Join our Volunteer Team

Thank you for your interest in Hospice Toronto’s volunteer program. As a non-profit registered charity, Hospice Toronto relies on its volunteers to play a key role in all of our services and programs; from the volunteer board of directors who govern Hospice Toronto; to the volunteers that assist with fundraising, awareness and community events. There are many exciting opportunities to consider.

Joining the Hospice Toronto team is an incredible and rewarding experience.  Currently we have over 200 volunteers who support the organization in many capacities.  The majority of our volunteers provide direct services to our clients and their families and caregivers by generously spending time in the home of someone who is living with a life-threatening illness.  Hospice Toronto volunteers are a specialized group of 'professional volunteers’ who offer many things including companionship, emotional support and practical assistance to our clients and short-term relief to client families and caregivers. Many practical and supportive tasks can make a significant difference to those who are living while they are dying. For some volunteers they bring normalcy to day-to-day life.  From offering some warm companionship, reading stories or the local paper, talking about world events, to remembering past life experiences and  the accomplishments that people have experienced…to name just a few.  Many volunteers assist with life’s basic duties such as organizing papers, writing letters or helping to make phone calls, to assisting with basic food preparation, light household duties; providing comfort measures and personal care. For many families and caregivers Hospice Toronto volunteers offer much needed additional support, including respite relief and ‘listening ears’. 

Hospice Toronto also has other specialized roles for volunteers who have other professional experiences and interests. Complementary Therapy volunteers are registered practitioners with experience in Registered Massage Therapy, Reiki, Healing Touch, Therapeutic Touch, Reflexology, Music or Arts therapy; who are able to share their skills with our clients. We also offer a specialized training for volunteers to work within our Children’s Support or Bereavement Support Program.  The Children’s Support in-home volunteers work with children who are living with a life-threatening illness or who have a loved-one who is living with a terminal condition. The Bereavement support volunteers work with bereaved individuals, families or groups.  With the support of  Hospice Toronto’s volunteers, together with our professional staff, we assist approximately 400 individuals and hundreds of families and caregivers each year. Together we can make a difference, please considering joining our team. 

Due to the sensitive nature of our work, we are committed to ensuring that all volunteers are fully screened and trained prior to working directly with our clients. This process is extensive and requires a tremendous commitment to all that join our team.  The process includes an application, interview, reference checks, a police records checks and 35+ hours of initial training. We also offer ongoing professional development opportunities, volunteer support and social activities throughout the year.  Hospice Toronto volunteers and staff engage in an active process of communication when working with clients and we offer ongoing supervision, coaching and feedback.

Hospice Toronto offers comprehensive training programs.  The core hospice training occurs twice a year, in spring and fall.  The Children’s Volunteer Training and Bereavement Support programs are open to all experienced Hospice Toronto client service volunteers and are offered yearly.  All volunteers are required to fully complete the training program and the screening process prior to working directly with Hospice Toronto clients and families.   We also ask that volunteers make a commitment of a minimum of one year, as Hospice Toronto makes a significant investment in training and supporting its volunteers  to ensure a strong team.

When applying to join the Hospice Toronto volunteer team, please allow sufficient time for an interview to be scheduled and reference checks completed before being accepted into the next available training series. For other volunteer opportunities there is an ongoing intake throughout the year.

To apply for any of our volunteer opportunities please review the downloadable documents listed below and complete and submit via e-mail the appropriate downloadable application form.

• Things to Consider
• Our Programs
• Care Team Volunteer Position Description
• Care Team Volunteer Application Form Template
• Complementary Therapy Volunteer Position Description
• Complementary Therapy Volunteer Application Form Template
• General Volunteer Application Form Template (for non-client service volunteer opportunities)

To speak with someone directly regarding your specific volunteer interests please contact us at 416-364-1666, ext. 226 or via e-mail.

Volunteering at Hospice Toronto can be a demanding and challenging opportunity, yet a very rewarding and fulfilling one that allows our clients to die at home with dignity and support. We look forward to hearing from you.