HELP US GROW TEAM

Do you want to see more people supporting BG’s work, or have an eye for creative FUNdraising? Join the Help Us Grow Team. This team develops relationships and plans campaigns to generate the funds and resources that allow BG to do its important work.  As the global community turns its attention to the challenges of climate change, now is the time to grow our impact by reaching more people and strengthening long term behavioural change.

Experience/requirements: If you are 18 years of age or older with fundraising, networking, or sales experience, we would love to learn more about you and how you can help us reach our goals.  

Volunteer Activities: The Help us Grow Team plans, coordinates, and delivers fundraising campaigns and membership drives,  while creating and fostering donor and partnership relationships.

Approximate time commitment: 10 hours per month participating at team meetings (once a month), working from home conducting research/on-line communications as well as occasional community outreach to support fundraising campaigns.

EVENTS & COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM

After 10 years of successful programing and outreach, we need your help to grow our impact and reach even more members of our community to make long term environmental change. The Events and Community Outreach Team is a group of volunteers who are passionate about raising environmental awareness and sharing the work BurlingtonGreen does with the wider community. Members of this team work with the Marketing Coordinator and other staff to serve as ambassadors for BG at our various outreach booths and events. 

Outreach opportunities include:

• Our Eco-film festival 
• Outreach Booths at festivals and community events throughout the year
• Youth Environmental Summit & evening Eco-Celebration (held every few years)
• Annual General Meeting (AGM held in March)
• Community Clean up Green Up  (annual week long city-wide litter clean up plus a tree planting event held on or around Earth Day each year)
• Special Events hosted by BurlingtonGreen

Experience/requirements:  If you are 16 years of age or older with top notch customer service and organizational skills, who enjoys working on a team, then this might be the perfect 'fit' for you! Comfort speak with the public and familiarity with environmental issues is a definite asset for this volunteer opportunity. 

Volunteer Activities include: Team members help with event logistics, set-up, execution, and take-down, and may also be involved in promotions and planning. 

Approximate time commitment: As a member of the Events Team, you can choose to participate in as many events as your schedule allows. Volunteers are expected to attend orientation and training and will shadow BG staff at their first event. 

You can learn more about our popular Events here.

ECO-ACTION TEAM

These energetic, hands-on team members enjoy working outdoors, making new friends and getting their hands dirty! Team members can participate in one event, or dig in and do them all.  Lots of flexibility here while contributing to initiatives with immediate benefits to the environment. We are scaling up all these initiatives to have even more people take action to benefit the environment. We can’t do it without more team members and we hope you will consider getting involved today!

Learn more about the various activities that this team participates in here:

Event Greening: It doesn’t get more hands on than sorting waste at community events to divert compost and recyclable materials from the general garbage. The events are kept light and fun with real team spirit as we focus on getting the job done - and you can immediately see the difference you are making for our landfills, diverting as much as 90% or more waste to recycling and compost! We are growing the number of public events we provide services for each year, so we are really excited to grow this team of volunteers.

Experience/requirements: Age 12+. (Under 14 must be accompanied by an adult). No experience required.  Training is provided as well as refreshments, work gloves and a BG t-shirt to wear. Work is generally outdoors, can involve lifting, pulling, and standing for a few hours at a time, and volunteers can expect to get dirty!

Approximate time commitment: Volunteers are needed for various shifts generally from 3 to 6 hours (up to 8 hours depending on availability) and can participate in one or more events during the year. More details about our Event Greening service are available here.

Habitat Restoration: In addition to hosting an annual “Green Up” ( tree planting) event each year in partnership with the City of Burlington, we also support community partners such as the Royal Botanical Gardens with various habitat restoration projects.  Residents from the community are invited to participate in these hands-on rewarding activities of removing invasive plant.

Experience/requirements: Age 12+. (Under 14 must be accompanied by an adult). No experience required.  Volunteers should be physically able to use a shovel or crouch down and use a garden trowel. Training and instruction is provided as well as refreshments, work gloves and a BG t-shirt to wear. Work is outdoors and volunteers can expect to get dirty!

Volunteer Activities include: working with and directing community volunteers with litter collection, invasive plant removal and plant, shrub and tree planting projects in Burlington.

Approximate time commitment: This will vary but generally 2 - 4 hours are required to carry out the habitat restoration activities for each project.

More details about our Green Up project and habitat restoration actvities can be found here.

“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” –W. Buffett
 

COMMUNITY CLEAN UP GREEN UP

BurlingtonGreen hosts a dual component Clean Up Green Up event every April in partnership with the City of Burlington. Our 2019 dates are up, registration opens in March!

The city-wide Community Clean Up begins during the week leading up to earth day, which is a great time for schools, business, or groups who have time during the weekday to participate. Neighbourhood groups, community organizations and families including CHILDREN can also participate throughout the city on the Saturday closest to Earth Day (April 22nd) .

After the Clean Up comes the Green Up, an event where volunteers join BG to plant native trees in a selected location in the community. Our Community Champions Network serve as liaisons helping to spread the word on this great opportunity while encouraging clean-up activities within their own neighbourhoods and workplaces.  

