Volunteer

As a member of the DSRF volunteer team, your commitment to people with Down syndrome is priceless. Whether you’re assisting at a fundraising event or helping deliver one of our programs or services, you play a key role in helping our clients flourish.

Who are our volunteers? Many are students looking for meaningful experience working with people with disabilities as they prepare for careers in fields such as speech and language, physiotherapy, or education. Some are people with disabilities, putting their diverse talents to good use. Some are professionals who bring their skills and hobbies to our students as guest speakers, readers, or teachers. We also have many siblings, grandparents, and parents joining our extended family as volunteers.

We want to ensure equal access for all of our volunteer opportunities. We welcome volunteers with diverse abilities, and people of any age, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. We will provide accommodations wherever possible; please email our Employment Specialist Aja Masters at aja@dsrf.org for support with the application process.

Thank you for considering sharing your time and talent with our students. To apply to volunteer at DSRF, please complete our volunteer application form.

Please Note: At this time we can only accept volunteers who live in BC’s Lower Mainland as all our volunteer opportunities are in person.

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Run Up for Down Syndrome

Run Up for Down Syndrome is BC’s BIGGEST annual Down syndrome event, and it takes an army of volunteers to pull it off! Volunteer roles include set-up and take-down, registration tent, food tent, course marshals and more.

Run Up for Down Syndrome takes place on June 2, 2024 at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby.

For more information, email aja@dsrf.org. To apply to volunteer, please complete our volunteer application form.

Let’s InterACT: An Integrated Improv Ensemble

DSRF’s improv program Let’s InterACT depends on volunteers who:

  • enjoy working with students with Down syndrome and other disabilities
  • are dependable and there when needed
  • have a positive attitude and high energy
  • have a love for theatre and acting; no previous improv experience required, just a willingness to learn and a “YES and” attitude
  • can provide a criminal record check for vulnerable populations

Volunteers are needed for both the Winter/Spring 2023 session (Jan 4 – Jun 14, 2023) and the Fall 2023 session (Sept 13 – Dec 13, 2023). The program runs on Wednesdays from 3:30-5:30 at DSRF’s Burnaby centre.

For more information, email liv@dsrf.org. To apply to volunteer, please complete our volunteer application form.

Respite Work

Are you interested in doing respite work for families? Email Aja for information.