Volunteer Opportunities

Hope House relies heavily on volunteers to run the day to day operations of our many programs and services, which is why we are so appreciative of the time and energy they devote to us. 

There are many wonderful volunteer and student placement opportunities at Hope House, take a look below at all the positions available to you! 

To begin the volunteer onboarding process, please fill out the form below or click here. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteers@hopehouseguelph.ca

WE ARE HIRING
SUMMER STUDENT POSITIONS!


The Hope House team is built upon individuals who are like minded in the sense of wanting to foster a greater level of independence for community members – by delivering front line services.

Hope House is an equal opportunities employer, committed to employment equity. Hope House values diversity and invites all qualified candidates to apply. Please let us know if you need any accommodations.

We are hiring these roles:
Summer Food Market Coordinator,
Summer Program Assistant,
and Summer Farm Associate.
Please see full descriptions below.


Summer Food Market Coordinator

Job Description: Reporting to the Food Market Supervisor, the Food Market Coordinator ensures that Hope House is able to operate our largest food security program during the summer months. The participant will be working directly with clients, as well as preparing and maintaining the food market. The successful applicant will assist clients with their grocery selection and grocery deliveries, help coordinate volunteers, put food on the shelves, assist in food procurement and work with our client management software. They will also spend time helping develop and lead upcoming projects, programs and food drives. This role will require reliability, excellent organization skills, time management skills, problem solving skills, information management, some analytical and reporting writing skills and will require the individual to be able to communicate well and with tact and compassion when working with clients and other volunteers. The Hope House food market sees over 500 families in Guelph per month, and good coordination of this program, as well as tact and sensitivity when working with our clients is essential to offering food security services in our community.

Duties and Responsibilities:
• Assist clients with their grocery selection
• Help coordinate volunteers
• Put food on the shelves
• Assist in food procurement
• Work with our client management software
• Develop and lead upcoming projects, programs and food drives
• Write a report
• Work in other departments as required (e.g. clothing market, reception, data entry)
• Other duties as required

Working Conditions:
• This position is in Guelph and is required to work at the Hope House (10 Cork Street East, Guelph ON)
• The work schedule is Monday to Thursday with hours scheduled between 8:30 am to 6:30 pm
• This is a full-time, 9-week contract based on 30 hours per week
• Compensation is $17 per hour
• The ideal start date is Tuesday, July 4, 2023

Next Steps:
• Please email your cover letter and resume by 4:00 pm Friday, June 9, 2023 to Susan Tough at foodmarket@hopehouseguelph.ca. Subject Line to state: Application for Food Market Coordinator.
• Please include in your cover letter the answer to the question, “Why you believe you are a good fit for this role?”

__________________________________________________________________

Summer Program Assistant

Reporting to the Ongoing Support Lead and the Intake Support Lead, the Program Assistant uses their knowledge of social work theory and community resources to assist with the day to day implementation of support programming at Hope House.  The Program Assistant plays a significant role in ensuring community members are connected to resources and have knowledge of Hope House programming.  The Program Assistant also plays a vital role facilitating and implementing Ongoing Support programs working collaboratively with volunteers and other staff.

Duties and Responsibilities:
• Assist with the intake of new community members 
• Assist new community members with system navigation 
• Provide support for emergency food and clothing access
• Assist with programming
• Data entry and management
• Other duties as necessary  

Qualifications:
• Be between ages of 15-30 years of age
• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred 

Working Conditions:
• This position is in Guelph and is required to work at the Hope House (10 Cork Street East, Guelph ON)
• The work schedule is Monday to Thursday with hours scheduled between 8:30 am to 6:30 pm
• This is a full-time, 9-week contract based on 30 hours per week
• Compensation is $17 per hour
• The ideal start date is Tuesday, July 4, 2023

Competencies & Skills Required:
• Excellent organization skills & Time management skills
• Problem solving skills
• Information management and basic computer skills
• Individual will be able to communicate well, with tact and compassion when working with community members (clients) 
• Working knowledge of poverty (i.e. generational, situational, working poor)
• Provision of a vulnerable sector police check

Please email your cover letter and resume by 4:00 pm Friday, June 9, 2023 to Jennifer Jolley at intake@hopehouseguelph.ca. Subject Line to state: Application for Program Assistant. 

Please include in your cover letter the answer to the question, “Why you believe you are a good fit for this role?”

_________________________

Summer Farm Associate
Reporting to the Community Farmer, the Farm Associate will be instrumental in ensuring that The Hope House food market has fresh, healthy produce grown in our 1-acre Market Garden (North Field Food Farm), located on an 8.6-acre parcel of land, on the Ignatius Jesuit Centre Farmlands in Guelph. 

The Farm Associate will support the operation of the Market Garden (North Field Food Farm) along with the Hope House staff and volunteers. Tasks will include bed prep, planting, installing trellising, cultivating, weeding, transplanting, installing irrigation equipment, mulching, field maintenance, harvesting and post harvest handling of vegetables.

