Volunteers’ Rights
The right to feel safe
You have the right to be apprised of any potential risks and have precautionary measures and safety procedures in place to ensure your physical and emotional well-being.
The right to information about your volunteer role or project
You have the right to know who, what, when and how of your volunteer position.
The right to feel valued
You have the right to feel that your time and contribution, however long you have volunteered and whatever your task may be, are valued.
The right to negotiate your volunteer role
You have the right to talk to your supervisor to discuss ways you might be able to shift your role or take on another project or position.
The right to leave
You have the right to leave the position or do something else if, after talking and working with your supervisor, you still feel unhappy, unappreciated or unsatisfied with your volunteer experience.
For more information about your rights, visit A volunteer’s bill of rights and responsibilities.
Volunteers’ Responsibilities
Responsible to communicate your needs
Advise your supervisor that you are not getting from the experience what you had hoped for, together, you can work to improve the situation.
Responsible to follow through on your obligations
Do what you say you will do. Whether it is honouring the volunteer role and schedule you have agreed to, providing ample notice if you are unable to per-form your tasks and responsibilities, saying no or stepping away from volunteering when necessary, or simply serving as a good representative of the organization in the community – this is your obligation.
Responsible to deliver what you promised
By not following through with your promise you can potentially hurt the reputation of the organization and compromise the trust of the team you are working with.
Responsible to honour the organization’s investment in you
Organizations invest quite a bit in their volunteers via staff time, tools and training.
Responsible to Take Care of Yourself
Make sure that you are not overextending yourself, burning out or causing yourself physical, mental or emotional harm by taking on roles that are not a good fit or for which you are not prepared.
Why a Police Check?
Volunteer West Island is here to support you in your work. We conduct background police checks, a necessary step to ensure the safety of clients, especially those citizens most likely to become victims of abuse. VWI is pleased to do background checks for community groups that work with children, the elderly or those who are physically or mentally handicapped. Volunteers who deliver meals or accompany clients to hospitals or medical appointments also require a police check for these “one-on-one” activities.
For more information about policy checks, visit understanding police records checks.
Are background checks mandatory by law?
No, but if a volunteer applicant has committed an offense, several factors must be considered to determine whether the offense is relevant to the applicant’s ability to perform in the volunteer position. Don’t forget, police verifications are only valid for 3 years.
Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement
The Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement is a guide to strengthen relationships between volunteers and the organization to ensure effective volunteer involvement. The code looks at how to integrate core principles such as values, Guiding Principles, and standards.
For more information about screening, visit the screening handbook.
Benefits of Volunteering
- Your community can benefit from your talents, skills and perspectives
- You can improve the lives of your neighbours and community members
- You can improve the environment in which you live
- You can share your experiences and culture with those around you
- You can address community issues or needs
- You can join neighbours in creating a more inclusive community through engagement and participation
Volunteer Resources
Accès Bénévolat
Centre d’action bénévole de Bordeaux-Cartierville
Centre d’action bénévole Montréal
Centre d’action bénévole Montréal-Nord
Centre ABC – Centre d’action bénévole et communautaires Saint-Laurent
Centre d’action bénévole et Moisson Laval
Centre d’action bénévole de Rivière-des-Prairies
VWI is a member of the FCABQ, an organization that brings together 114 Volunteer Centers in Quebec.
Jebénévole.ca is the only provincial pairing platform.
Volunteer Canada provides national leadership and expertise.
RABQ is a place of promotion and development of a global vision of Volunteer Action in Quebec.