Volunteer Opportunities

There are many opportunities to volunteer at The Cridge Centre for the Family, and they are all inspiring and fulfilling!

The Cridge Child Care Centre

Volunteers are always needed in every age group. Would you like to make lunch for a six-month-old baby after nap time? Perhaps you would prefer to teach some seven-year-olds how to build a birdhouse! Or does the idea of reading a story to a group of wide-eyed kindergarten children appeal to you?

Volunteers with special interests or talents could run a club for 3-4 months in our school-age care program – mid to late afternoon, one or two afternoons a week.  Or perhaps even just a one-time visit.

Bi-annual deep cleaning – can you bring a team of co-workers, family, friends, youth group, ladies bible-study and help with some organizing and cleaning?

To be considered for these and many other unique ways to help, please email or phone Paula West-Patrick for infants through age five at pwestpatrick@cridge.org or phone 250-995-6416 or contact Tim Latour for children ages five to twelve at saccoordinator@cridge.org 250-995-6407

The Cridge Transition House for Women

Volunteers warm the heart of The Cridge Transition House for Women! They drive women to appointments, take them apartment hunting, spend time with children letting them know they are valued and cared about, fill the house with delicious smells of baking, and help out with dozens of other tasks and errands.

We ask that our volunteers commit to a 4-hour shift once per week (days and times are entirely negotiable). Because of the extensive training provided at no cost to participants, we also ask that volunteers commit to doing a minimum of 96 volunteer hours (that works out to be one shift per week for six months).

Volunteer shifts can be at any time between 8 am and 10:00 pm.

Call  250-479-3963 or volcoordinator@cridge.org for an interview and the dates of the next training sessions.

The Cridge Supportive Housing

Would you be interested in providing assistance to staff during groups and activities? This would involve tasks like preparing coffee and refreshments, helping with set up (eg, flip chart, tables, chairs), and helping with clean up. Note: this volunteer role is only available for females.

Have you any experience with teaching English as a Second Language? Conversational language partners and those able to help our new Canadians are always welcomed. Note: this volunteer role is only available for females.

Are you able to help us with your time and vehicle and energy by picking up donations and getting them to their new home?

For more information contact Candace Stretch, Manager of The Cridge Supportive Housing & Family Services at 250-995-6404,  or email cstretch@cridge.org

The Cridge Brain Injury Services

Volunteers make a huge difference in the lives of the people we support. Volunteers generally support residents with recreation and leisure pursuits at our licenced residential facility. The Cridge Brain Injury Program has a supportive environment where volunteers can enjoy themselves while learning, contributing to their community and improving the lives of others.

Placements match volunteer’s interests and schedules with ones of a resident. We provide supervision, guidance and learning opportunities for volunteers to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to enjoy volunteering. It gives an excellent opportunity to gain experience for any career in a helping profession.

The Cridge Brain Injury Program has a residence located in Saanich, BC.

To volunteer, please contact Geoff Sing at gsing@cridge.org or by phoning 250-479-5299.

The Cridge Respite & Respitality Services

Volunteers help prepare and deliver gifts to local hotels for the families accessing a Respitality stay. (Respitality is a program that provides parents or guardians of a child with a disability a chance for rest and rejuvenation in a welcoming and comfortable environment while their child receives respite care in the family home.  They receive a complimentary overnight stay for two in a hotel, bed-and-breakfast or resort.)

For more information please contact Candace Stretch, Manager of The Cridge Supportive Housing & Family Services at 250-995-6404, or email cstretch@cridge.org

The Cridge Village Seniors’ Centre

The Cridge Village Seniors’ Centre is home to approximately 85 seniors receiving assisted living services.  Caring and positive volunteers are always needed to offer their talents and gifts in a number of opportunities within the recreation program. These can include assisting our recreation staff with a planned activity or outing, planning and running an activity in your own area of interest, spending time one on one with residents or doing special tasks (see list of current needs) all of which support our recreation team to provide valuable services to help our seniors thrive. In these ways, volunteers contribute to addressing residents’ physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs, which provides enrichment to both residents and volunteers.

Under orders of the Provincial Health Officer our Seniors’ Centre is currently closed to non-essential personal. While we value the contributions of our community volunteers, we have unfortunately had to suspend our volunteer program. Please check back again at a later time to see if things have changed.

The Cridge Young Parent Outreach Program

We appreciate the donations we receive but sure could use some help sorting and distributing clothing and other donations.

Join us for music with our moms and babies – bring a smile and singing voice. (limited # of volunteers due to space limitations.)

For more information please contact Marlene Goley, Manager of The Cridge Transition House and Outreach Services at 250-479-3861, mgoley@cridge.org

Maintenance

Would we be able to call you for occasional handyman tasks? (i.e. furniture built, projects for daycare)

Do you have a good hand for painting (i.e. walls, railing, bookcases, etc.)

For more information please contact Shelley Morris, CEO at 250-995-6403, smorris@cridge.org

Ride for Refuge

Occurring on a Saturday morning in late September/early October annually. This is a family-friendly 5k walk or 10, 25, or 50k bike ride.

Would you like to participate as a team captain or a participant, or a donor to benefit the work of The Cridge Centre? Free lunch provided.

For more information please contact Marina Bazalitskaya, Communications department at 250-220-8574 or email marinab@cridge.org

Volunteer Application