DIY Clean Up Green Ups: You can also take action to clean up litter from where you live, work, and play year round. With a bit more time and research, you can also undertake your own Green Up by selecting a location to remove invasive plant species and improve biodiversity by planting native plants, shrubs and trees. Our Plan a Clean up Green up web page offers some handy step-by-steps tips!

GROW TO GIVE GARDENERS

BurlingtonGreen's impactful Grow To Give food donation program is all about positive action for the community. Volunteers come together to plant, grow, harvest and donate fresh, healthy, organic produce to local food banks. We have three plots located at the Central Park Community Garden (behind the Central Library on New Street).

Experience/requirements: Age 16+ No experience required.  Volunteers should be physically able to use a shovel or crouch down and use a garden trowel. Training and instruction is provided.  Volunteers often work alone or in pairs and can expect to get dirty.

Volunteer Activities include planting vegetables in early spring maintaining (watering and weeding) and harvesting the produce through the growing season to early November, and then helping to close up the garden for the winter months.

Approximate time commitment:  Varies depending on the number of volunteers supporting the program at a given time.  An estimated 1-3 hours per week during gardening season with a heavier concentration of hours during peak activity periods such as planting, summertime watering and at harvest times.

More details about our Grow to Give program can be found here

ADVOCACY TEAM

There's never been a better or more exciting time to get involved in BurlingtonGreen's Advocacy Team. Be part of positive, solutions driven work that forms a core pillar of BG's strategic plan. Learn the inner workings of city and regional politics and participate in shaping the agenda and decisions towards a greener, more sustainable future. This is a great opportunity for people who like working behind the scenes, or who have experience or passion for detail and research. It’s also a great way for youth to develop their skills towards becoming the climate leaders of tomorrow.

BurlingtonGreen is a non-partisan group that uses evidence to focus on positive policy solutions to climate change. Volunteers have the opportunity to work on tasks that fit their own skills: doing background and policy research, writing for local and regional media, delegating or networking with other stakeholders in the community, and participating in developing BG's positions.

Experience/requirements: Age 16+ This role needs passionate, yet balanced and positive, informed individuals who want to be involved in changing local regulatory policies, procedures, bylaws, and approaches to planning and development. Experience gathering research and effective written and verbal skills are assets for volunteers on this team.

Approximate Time Commitment: The advocacy team meets monthly, but members also spend time working independently or collaborating online for different projects. Typically, you can expect a time commitment of about 8-10 hours per month.

*Due to the nature of advocacy work, not every applicant will be suited to this position. We will make every effort to find a role that fits your skills and interests, but cannot guarantee a position on the team.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Board of Directors: As a Director serving on our 'working' Board, you will be an ambassador of the organization collaborating with 9 to 12 other Directors to effectively advance the vision and goals of our organization.  As a governing body, Directors develop and apply strategy, solution-focused decision making with financial and governance oversight to ensure our organization continues to operate and grow effectively, always with integrity and professionalism.

The Board meets monthly and each Director is required to serve on one of the 3 Standing Committees: Nominations & Governance, Fundraising, Finance & Audit. Required time commitment is 10 to 15 hours per month (sometimes more).

Previous Board experience with a not-for-profit organization is preferred but not a pre-requisite.

KID'S GO GREEN LEADERS

Do you enjoy and have experience working with children? Perhaps you are a substitute teacher looking to gain valuable experience leading engaging programming? We have a small number of opportunities for reliable, enthusiastic volunteers to lead our fun and educational Kids Go Green workshops. The workshops are provided to school and community group children, ages 4 to 12 (grades JK to 6).  Training is provided as are travel expenses to and from the workshops (Burlington schools and community centres).

Experience/requirements: 18+ Must have driver's license and vehicle to transport supplies to and from Burlington workshop locations. Verification of police background/vulnerable sector screening is required as well. A passion for engaging children, highly organized, punctual and reliable. Experience teaching or working with young children is an asset. 

Volunteer Activities include: preparation of program materials, lead informative and fun workshops, post workshop clean up, program evaluation (with Coordinator’s supervision).

Approximate time commitment: 2.5 to 3 hours per workshop including travel time within Burlington. An estimated 1 to 2 workshops booked per month, fewer during summer months.

You can learn more about the popular and impactful Kids Go Green Program here. Due to the nature of this position, there is a separate application process for KGG Workshop Leaders.  Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more details or to get an application form.

YOUTH NETWORK & LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Do you attend a Burlington high school and are you passionate about the environment?

The BGYN connect youth from across the City with each other and with local opportunities to make a positive impact on the environment.  We aim to create the next generation of local eco-heroes through youth mentoring youth, environmental leadership opportunities and participation in tree planting, event greening, and more. Click here to find out more!

Interested in a leadership role?  In October 2017 we launched BurlingtonGreen's very first Youth Leadership Council! Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more, or fill out the application today!

COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS NETWORK

Are you passionate about lasting change for our environment? Are you interested in leading others in your community to do the same?

Consider joining our new initiative of Community Champions, dedicated individuals who will work to encourage and build eco-networks in their own communities.  By empowering your own neighbourhood or community to raise awareness, advocate, and take action to grow a healthier and more sustainable city, we can further the reach and impact of BurlingtonGreen’s successful model.

Please contact BG team member Chantelle to learn how you can get involved today!