Volunteer

Help us change lives one family at a time. Transform the experience of a family affected by cancer. You’ll gain a rewarding experience giving supportive cancer care to a family in your community. 

Qualifications

  • Passionate about helping a family affected by cancer
  • Previous experience with children required 
  • