, friends, family or group of colleagues. Group volunteering can involve a specific task or project set within a certain timeframe, on a particular date, or it may involve an ongoing recurring commitment for the group. Groups can be classified as two or three people or as many as 20+.

 You can assemble your own group. There should be one point person to be the organizer of your group — they’d be the one to contact the organization and plan all the details. Then that person can share the details with your group (e.g., date, time to show up, location).

A great way to connect all generations of a family is to volunteer together. Family volunteering is a specific form of group volunteering that can bond your family in a common goal of doing good for others. The whole family not only works alongside each other and learns together, but you can all share your reflections with each other about the experience and the positive community impact you’ve all made together in focusing on something bigger than yourselves. Please see below for more on involving children.

Some volunteer-involving organizations have the capacity to engage volunteer groups or a pair of volunteers. It may, however, take some time to find something, so both pre-planning and patience will be necessary.

How far ahead should I try to find group opportunities?

The early bird catches the worm, so to speak. Contacting an organization well ahead of a time is the best idea. Most organizations that engage group volunteers plan well ahead, and group spots do tend to fill up quickly. In some cases, your group can be put on a waiting list in case a group, that has beaten you to it, withdraws from the opportunity ahead of the day — this can and does happen.

Can I decide to bring someone with me the day I go to volunteer?

It is best to ask the organization well ahead of time if you wish to bring someone. This is because organizations that engage groups: set aside projects and tasks for a certain number of volunteers; do some preliminary paperwork (e.g., application protocols, risk management sign-offs); only have so much space or equipment for the project (e.g., rooms with capacity maximums, safety vests and garbage grabbers for a community clean-up). Please bear in mind even one more person added can tip the apple cart the wrong way, and you don’t want to be disappointed.

Can I bring a support person who can help with my mobility or other needs/challenges?

In most cases yes, but speak with the organization first, so they know and are prepared for you and your support person. Like above, there may be capacity issues or other things the organization requires to enable you to bring a support person.

Will there be paperwork like and application to fill in?

In many cases, yes. Organizations do their due diligence around volunteer involvement to mitigate any issues that may occur, this includes knowing who is coming into their spaces where vulnerable people may be; having volunteer contact information to keep in touch and in case of a storm or other situation that necessitates postponing the volunteer activity; finding out who to contact in case of an emergency by asking volunteers for an emergency contact; and keeping track of who’s coming to volunteer, so they can manage the information. Most applications are for volunteers’ well-being and the well-being of organizations and the people they engage.

What if I have special accommodation requirements in order to volunteer with my group?

Please read our article “Ageless Access: Older Adult Friendly Spaces” found HERE. ADD LINK

What types of things can volunteer groups, or pairs of people, do with an organization?

A few options (there are many more):

  • preparing back-to-school bags for children
  • cooking or delivering meals
  • offering some kind of entertainment or educational show (music, short sketch, etc.)
  • putting together packets or mailings
  • gardening (pulling weeds, planting, etc.)
  • sorting items — food or clothing or books
  • cleaning or painting things or spaces
  • community clean-ups
  • wrapping gifts for children for the holidays
  • cooking or serving meals for housing residents or community meals
  • helping distribute toys for special holidays or other events
  • preparing gift baskets
  • teaching computer skills to others
  • helping to run a festival or walk-a-thon, sports or theatrical event
  • running a coat-check, ushering, serving refreshments, or greeting people at the door of a fundraiser or sports event
  • decorating for an event

How can I find opportunities for groups, family or other types, or pairs of people?

  • Contact organizations working for a cause that you and your group feel attracted to and ask about potential group volunteering activities.
  • Look for events held by local non-profit organizations, charities, and schools.
  • Brouse your local newspaper.
  • Check out com — Canada’s resource to over 170,000 charitable and non-profit organizations for volunteers, jobs, news and education.
  • Do a Google search for “group volunteering” or “volunteering in a group” or “how to volunteer with a group” and specify your location.
  • Go to 211Ontario HERE to see a list of the food banks in your area where you might be able to volunteer as a group.
  • Contact your local Volunteer Centre* or go to their website.

