Volunteer opportunities

There are lots of ways to have a positive impact on your community. You can find a way to volunteer with the city and other resources on this page.

On this page:

  1. Current opportunities
  2. Youth volunteer opportunities
  3. Organize a community clean-up
  4. Brighten the day for your neighbours
  5. Get more involved in your neighbourhood
  6. Other ways to make an impact
  7. Volunteer with a local agency
  8. 2026 International Year of Volunteers

Current opportunities

Open the accordions below to discover current volunteer opportunities with the City of Kitchener.

English Conversation Circle volunteers facilitate conversations in small groups to help program participants practice their English, learn about every-day life in Canada, and connect with other students.
Volunteers must:
  • Be 18 or older
  • Have strong communication and interpersonal skills
  • Be a fluent and confident English speaker
  • Have a positive and patient attitude
  • Previous teaching/instructional experience in a classroom setting or with English Language Learners is beneficial but not required
Learn more about the opportunity and to apply to volunteer. This position will remain open until filled.

Help bring winter fun to your neighbourhood!

The City of Kitchener is adding three new outdoor winter rinks this season, bringing the total number of community rinks across the city to 30! 

New rink locations: 

  • Eden Oak Park, 125 Eden Oak Trail 

  • Greengable Park, 55 Greengable Way 

  • Tremaine Park, 14 William Lewis St. 

More volunteers are needed at neighbourhood rinks across the city. Whether you're experienced or new to rink maintenance, we'd love to have you join us. 

For more information and to apply to volunteer for this role, please click here

Under the guidance of an Adapted Aquatics Instructor, volunteers provide one-on-one support to children and adults with a disability by instructing and overseeing the swimming progression of their assigned participants. 

Volunteers must:

  • Be able to pass the swim test
  • Be 14 years old or older
  • Available for training on September 10, 2026, 5 to 8 p.m.

The next session of Adapted Aquatics runs September 17 to October 29, 2026 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Forest Heights Pool.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis for each program session. 

For more information and to apply to volunteer in this program, please click here

If you have any questions about applying, please contact AdaptedAquatics@kitchener.ca or call 519-741-2493.

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Youth volunteer opportunities

Do you know a young person looking for volunteer hours? Check out these opportunities:

For any questions about BYLD, Youth Crew, KYAC or PYEC, please send us an email.

Organize a community clean-up

Organize your own community clean-up of a local park, public space, or trail. If your clean-up is in April, register online to get free supplies from your local community centre.

Community clean-ups bring people together for a common cause: cleaning up our community. They provide an opportunity to see how a small act for a short time can have a great impact. When people get involved in cleaning their neighbourhoods, parks and open spaces, they are less likely to litter and more likely to keep it clean.

Brighten the day for your neighbours

Consider simple ways you can make a positive contribution to your neighbourhood, like:

  • helping neighbours bring in their trash or recycling bins
  • dropping off positive cards or notes
  • arranging to have a meal delivered to someone’s home
  • keeping your property neat and attractive
  • recognize a garden that you think makes Kitchener a greener, more vibrant or sustainable place to live by submitting the address for a Kitchener in Bloom award

Get more involved in your neighbourhood

Check out the What's in my Neighbourhood? map, reach out to a nearby community centre to find out which neighbourhood association is active in your area and ask if they’re looking for volunteers, or take some time to connect with your neighbour and start planning a neighbourhood project with the help of a neighourhood liaison.

You could also get to know your neighbours better by organizing a virtual, or outdoor gathering.

Other ways to make an impact

Open the accordions below to find other ways to make a positive impact in your community.

As a household, sort through toys, books, clothes, linens, and other items from your home. Local organizations that will accept clean items in good repair include Thrift on Kent and Worth a Second Look. If you want to share your books with others in your neighbourhood, consider placing them in a Little Library.

Many agencies and community organizations keep yearly or seasonal wish lists of products and items that help their clients in their daily lives or just help the agency to run more smoothly, for example:

“Take what you need. Leave what you can.”

Did you know Community Fridge KW is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week outside the Kitchener Market (300 King Street East, Kitchener)? Donations of fresh produce and non-perishable food items can be dropped off, or picked up, anytime. 519 Nourish Community Fridge is also accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 150 Roger Street in Waterloo.

Do you have a good neighbour? Nominate them for the Good Neighbour recognition program so they know their efforts are appreciated! You can nominate a Kitchener resident, group, business, or organization who makes your neighbourhood a better place to live. You will receive a thank you card signed by the mayor and a member of council to give to your neighbour. Nominees will also be entered into a bi-monthly draw to win great prizes. Find information about other City of Kitchener awards and recognition opportunities on our website.

Volunteer with a local agency

If you’re looking to make a positive impact over a longer period, you may want to consider volunteering with a local organization. Visit the Volunteer Waterloo Region website to see what in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities are available.

2026 United Nations International Year of Volunteers 

The United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Volunteer Year in recognition of the role volunteers play in sustainable development. It’s a global call to action to celebrate the ways in which people generously give their time, care, and energy to strengthen their communities.

This once-in-a-generation opportunity will celebrate the power of civic participation and aims to renew Canada’s culture of volunteering. To learn more, visit the Volunteer Canada website.

Contact Us

City of Kitchener
200 King Street West,
Kitchener, Ontario
N2G 4G7
Telephone: 519-741-2345
TTY: 1-866-969-9994
Email: info@kitchener.ca

Land acknowledgement

The City of Kitchener is situated on the traditional territory of the Chonnonton, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee Peoples. We recognize our responsibility to act as stewards for the land and honour the original caretakers who came before us. Our community is enriched by the enduring knowledge and deep-rooted traditions of the diverse First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples who live in Kitchener today.