Volunteer Corner

VOLUNTEERS ARE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND ECOLOGY OTTAWA

We depend on volunteers to get the word out, organize events, monitor city council, research innovative solutions to urban environmental problems, and raise funds. Together we can make a big difference and a small contribution of your time can go a long way. Please consider being part of the Ecology Ottawa team.

How Do I Volunteer?

It’s easy!

  1. Click here to read an Introduction to volunteering with Ecology Ottawa. Then, please take a minute to fill out this Volunteer Questionnaire and Volunteer Agreement for new volunteers. When you are finished, please submit the forms to our volunteer coordinators at volunteer@ecologyottawa.ca or drop them off in person at our office, 1 Nicholas Street, Suite 430, Ottawa.
  2. Current volunteer opportunities are posted regularly in the Volunteer Corner on our website (scroll down to view them). You will also be added to an e-mail list for Ecology Ottawa volunteers and will begin receiving regular emails about volunteer opportunities.
  3. All new volunteers are welcome to attend our various committee meetings (Council Watch, Events Committee, etc).
  4. Keep us up to date on any particular skill or new interest that you have. If we need to find someone on short notice we use the information contained in your Volunteer Questionnaire to get in touch with you.
  5. It’s a two-way street so if you have a specific idea please contact us and we may be able to support you. We’re always looking for volunteers to take the lead on a great idea.
  6. Finally, do not forget to sign-up for our electronic newsletter, Ecology Ottawa Updates, to stay informed about how you can get involved in important environmental issues in the city of Ottawa.

Thank you for offering to volunteer with Ecology Ottawa and welcome to the team!

Logging your volunteer hours
Recording the total number of volunteer hours you have logged is very important for fundraising. Please be sure to log the number of hours you spend volunteering for Ecology Ottawa. Download this Volunteer form for logging hours, fill it out and submit it once you have finished a volunteer job or at the end of the month for ongoing volunteer activities.

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Join Ecology Ottawa’s 5th Annual Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale team!
Planning is getting underway for one of Ecology Ottawa’s biggest events of the year, the Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale, which will take place on Saturday, May 26. Ecology Ottawa is currently seeking volunteers to help plan and implement this exciting community event. In addition to general volunteers for the event, we are seeking a group of highly committed volunteers to join the Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale Organizing Committee. We are hoping to fill the following leadership roles: Co-Chair, Volunteer Coordinator, Sponsorship Coordinator, Food Coordinator, and Entertainment Coordinator. If you are interested in joining the Organizing Committee or volunteering/supporting the event in any other manner please contact Josh Snider at garagesale@ecologyottawa.ca or 613.321.3392. More information about the organizing committee can be found here.
The Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale has become one of Ecology Ottawa’s flagship annual events. What started as a humble fundraiser in 2008 has grown into a massive event, that—in addition to the garage sale itself—now features performers on stilts, DJs playing music, live bands, massage therapists giving massages for charity, face painting for kids, hula hoop lessons, a bake sale, a vegetarian BBQ, even a portable public washroom on site, and much, much more! Over the past 4 years, this event has diverted tonnes of potential waste from Ottawa landfills and raised over $20,000! Mark your calendar: One of the year’s most fun and exciting community events will take place on May 26. Start your spring cleaning now and stay tuned for more details about the event and how to donate your unwanted items soon.

Volunteer Photographers, Videographers – 5th Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale

We are looking for volunteer photographers and videographers for the 5th Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale on Saturday, May 26, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Ecology Ottawa will be using the photos and videos to document the event and also potentially for press releases.

Photo Ops: garage sale, live musical performances, DJs, kids face painting, massages, henna tattooing, volunteers, veggie BBQ, bake sale, eco-friendly practices and products at the sale.

For more details or to volunteer, please contact JF at jfnoblecoughlin@yahoo.ca.

