Looking for a meaningful volunteer role? Retirees can bring experience, knowledge, enthusiasm and, yes, energy to not-for-profit organizations that rely on volunteers to deliver their services, to provide mentoring, to undertake research and/or to complete projects.
Volunteering is a good way to stay socially active, meet new people, contribute to meaningful initiatives and stay connected to York University and to the broader community.
On this page, YURA will post volunteer opportunities that are brought to our attention, some of which are for organizations looking for York University retirees specifically.
East York Meals on Wheels
June 15, 2023
East York Meals on Wheels uses a volunteer-based model to deliver nutritious and culturally appropriate meals to people in need in East Toronto, specifically in Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park. Our dedicated volunteers are an integral part of our mission, and this year, our team delivered an agency’s best 43,000 meals!
This summer, we are asking for your help recruiting volunteers through your website or social media platforms to dedicate themselves to delivering meals to seniors, new mothers, and those living with a disability. We provide meals Sunday through Friday from 11:00 am -1:00 pm. You would be surprised how much this benefits the volunteers themselves! Any support you can provide would be warmly received and will help us Feed the Need in East York this summer!
Please contact:
Rafael Granado, East York Meals on Wheels
Phone: 416-424-3322 ex. 2230
Email: volunteer@eastyorkmealsonwheels.org
Address: Unit#52 - 2 Thorncliffe Park Drive, Toronto, ON M4H 1H2
Website: www.eastyorkmealsonwheels.org
May 24, 2023
The following volunteer opportunity is limited at this time to our Network universities and colleges. Kindly forward this email to the relevant faculties and anyone at your institution who might be interested.
ENHANCING LEARNER-CENTRED PEDAGOGICAL SKILLS OF FACULTY MEMBERS
The University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF), Pakistan, faces a pressing need to transform its teaching and learning approach to one that is more interactive, engaging, and outcome based.
In partnership with AWB, UAF is seeking one or two volunteers to support this transformation through building capacity in student-centred pedagogies such as activity-based teaching, problem-based learning, and inquiry-based learning.
Working with the Directorate of Academics, the volunteer(s) will conduct a situational analysis/needs assessment, hold an orientation session, develop and deliver a train-the trainer workshop in student-centred pedagogies for 8-10 faculty members, and develop an implementation plan for the participants to expand the training to other faculty members across the institution.
We are looking for 1-2 volunteers. The volunteer opportunity will initially involve working online.
We are seeking a volunteer with the minimum of of a master’s degree in Education, Instructional Design, or a related field and expertise and experience in pedagogical theories and practices in the higher education setting. Applicants who have experience working in international environments are especially encouraged to apply.
Application deadline: June 23, 2023
Need more information? Contact Corrie Young, Associate Executive Director, Projects & Network: cyoung@awb-usf.org
THE NETWORK
Brock University, Canadore College, Carleton University, Centennial College, Concordia University, Dalhousie University, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Lakeland College, Langara College, McGill University, McMaster University, Mount Royal University, Mount Saint Vincent University, Niagara College Canada, Nova Scotia Community College, Queen's University, Simon Fraser University, Saint Mary's University, Seneca College, Toronto Metropolitan University, University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, University of Manitoba, Université de Montréal, University of Ottawa, University of Saskatchewan, University of Toronto, University of Victoria, University of Waterloo, Vancouver Island University, Western University, York University
Thank you to Mastercard Foundation, R. Howard Webster Foundation, Zeller Family Foundation and McMaster University for their generous support!
AWB's projects help developing countries build the capacity of their universities and colleges to educate their own experts and conduct their own research.
S.H.A.R.E. Agriculture Foundation
S.H.A.R.E., Sending Help And Resources Everywhere, is a Canadian registered Charity that was founded in 1976 by a small group of farmers with the assistance of the OMAF Agriculture Representative for Peel, Bob Bell and Minister of Agriculture, William Stewart. Over the last five decades this not-for-profit organization has supported countless families in the early days in Brazil, the Caribbean and Africa, and more recently in Honduras, El Salvador, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Haiti, Bolivia and even across the world in Cambodia.
We are looking for one or two people to write blogs for our website. We would also be interested in someone with website (WordPress and Oxygen) experience. Anyone interested should forward a note or resumé to Gary Shaw at the email address below. Our work is to ‘provide a hand up not a hand out’ and we work in the following countries at this time: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Haiti, Cambodia, Belize and Bolivia.
