Volunteering Is Work of the Heart

Volunteering with Family and Children’s Services is a wonderful way to use your time and talents to help children in Niagara. By volunteering with us, you would be joining a community of like-minded people who all want to see children get the best start in life.

Drive with Us!

FACS has a great need for volunteer drivers. Our volunteer drivers help children and youth get to visitations with family, medical appointments, and other important activities vital to their positive growth and development. Many of the children and youth we serve appreciate getting to know our volunteer drivers and having another caring adult in their lives.

We are looking for people of all life stages to support volunteer drives. This can be a great opportunity for people seeking experience, working professionals, and retirees.

As a volunteer driver with FACS, you:

  • Set your own schedule. We work around your availability!
  • Are reimbursed at a rate of 56 cents per kilometre

To get started on the road to becoming a volunteer driver with us, simply fill out the contact form and our team will reach out to you within one business day.

Volunteer Application Form

Your First Name
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Field is required!
Your Last Name
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Your Phonenumber
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Invalid phonenumber!
Your E-mail Address
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Which volunteer opportunities interest you? A description of each opportunity is listed below the form. Please refer to the description to inform your selection.
(select all that apply)
Please select a Volunteer Opportunity
Please select a Volunteer Opportunity
What other volunteer opportunity do you suggest?
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Field is required!
How did you hear about us?
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Please fill out the "How did you hear about us" section.
Please fill out the "How did you hear about us" section.
Please fill out the other way you heard about us:
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Submit

Family and Children’s Services Niagara appreciates your interest in volunteering with our organization and is able to accept applications from individuals aged 18 years and over. *Please note that your email address will only be used to communicate with you about volunteering with FACS Niagara. Your email address will not be used for any other purposes and will never be provided to a third party.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to become a volunteer?

We deeply appreciate everyone who is willing to support our community. Our volunteers work with children, youth, and families we serve, so it’s important that we have a thorough application process to get to know all our volunteers.

Our application process includes:

  • An in-person meeting
  • Reference checks
  • Medical clearance
  • Police record checks
  • Driver’s record search
  • Child Protection Information Network (CPIN) network search

This process supports safety and a positive experience for everyone. We appreciate your understanding and will work to complete the process in a timely and efficient manner.

What are some of the things I can do as a FACS Volunteer?

Our greatest need right now is for additional volunteer drivers. We would be grateful if you would be able to assist our children and youth in that capacity.

However, there are other volunteer opportunities at FACS, including:

Childcare for children of various ages is required to allow parents involved in agency-sponsored programs (Positive Parenting, Strengthening Families) to attend weekly group sessions, typically from September to June. Childcare is usually provided in a community setting in association with the specific program.

Childcare is provided to allow parents to attend necessary appointments such as counselling sessions, health care appointments, parenting courses, etc., when they have no alternative means of childcare. Periodically childcare can be provided as relief dependent upon each individual family situation.

FACS operates two childcare centres in St. Catharines. Volunteers are needed to assist with the children with a minimum commitment of at least one morning or afternoon per week. The volunteer will help with crafts, snacks, and interactive play upon direction from Agency staff.

Drivers provide transportation services for our children, youth and families throughout the Niagara Region and surrounding areas. Volunteer drivers provide the opportunity for the Agency to extend services to children, youth, and families to attend appointments and visits that are vital to their growth and development.

FACS offers programs after regular business hours, and therefore volunteers are needed to supervise the reception area and direct clients to appointments, group meetings and programs.

This special program benefits children, youth, and families with whom FACS works during the holiday season. Through the generosity of community donors, volunteers and staff, new toys, clothing, and gifts are donated to many children and their families. The Holiday Hero will organize, wrap and oversee the donations for FACS during this very busy time.

Volunteers are needed throughout the year to knit various items for infants and children, including baby layettes, mittens, scarves, and slipper socks. These items are distributed through our Project Noah program as and directly to our families and foster homes as required.

A Special Friend (Mentor) volunteer spends one-on-one time with an assigned child to provide opportunities for recreational, educational and social outings and offer guidance and positive role modelling. A commitment of one outing per week or every other week for a one-year term is required.

Team Volunteers provide an extension of service to clients that professional staff cannot fulfill because of limited time available. The Team Volunteer provides weekly assistance in our supervised access group environment. These include our Infant, Toddler and/or School Aged program groups. The volunteer will assist with program content, crafts, snacks, and interactive play with direction from FACS staff.

FACS has modern, fully equipped toy rooms in our three offices to provide an interesting and safe place for children of all ages to play, colour, read or play games while visiting. A Toy Room Volunteer inspects and cleans toys and organizes the room on a weekly basis.

Volunteers are required to provide one-to-one assistance to children who may be experiencing difficulties at school and need extra help. A commitment of one hour per week throughout the school year is required and is typically completed in the child’s home where appropriate.

Volunteers in the Homework Club provide tutorial assistance in a small group setting to elementary school children who are experiencing difficulties with their schoolwork and educational learning. The volunteer will assist with the completion of homework and the teaching of positive study habits.