Event Boothing Volunteers Wanted

We are looking for volunteers to staff the Ecology Ottawa booth at the following events:

  • The Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale! May 26th, 8am-4pm. Shifts:8-10:30, 10:30-12, 12-2:30, 2:30-4.   If you are able to fill one or more shifts, please let Jenelle know!
  • Carnival of Cultures,  June 8th-10th. Location of event at City Hall Plaza. Times available for boothing:   Friday: 10am-2pm& 6pm-10pm; Saturday: 12-9pm;  Sunday:12pm-8pm. If you can fill a whole shift or part of a shift, please let Jenelle know!

For more details or to volunteer for some or all hours posted, contact Jenelle at jenelle.orchard@ecologyottawa.ca.

High School Students across Ottawa (Orleans, Kanata, Centretown, Barrhaven, etc)- Help Clean Up the Ottawa River

Ecology Ottawa is inviting high school students across the city to earn their volunteer hours with us and help us prevent sewage from being dumped into the Ottawa River. We are looking for help distributing information and getting petitions signed.

For more information or to volunteer, please sign up here.

Community Demographics Researchers

We are looking to complete a study of the environmental engagement of communities across Ottawa. This would include looking at the demographics information, the existing organizations operating in the area, previous actions related to environmental issues, etc. A template will be provided. Please contact janice.ashworth@ecologyottawa.ca or call 613-860-5353 if you are interested.

Solar Power Workshops and Fair Volunteers

We are looking for help to organize the Ottawa Solar Fair on June 16th at City Hall. Also, we are looking to host workshops on solar power for homeowners and businesses. If you are interested in helping, please contact janice.ashworth@ecologyottawa.ca, 613-860-5353

Annual Dinner Planning Volunteers

We are looking for help to organize the Ecology Ottawa Annual Dinner, which will take place on Oct 24th, 2012. We need help securing donations of food and silent auction items, arranging entertainment, postering, selling tickets, and preparing food. If you are interested in joining the team, please contact 860-5353 or janice.ashworth@ecologyottawa.ca.

Communications Team Volunteers 

Review and Improve upon existing Website content: This volunteer position involves providing feedback about the content on the new Ecology Ottawa website. You would be required to meet with key Ecology Ottawa staff and volunteers to discuss their issues and concerns with the content on the website. You would also review the new website yourself, as well as the old Ecology Ottawa website. You will then make recommendations based on this research and report to the Communications Team. This position would be a very hands-on role and would require a commitment of about 20-30 hours total. Experience in creating and/or maintaining websites would be an asset, as would a clear understanding of the type of work Ecology Ottawa does.

For more information or to volunteer please contact Trevor at trevor.hache@ecologyottawa.ca.

A list of our general volunteer needs includes the following (if you are interested please contact volunteer@ecologyottawa.ca):

Translation: We are committed to developing a fully bilingual website and we need help translating material.  We especially need people who have professional translation experience and/or training.

Databasing: We need help preparing data to be integrated into one of our databases (this does not required technical expertise).

Fundraising: Maintaining the website, producing and disseminating material and securing space for Ecology Ottawa booths at key events all cost money. Fundraising is one of the most essential ingredients to the success of Ecology Ottawa. There are a wide range of ways that you can contribute to organizational fundraising, and we would be very interested in discussing ideas with you if this is an area that interests you.

Events Planning: We need creative, energetic people to help us think of and carry out events that will make sure City Hall is not making environmentally harmful decisions and connect Ottawa to its local environment.

Boothing/Staffing Key Events: Ecology Ottawa hopes to have booths at the various festivals and events that will occur during the Fall. We will use these booths to provide Ottawa residents with information about Ecology Ottawa (and other environmental organizations active in the city) and collect signatures in support of our campaigns. We are starting to collect names of volunteers that would be willing to help prepare and staff these booths.

Council Watch: Ecology Ottawa is in large part about holding City Council accountable for its environmental performance. We have a team that puts out an annual report card on the environmental voting records of individual City Councillors. We need volunteers to help us research and write this report card.

Design Expertise: We need volunteers that can help us design posters, pamphlets, banners, and a wide range of other Ecology Ottawa material.

Research: If you have experience with research and writing and are interested in environmental policy there are a range of areas where we could use your help.

Writing:  We need good writers to help us write articles for local media.