The Perfect Volunteer Opportunities by Season

I have compiled a very short list of what I feel are the perfect volunteer opportunities per season. I find that students often struggle to find volunteer opportunities because they aren’t sure where to look and when! That being said, now is the right time (whenever this “now” is –you could be reading this this fall, next summer or even in the spring!). Remember, there is always a volunteer opportunity just waiting for you, no matter when you decide to search for one.

1. FALL

• Clubs Days – joining a club means plenty of volunteer opportunities within!
• FROSH (different ones for different faculties) – the majority of faculties hold beginning-of-the-year events for incoming first-year students that you can help make a success
• Peer Mentors – please visit sfu.ca/students/development/peermentorship.html for more info on this program

Some of the opportunities available in the fall require that students sign up ahead of time (often sometime in the summer or even in the spring term). If the sign-ups are closed, it never hurts to e-mail the coordinator and ask if there are any volunteer positions that have opened up! And it’s also good that you know for next year to sign up ahead of time.

2. WINTER

• Food Bank – help out by collecting donations at your local food bank
• Special city-wide events – there are many special events that different cities hold around Christmas time, such as the Tree Lighting Festival at the SFU Surrey Campus

3. SPRING

• Thrift stores – Spring cleaning season means that thrift stores will be extra busy, check out salvationarmy.ca/volunteer to see how you can get involved

4. SUMMER

• Summer camps, such as the SFU summer day camps – volunteer to help out fellow SFU students who are camp leaders!

There are obviously so many other opportunities that are available during the different months of the years but I hope that this list helps you!

Beyond the Article

• Volunteer Roles with the Rogers Santa Claus Parade
• Being a part of the SFU Summer Camps
• De-Stress Week with the Engagement Peers