Some of the bigger Volunteer Centres are listed here:

  • If you are in Toronto search on Volunteer Toronto HERE.
  • If you are in Ottawa search Volunteer Ottawa HERE.
  • If you are in Kingston search Volunteer Kingston HERE.
  • If you are in Thunder Bay search on Volunteer Thunder Bay HERE.

 What if a couple of people from our group can’t make it, or my entire group has to cancel their pre-booked shift?

Please contact the organization immediately. They will then be able to adjust their expectations and planning, or they can fill the empty spots from their waiting list. If some of your group can still make it, you may join others brought together by the organization — this is a great way to meet some new people.

Can my grandchildren volunteer as part of my group?

Volunteer-involving organizations often have an age limit for many reasons including legal ones. When minors work somewhere, even without pay as volunteers, there are many rules and regulations that the organizations hosting them have to follow. It is best to ask the organization if they have an age restriction. Each organization does their risk assessments and if they determine that children under a certain age are not permitted to volunteer, you can rest assured their decision is sound.

It might be frustrating to discover that your grandchildren cannot volunteer with your group, but it might make you feel better to know of some of the reasons: safety; liability from injury; the organization might not be able to provide sufficient adult supervision for minors (even if you say you’ll supervise, organizations have rules around volunteer to staff ratios).

What questions should I ask an organization about group volunteering?

  • Has the organization involved a group of volunteers in the past? Enquire about their experience and their options for involvement.
  • What dates and times will volunteers need to be there?
  • Where should volunteers go when they arrive?
  • Are there age restrictions for volunteer activities?
  • Is parking available?
  • Will we have a secure place to store our personal effects?
  • What tools and resources will be provided?
  • What are volunteers expected to bring?
  • What food and drinks will be provided?
  • How should volunteers dress?
  • Is there any other pertinent information the volunteers should know?

What if I want to organization a food or clothing drive on behalf of an organization?

That is a great idea! This would be a different type of thing from what is talked about above. This would take the form of you organizing the details, carrying it out with your group and managing your own activities, flow and risk management. With this type of involvement, you can decide with the group if you wish to involve children or grandchildren.

The best idea is to inform the organization that you are doing this type of volunteer activity, and they can: thank you; offer suggestions on the best food/clothing to collect; maybe do a photo opportunity with your group to post on their website; meet you when you drop of the donations… the possibilities are many.

Other group volunteer ideas that you could take on yourselves to benefit those in your community: collecting gifts for children that an organization can give out; knitting or crocheting together to make baby blankets or lap blankets, winter gear, prayers shawls, blankets for refugees or homeless shelters; a community or shoreline clean-up (remember safety: wear gloves and use garbage grabbers); collecting hygiene products for women living with poverty; campaign for an election; setting up a community yard sale where the proceeds go to a cause; a school supply drive. The ideas are almost endless once you and your group put your thinking caps on. You could also contact an organization you feel passionate about and ask them what you could do for them that doesn’t involve them directly.

Group volunteering is a great idea and often more gratifying than say, a holiday gift exchange or a party. People get to know each other better when volunteering together, and they get to know more about some great causes and make a positive impact and that helps everyone feel better!

More resources about group volunteering and where some of the above comes from:

  • Volunteer Canada information found HERE and HERE.
  • Our article “Ageless Access: Older Adult Friendly Spaces” found HERE.
  • “Finding Community Service & Volunteering for Groups” found HERE.
  • “Group Volunteering: Key Resources for Groups wanting to Volunteer” found HERE.
  • *For information on Volunteer Centres please read our article “About Volunteer Centres” found HERE.
  • “Can I volunteer if I’m Under Age 18?” found HERE.
  • “How You Can Volunteer as a Family with Young Children” found HERE.