The successful candidate will contribute to cultivating a friendly and respectful space for staff, volunteers and community members to engage in garden maintenance tasks. The farm associate will be a key point of contact with individual, group and corporate volunteers, ensuring they have a positive and educational experience. 

The successful candidate will have experience in gardening, commitment to social justice and an understanding of the food system and food security issues. They must demonstrate an ability to work with and show sensitivity to those who experience poverty/discrimination.

Duties and Responsibilities
• Help maintain a 1-acre Market Garden by prepping beds, installing trellising, installing irrigation drip lines, planting, cultivating, weeding, harvesting and post harvest handling of vegetables
• Encourage and support volunteers in garden maintenance tasks (prepping beds, planting, mulching, weeding, harvesting, and post-harvest field clean up)
• Help coordinate individual, group and corporate volunteers
• Follow Canadian Organic Standards and Food Safety protocols 
• Provide a welcoming space for community members to build self-confidence, wellness and personal skills
• May assist in Hope House Food Market
• Ability to follow health & safety protocols
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications
• Be between ages of 15-30 years of age
• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred
• Valid G Drivers License and reliable transportation to and from the work site

Working Conditions
• This position is in Guelph and required to work at the North Field Food Farm (5484 Hwy 6, Guelph ON)
• The work schedule is Monday to Friday with hours scheduled between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
• This is a part-time, 8-week contract based on 25 hours per week and $17 per hour
• The ideal start date is Monday, June 12, 2023

Competencies & Skills Required
• Knowledge and experience in gardening, ecological farming or other field work
• Ability to follow a sequence of instructions
• Knowledge and experience in working with basic farm tools
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills
• Ability to work independently and well with others
• Demonstrated ability to work with and show sensitivity to vulnerable populations and marginalized groups
• Works well outside in all weather, at a good pace
• Solid basic math and relational skills
• Commitment to Health & Safety, operating as a cohesive team and building community
• Ability to work and follow health & safety protocols
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs, load and unload supplies into vehicles and do repeated physical tasks
• Working knowledge of poverty (i.e. generational, situational, working poor)
• Ability to lead volunteer individuals/teams
• Provision of a vulnerable sector police check

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Hope House is an equal opportunities employer, committed to employment equity. We value diversity and invite all qualified candidates to apply. We welcome team members with the knowledge and skills to productively work with diverse communities. Hope House values lived experience alongside educational and workplace experience. Feel free to highlight your lived experience in your application, as you feel comfortable, as it will help us consider your application in a holistic way.

Hope House operates and advocates on the belief that poverty, food insecurity, inequality, health and  community are all interconnected. We offer services and programs that challenge the stigmas  surrounding poverty and allow our community members to maintain their dignity and choice, while  providing them with tactile skills developed in a community environment.

Hope House is located in the Guelph downtown core at 10 Cork Street East, which enables us to meet  many of the city’s needs. With 30,000 square feet of usable space, our facilities include a gymnasium, an auditorium, café, two kitchens, offices and meeting rooms. An accessible entrance and elevator are located on our Church Lane entrance.

Our mission is to provide tangible, compassionate assistance and care to those in the Guelph  community and abroad through immediate relief and ongoing support with the goal of a greater level  of independence. Our three core values are dignity, belonging and advocacy.


Events Committees


With various events focused around fundraising for Hope House, event committees are an essential part of planning and executing great community events like Hope in the Street, Joy Home Tour, and Coldest Night of the Year.

Want to join one of these great committees? Reach out to info@hopehouseguelph.ca.


Hope in the Street Event Committee

  • Shannon Ostetto Committee Chair
  • Nik Wever Entertainment Lead
  • Georgia Lavarini Social Media Lead
  • Mellissa B Volunteer Coordinator
  • Mahrukh Syed Volunteer Coordinator
  • Sean Furfaro Emcee
  • Alicia McDonald Website Lead
  • Rob Osborne Video Production Lead
  • Tara Chapman Licenses & Logistics Lead
  • Brandon Piebe Graphic Design Lead

Christmas Joy Home Tour Committee

  • Jenny Barretto Committee Chair
  • Kristen Harron Homes Coordinator
  • Claire Sutherns Marketing Chair
  • Liz O’Donnell Logistics Lead

Coldest Night of the Year Committee

  • Sean Yo Committee Co-chair
  • Laura Keller Committee Co-chair
  • Laura Slack
  • Erik Anderson
  • Nicole Boucek
  • Shawn Crews
  • Eleanor Davidson (Hope House Board of Directors)

“I feel tremendously grateful for the amazing team at Hope House who help bring this event to life every year. The support of the community from our sponsors, volunteers, and the walkers is wonderful. They all contribute to supporting the programs at Hope House makes this such a rewarding event to be a part of.” – Sean Yo