Volunteers
Call Lindsay at 403 539-5129 to discuss volunteer opportunities.
Your contribution of energy, skills and compassion will help us provide the best possible service for our clients, support our existing programs and help to shape our growth.
Volunteers are an integral part of the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter. It is through your efforts that we are able to meet many of the goals and objectives of the agency.
Volunteers provide many of the social and functional supports required for women and children fleeing family violence. They assist in creating timely, personal, and practical support in areas that do not require the work of a professional but are none the less important to the recovery and healing process. Volunteers provide assistance in the community and at the shelter to victims, enabling them to meet needs and to gain confidence from this support.
As a volunteer, in whatever capacity, you are not expected to counsel or offer solutions to clients. Staff members have been educated and trained extensively for this work, however, the importance of your role as a supportive, empathetic listener cannot be emphasized enough.
The best prerequisite to becoming a volunteer is your sincere interest in making a contribution. The issues involved in domestic violence are complex as are the solutions, however, you will be joining a team of individuals who are dedicated to the challenge.
We are looking for volunteers who:
- Can serve all people without discrimination as to nationality, race, belief, class, sexual orientation or gender
- Are aware of their own values and have the ability to accept the values of another person
- Have personal attitudes that reflect the aims of the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter
- Have the motivation to make a commitment to their work at the Shelter
- Can respect confidences and protect privileged information
- Have the ability to listen with compassion and respect others
- Are open, friendly, self-reliant, dependable, non-judgmental, non-directive and willing to learn
We believe as a volunteer, you have the following rights:
- To be educated about the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter and other community agencies that deal with issues of domestic violence
- To feel personally rewarded in the work you do for the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter and be treated as a co-worker
- To receive proper job descriptions and training in all duties you are asked to perform
- To be given a variety of experiences
- To be heard on issues and concerns
- To be recognized for the valuable contribution you make to the Shelter
- To be reimbursed for necessary and approved expenses
Qualifications
- All volunteers must be at least 18 years of age
- They must receive security clearance from the Calgary Police and Child Welfare Agency
- Volunteers must not have, in the last year, been involved in a personal domestic violence situation or stayed at a shelter
- Volunteers must be responsible, dependable and reliable in the commitments they accept on behalf of the Shelter
