Current Volunteer OpportunitiesVegetarian Food Festival Positions - Numerous positions are available each year at the Annual Vegetarian Food Festival and posted in early June. Visit veg.ca/festival and click the tab that says volunteer.
Committee and Team Members
Fundraising and Membership Development Are you an experienced fundraiser who keeps up with the latest trends in direct mail and donor relations? Do you enjoy planning special events or writing grant proposals? Are you interested in helping the Toronto Vegetarian Association recruit hundreds of new members to support our work? If so, you're not alone! The Toronto Vegetarian Association's Fundraising & Membership Development Committee is looking for experienced fundraising professionals to help develop a fundraising plan that will secure the donations, sponsorships and grants TVA needs to inspire people to choose a healthier, greener, more peaceful lifestyle. As an active charitable organization, we rely on donations, grants and sponsorships to support our programs and achieve our mission. We're looking for vegetarian and vegetarian-friendly fundraising professionals to help advise and lead our growing organization by joining our Fundraising & Membership Development Committee. Application: Please email Stephanie Bell with the subject Fundraising and Membership Development Committee Application, with a letter outlining your interest in the committee, along with your resume. For more information: Click here to read the full position description. Food for Thought TeamThe Food for Thought Committee is important to Toronto Vegetarian Association's outreach work, coordinating talks and lectures in high schools and post secondary institutions. What audience is more receptive to new ideas than youth? The main activity of members of this Committee is to contact schools/teachers to see if they would be interested in inviting a speaker into their classroom to talk on an animal welfare or veg food topic. We have access to all kinds of presenters and speakers. In connecting with interested students & teachers, follow-up emails or calls are necessary. Then comes the job of coordinating all the details to ensure that both the speaker and teacher or host student, feels comfortable that all will go smoothly on the day of the presentation. Committee members ensure that details such as location, time, number of students, audio visual needs - which are all worked out prior to presentation day. Every 4 months, the committee has 2 in person meetings and the rest of our work is done via email. Application: Please email the Committee's Chair Liz Rice at me@lizrice.ca with the subject "Food for Thought Committee" indicating: - your interest in the committee - your general availability, including your day, evening & weekend availability (day time availability is great for calling schools) - your skills, main interests, or details about what you do professionally. Outreach Set Up and Tear Down Team
Do you want more people in the GTA to learn about the benefits of a vegetarian diet? Do you want to see more people sign up for the Veggie Challenge and Meatless Mondays? And, do you have a car and a few hours to spare each month?
Then join our Set Up and Tear Down Crew for outreach events! Toronto is jam packed with events over the summer months and there's so many opportunities for TVA to be present. But we can only be there with the help of a driver to transport our materials to and from the TVA office to these great community events.
Description: We're looking for new people to join our team and help out at an event or two each month this summer season. The role involves picking up materials from the TVA office at a time that's convenient for you, transporting them to the event on the actual day of the event and setting up the TVA table.
Alternatively, it can be done in the reverse! You can do a tear down shift where you'd pack up the materials at the end of an event, and bring them back to the TVA office at a time that's convenient for you.
Members of our set up and tear down crew receive a FREE TVA discount card, offering savings at over 80 veg-friendly businesses in the GTA.
Application: Please email Barbi Lazarus with the subject Set Up and Tear Down Team. Volunteer Recognition Team
If you're already a volunteer with the Toronto Vegetarian Association, you know what an important role volunteers play in virtually every program that TVA runs, and you probably have your own understanding of what kind of recognition volunteers in the organization deserve. The Volunteer Recognition Team devises and implements new and unique ways to recognize our volunteers, through organizing social and appreciation events for volunteers, improving communications with volunteers, promoting the volunteer program, and increasing the sense of community among volunteers. The team meets monthly or bi-monthly to discuss and initiate projects related to the above. We are looking for enthusiastic, outgoing and creative volunteers, with new ideas and a proven ability to take initiative. Application: Please email Barbi Lazarus with the subject Volunteer Recognition Team, with a letter outlining your experience with the organization and your motivation for joining the Volunteer Recognition Team. Upcoming Outreach Opportunities Sign up to receive updates about the latest volunteer postings by joining our volunteer list on the right hand side of this page.
