CLSC René-Cassin
5800 Cavendish Boulevard

Contact person:
Anna Maria Malorni
514-484-7878, extension 1351
annamaria.malorni.cvd@ssss.gouv.qc.ca

Volunteering opportunities

With over 20 areas to choose from volunteers have an array of assignments to explore. Volunteers can choose their area of interest and determine their time commitment according to their preferences, all the while making an enormous contribution to society. In many cases, training is provided. Please call for an appointment.

The ABCs of Fraud: Volunteers undertake speaking engagements to community organizations on consumer fraud, covering strategies used by con artists and preventative measures. Training is provided.

Accompaniment: Volunteers accompany elderly or infirm clients to doctors’ appointments when the clients are not able to go by themselves. This may be due to cognitive problems such as memory loss or physical disabilities such as loss of balance. Accompaniment is done in conjunction with driving or with another volunteer who acts as the driver.

Administrative Assistant: Volunteers provide office assistance including typing, mailing, phoning, faxing, filing and photocopying. Volunteers must be computer literate. The work can be carried out in the Volunteer Department, in the archives or in another department of the CLSC.

Care-ring Voice: Volunteers answer the Care-ring Voice Line and questions from caregivers regarding their participation on the line (weekly conference calls involving caregivers and an animator.) Training and support are provided.

Caregiver Advisory Committee: The Caregiver Advisory Committee is comprised of caregivers (past and present). The goal is to be a consultative body to the Caregiver Support Centre, to do advocacy work and to plan outreach activities for caregivers.

Childcare/Early Childhood Assistant: Volunteers work in a family home, interacting with a young child in order to assist a parent who is tired or overwhelmed. The parent must stay at home, but may choose do something else while the volunteer is interacting with the child. Volunteers also work in the CLSC’s infant stimulation programs.

Computer Work: Volunteers who are proficient in specific computer programs such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft Access are needed.

Community Development: Our community development organizers need volunteers to work with low-income clients, school children and seniors. Various diverse activities require volunteers with differing talents.

Driving: Drivers take people to medical appointments when they have no other means of transportation. Drivers are needed for either one-way or two-way drives. Drivers are reimbursed for mileage and parking.

Drop-In Centre: The Drop-In Centre is geared to clients who have experienced a loss of autonomy (related to a cognitive or physical disability) and to their caregivers. The centre provides respite for family caregivers who care for a family member at home. Animators carry out activities, and stimulate and care for clients.

Flu-Clinic: Volunteers greet and direct clients who come for flu shots, help them to fill out the forms and collect fees for certain shots. They also ensure that clients are well enough to leave after they have had their vaccination. Training is provided.

Friendly Visitor: Volunteers visit isolated clients at least once a week. They go for walks, coffee or a drive, visit the mall and/or spend time talking with each other. Volunteers may also get involved in other activities that are of mutual interest to both the client and the volunteer. Training is provided.

In-Home Stimulation Volunteer: Volunteers visit seniors in their homes once a week for approximately one hour, in order to provide cognitive and physical stimulation. Specific activities such as arts and crafts, which help with motor skills, or word and quiz games, which provide cognitive stimulation, are examples of helpful activities. Training is provided.

Mall Walk: This activity is part of the CLSC’s Well Aging Program. The Mall Walk office is located in the Cavendish Mall and operates Monday to Friday mornings from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Volunteers are needed to open and close the Mall Walk office in the mornings, register new clients and keep track of the walkers’ statistics.

Palliative Care Volunteer: Volunteers working in this area are trained to work with palliative care patients, visiting them once or twice a week.  Sensitized to pertinent issues, the volunteer offers friendship and a listening ear. The training is provided by McGill.

Prevention, Intervention, Education (PIE): This outreach program involves meeting with individuals and organizations in the territory since they can identify the isolated or psychological at-risk clientele. Volunteers teach the community representatives to recognize the signs and symptoms of this clientele. Contact groups include: landlords, repairmen, delivery services, police etc. They are the link between individuals in need and our services.

Shopping Mate: Volunteers help elderly clients with grocery shopping once a week. Generally, this involves going with a client in order to help him or her with the bags. Sometimes a client is not able to go with the volunteer.  In that case, the volunteer will do the shopping and the delivery for the client. The volunteer also helps the client put the groceries away.

Tax Clinic: Volunteers who are proficient at filling out tax forms are needed each spring to help low-income clients file their income tax returns. Volunteers are also needed to act as greeters for the tax clinics. Refresher training is given each year.

Team Leaders: Experienced and confident volunteers provide leadership and support for specific types of volunteering. Team leaders are currently needed for areas such as friendly visiting and marketing. Workshop trainers are also needed.

Tender Loving Afternoons: Volunteers work in the CLSC’s infant stimulation programs, interacting with mothers and theirs babies in order to assist the person responsible for the program. These workshops are an opportunity for parents and babies to learn and share experiences with other parents.

Translation/Interpretation: Volunteers who speak two or more languages are needed to help staff translate documents and/or interpret for clients who do not speak English or French.

Tutoring: Volunteers are needed to help elementary or high school students with a variety of school subjects such as mathematics, French, English, etc. Training is provided.