Volunteering

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Cancer Assistance Program needs volunteer drivers

McMaster researchers in the School of Rehabilitation Science are looking for adults aged 55 - 75 with early changes in their mobility to take part in a study looking at whether people who are noticing changes in their walking ability show improvements in mobility after completing one of three 12-week programs.

1. The Stepping-Up Program (includes virtual group exercise and self-management education)
2. The Telephone-Based Walking Program (includes telephone coaching from a physiotherapist)
3. The Chair-Based Yoga Program (includes virtual group yoga sessions)

You may be eligible to take part if you…

• Are experiencing recent changes in the way you walk 2 kilometres
• Are 55-75 years of age
• Do not use a walking aid
• Can be active for 60 minutes
• Have an email address and a laptop computer with internet capabilities of running the video-conferencing platform Zoom©

Eligible participants will undergo 4 virtual assessments with a physiotherapist over 36 weeks. There is no cost to participate.

If you are interested in participating or would like to find out if you are eligible, please contact Susanne Sinclair ssincla@mcmaster.ca.

Recruitment has begun and will continue until December 2023.

The Nanny Angel Network (NAN) has expanded free cancer support to the Hamilton area. NAN provides free in-home and virtual childcare support to moms with cancer and their children.

Website https://nannyangelnetwork.com/

For more information or to volunteer please contact 416-730-0025 extension 218 or email volunteer@nannyangelnetwork.com.

Volunteers are required for the Welcome Inn Community Centre’s Community Visitation program. Volunteers are matched up with seniors in the Hamilton area to talk by phone on a regular basis. The goal is to offer friendship and support in an effort to ease isolation and ensure seniors are able to live independently for as long as possible.

Website https://welcomeinn.ca/seniors-programs/

For more information or to volunteer, please contact 289-260-3771 or kari@welcomeinn.ca.

As many of you are probably aware, there is a crisis in palliative and hospice care in Ontario. Home Hospice Association (HHA) is a not-for-profit, federally registered charity that delivers free palliative and hospice care to anyone, at any time, under any roof, at any age.

We are asking you to become part of our volunteer force.

The fact that Boomers and Seniors currently account for 45% of Ontario’s population means that we have an incredible resource from which to draw volunteers. We believe that volunteers of all ages are incredibly valuable. However, we know that Boomers and Seniors bring with them specific qualities, highlighted by

The benefits to you include, but are not limited to:

Our clients are facing life-limiting illnesses. After online training, HHA volunteers confidently help in a variety of ways, from operational work such as event-planning, to committee work, and hands-on caregiving in the home. The possibilities are as limitless as the skills our volunteers bring with them.

For more information about HHA and how you can help, please go to our website https://www.homehospiceassociation.com/volunteer-your-talents. There, you can read about our various programs and submit a volunteer application form.

Make a long-lasting, positive difference as a mentor with Empowerment Squared by assisting newcomer youth and families with settling in Canada.
 
Based in Hamilton, Empowerment Squared is a Canadian charity that works with youth and communities to effect sustainable change through education, social development, and lifelong learning opportunities. We aim to empower less privileged communities through academic mentoring for youth and young adults, information literacy, leadership development, and supervised access to sports and recreation opportunities.
 
Training and support provided.

Volunteers play an essential role in the Empowerment Squared organization. Mentors commit to two hours of volunteering per week for a minimum of 10-15 weeks.  Must attend training sessions, complete intake package, provide references and pass a vulnerable sector criminal background check.

Volunteers must also:

• Be serious about their commitment
• Be patient, respectful, and act within the boundaries defined by their position
• Be committed to learning, diversity and youth development
• Be willing to step out of their comfort zones in a supportive environment
• Possess a desire to make a difference in someone’s life
• Enjoy working with youth and newcomer communities in a supportive team environment
  

For more information visit the Empowerment Squared website.

Are you looking for an opportunity to volunteer remotely? Visit the Hamilton Public Library’s volunteer opportunity page to learn about GritLIT and Newcomer Learning Centre Online Tutoring.

GritLIT is looking for volunteers to read to residents of Hamilton long-term care facilities via Zoom, for 40-50 minutes per visit. See the GritLIT website for more information, qualifications, and to register.

Newcomer Learning Centre Online Tutoring
This program provides English language learning through video/audio chats twice per week, for one hour each session. Visit the Learning Centre website for more information, qualifications, and to complete an online application.

TechServeTO is a non-profit started by a McMaster graduate student to create connections for seniors (like his immigrant grandparents) so that they can contact family and friends and take part in learning/entertainment experiences. Volunteers are trained to provide tech help over the phone. The website offers lessons on how to use smart phones and Zoom, for example. They are expanding across Canada. Hamilton is an obvious priority.

Interested volunteers can sign up for training on the website. You might also know of young people keen for this type of training – they too can register here. For more information, contact Ellen Ryan at ryaneb@mcmaster.ca.