If you're interested in tabling for TVA at any of the following events, please email Barbi Lazarus, Donor and Volunteer Resources Coordinator, using the following template: Name of Event:
Shift(s) Interested In:
First Time Volunteer? (yes/no) (If yes, please include your phone number)
Have you received training from TVA? Seedy SaturdayWhere? Scadding Court Community Centre (Bathurst and Dundas) When? Saturday, March 3rd. Shifts from 12- 3 pm, or 3 to 5 pm. Tell me more: Seedy Saturday is considered Toronto's foremost grassroots seed exchange, gardening and eco-fair. It's a great opportunity to reach people interested in food and plants. If you're into gardening and plants, this is the event for you! Browse around before or after your shift with TVA. The Green Living Show
When? Friday April 13th to Sunday April 15th Shifts Available: Friday April 13th – 10 am to 1 pm, 1 pm to 4 pm, 4 pm to 7 pm, 7 pm to 9 pm
Saturday April 14th – 10 am to 1 pm, 1 pm to 4 pm, 4 to 7 pm, 7 pm to 9 pm
Sunday April 15th – 10 am to 1 pm, 1 pm to 4 pm, 4 pm to 6 pm Where? Direct Energy Centre, at Exhibition Place (100 Princes Blvd.).
A number of TTC routes access Exhibition Place. Click here for detailed directions via TTC or automobile. Tell me more: The Green Living Show is Toronto’s largest eco-show, with exhibitors from a wide range of industries including transportation, food and beverage, energy, home and garden, eco-tourism, green building and more! Special attractions this year include an ecology art-making project, a green living kids zone, and a number of speakers on the main stage. For more information visit http://www.greenlivingonline.com. Total Health ShowWhen? Friday April 20th to Sunday April 22nd Shifts Available: Friday April 20th – 4 to 7 pm, 7 pm to 9 pm Saturday April 21st – 10 am to 1 pm, 1 pm to 4 pm, 4 pm to 7 pm, 7 pm to 9 pm
Sunday April 22nd – 10 am to 1 pm, 1 to 4 pm, 4 pm to 6 pm Where? Metro Toronto Convention Centre North Building, 255 Front St. West. A short walk from Union subway station. Click here for directions. Tell me more: Called the nation’s premier national health show, the Total Health Show focuses on creating good health and preventing disease using natural methods: good nutrition, living foods, herbs, natural supplements, diverse healing modalities, energy medicine, organic gardening, traditional farming, agricultural biodiversity, healthy homes, ecologically based communities, renewable energy source and preserving a healthy environment for our children. Click here for more information.
Other OpportunitiesHost a Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale for TVA The concept of the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale is: Hold a vegan bake sale, raise money for your cause of choice, promote delicious, cruelty-free food, and be part of a fun, global event that helps people, animals and the planet! Bake sales can be scheduled anytime the week of April 21st to 29th. Next Steps? Click here to download our kit to help you organize your own bake sale. Don't forget to let us know of your event so we can post it to our website as April approaches! Volunteer Gift Recruiter Are you sales savvy? Like talking to people and building relationships? Description: We're looking for a couple of people to help build an inventory of gifts for volunteers by approaching local businesses and asking for donations on behalf of TVA. A sample letter signed by TVA and talking points will be provided. Expectations/qualifications: Sales or marketing experience would be a definite asset. We will provide a list of businesses to approach, but we're looking for someone who can take ownership and initiative with this project, approaching the businesses and following up. The expected time commitment is a couple of hours per week for the next month or so, until the inventory is developed. Next Steps: Please contact Barbi Lazarus with the subject "Gift Recruiter". Community Animator  Do you want to help TVA grow to become a stronger organization, better supporting Toronto's veg communities through a solid inventory of resources, educational, social and event programming? Think you can help TVA expand our selection of resources and events for the veg community in the GTA?
Description: As part of the Toronto Vegetarian Association’s 2011-2013 Strategic Plan, we want to expand the community resources, and event and educational programming that we offer to support Toronto’s existing vegetarian community as well as those interested in adopting a vegetarian diet. The community animator will assist in this process by consulting with the community to determine the resources, events and educational prograaming people are looking for to support a plant-based lifestyle, reviewing the ways that TVA’s current resources succeed at meeting those needs, and recommending opportunities to improve the resources we offer to support the community. Expectations/qualifications: We are looking for an organized self-starter with a knack for analytical thinking and planning. Experience gathering and analyzing qualitative information from a diverse set of stakeholders and a strong familiarity with the Toronto veg community and the mission, vision, and values of the Toronto Vegetarian Association are both strong assets. Next steps: Please make sure to read the full position description here . Apply by January 23rd by sending your résumé along with a letter describing your interest in the position and any relevant skills, education or experience to: David Alexander, Executive Director, dalexander@veg.ca, fax: 416-544-9094
Ongoing OpportunitiesLetter Writing Team
Do you have a persuasive way with the written word? Are you motivated to respond to media articles that discuss issues you're passionate about? Then join our Letter Writing Team and help demonstrate to the public that people do care about animals, and that support for vegetarianism is on the rise. Click here to see letters recently submitted and published by members of the TVA letter writing team. Description: When you join our letter writing team, we'll alert you to relevant articles in the paper that discuss vegetarianism in either a positive or negative light, so that you can send in your letter of praise or critique to the editor. There will never be an obligation for you to write, but the more letters sent to the editor in response to any particular article, the more likely it is that one of them will get published. Please note: As a member of the letter writing team, you agree that you will be sending in letters to the editor on your own behalf, and NOT as a representative of TVA. Next Steps: Send an email to Barbi with the subject "Letter Writing Team" to be added to the mailing list.  Office Help Team
Description: We are always looking for new members of our Office Help Team. The behind the scenes work that is necessary to make our attendance at outreach events possible is critical to us getting our message out to the public. Examples of tasks may be making phone calls to thank new members, applying TVA stickers to literature we distribute at outreach events, and stuffing and mailing envelopes.
Expectations/qualifications: Requests for assistance in the TVA office are sent out to the list as required. Requests may be sent out well in advance, but more often than not are fairly last minute (the week of). Volunteers can take us up on the offer or decline according to their availability. This position is particularly well suited to volunteers available during regular business hours, although some evening opportunities will come about as well.
Next steps: To join the Office Help Team, email Barbi Lazarus at blazarus@veg.ca, with the email subject “Office Help Team”.  DIY Fundraising
Description: This is your chance to help TVA raise funds so that we can build our capacity and have a greater impact! While the Toronto Vegetarian Association is a grassroots organization that relies on the support of hundreds of volunteers, we also require funds to put our programs into action. Volunteers are always welcome to organize their own fundraising events, such as bake sales, walkathons, pot lucks, car washes or whatever your creative mind devises! Next Steps: Click here to download our DIY Fundraising Kit with tips and instructions for getting started on organizing your very own fundraising event for TVA. Outreach Specialist Description: Outreach specialists are trained and experienced volunteers in the outreach program who act as mentors to new volunteers, and lead other volunteers on their shifts, ensuring everyone is aware of the goals of the event and that all volunteers are motivated to reach those goals. They also play an important communication connecting link between staff and other volunteers, passing on messages to fellow volunteers and keeping staff informed about events they volunteer at. Expectations/Qualifications: Outreach specialists should have strong leadership and communication skills, be outgoing and personable, and have completed at least 3 TVA outreach shifts. They are expected to volunteer at least once every two months for a 3 hour shift, although are encouraged to volunteer more frequently or take on a full day table captain shift from time to time. Outreach specialists must complete the Online Key Messages and Programs Training, as well as a mentor shift with another outreach specialist. Next Steps: If you're interested in taking your volunteering with TVA to the next level and becoming an outreach specialist, email volunteer@veg.ca describing your interest in the position and your experience volunteering with TVA. **Note: If you just began volunteering with TVA and are still interested in becoming an Outreach Specialist, that's no problem! Let us know of your interest, volunteer for a couple of outreach shifts and we can chat again about becoming an outreach specialist after you've volunteered a few times.*N
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