Our website is https://shareagfoundation.org/about/
Gary Shaw, Executive Director – S.H.A.R.E. Agriculture Foundation
Email: gshaw@shareagfoundation.org
University Women's Club of North York
The University Women’s Club of North York is a voluntary organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and supporting the education of women and girls.
The organization provides many opportunities for members to connect with one another through monthly meetings with guest speakers, interested groups, advocacy initiatives, fundraising opportunities, scholarships and lots more!
UWCNY is always welcoming new members looking for an opportunity to learn and socialize with other like-minded women.
More information can be found in this brochure (click here) or by contacting Oksana Deacon at 647.294.9337 or oksana_deacon@rogers.com
ENGin - Volunteer Online: Help Ukrainians Learn English
ENGin is a nonprofit organization that connects young Ukrainians with English-speaking volunteers for free one-on-one online English language practice and cross-cultural exchange. The organization, founded in March 2020 by Ukrainian-American Katerina Manoff, has as its mission to help a generation of young Ukrainians improve their spoken English and intercultural skills.
There is an urgent need at present. All English speakers are welcome to volunteer with us; ENGin provides training and resources and no prior experience or knowledge of Ukrainian is needed. The commitment is just 1 hour/week (volunteers choose the day and time). Anyone age 14+ is eligible, although the greatest need is for adult volunteers. ENGin Volunteers are making a lasting impact in the lives of Ukrainians by equipping them with skills needed to access better academic and professional opportunities, navigate the refugee process, and eventually rebuild their country. Click here for an ENGin flyer about its program -- and please share it with others. Anyone interested or willing to volunteer in this program is encouraged to do contact us.
More about our program can be found on our website www.enginprogram.org.
Alternatively, you can contact Niranjana (Nina) Sivaji at ENGin, email: n.sivaji@enginprogram.org
North York General Hospital
Volunteers are needed to assist patients and families finding their way around the facility/clinics at the General Site, located at 4001 Leslie Street, Toronto, just south of Sheppard Ave. East.
Volunteers are also needed to enhance the patient experience in a number of roles.
Click here for more information.
York University Retirees’ Association Office
The YURA Office is staffed by volunteers on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. from September to June. Volunteer staff welcome visitors, respond to calls, provide information and perform administrative duties. Having some computer skills would be an asset.
If interested, please email yura@yorku.ca or phone 416.736.2100 extn. 70664.
YU-CARE - York University Centre for Aging Research & Education
The aim of YU-CARE is to support and promote the work of its researchers and graduate trainees who study changes, challenges and policies to support aging at individual, organizational, and societal levels. Click here for the YU-CARE web site.
Studies explore ageism; aging policy; practices to promote healthy aging; approaches to aging equity; the social determinants of health; cultural diversity and aging; gender; physiological and biomechanical processes; cognitive and psychological diseases and approaches to improve care; and care settings including hospital, home and long-term care.
YURA members can be ideal research subjects for projects conducted by YU-CARE researchers. If you are interested in having your name added to a list of volunteers, please contact Adam Charnow, YU-CARE Administrative Coordinator, at yu_care@yorku.ca or phone 416.736.2100 extn. 22896. As specific opportunities arise, you will be notified of them and you can then decide about serving as a research subject on a particular project.
Have you recently had a hospital stay? OR Are you supporting someone after a hospital stay?
Would you be willing to talk about your experience with a York researcher?
Please read on….
Seniors are invited to participate in a research project underway at the York University Centre for Aging Research and Education (YU-CARE).
YURA has an ongoing collaborative relationship with YU-CARE, and a member of YURA’s Executive Committee serves on the Advisory Board of YU-CARE. Our Association is committed to supporting the work of YU-CARE researchers, in areas such as healthy aging, aging equity, and care practices and delivery.
YURA members may be interested in participating in this particular study focusing on “care practices that may improve physical and cognitive functioning after a hospital stay.
Please note also that if you are a senior interested in participating in research projects (even if not in this particular project), YU-CARE invites you to join the list of potential participants so that they can contact you with specific projects that may be of interest and relevance to you. Click here for contact information.
Other
More volunteer opportunities for seniors in a variety of sectors can be found at the Province of Ontario Seniors website, Volunteering and Community Engagement.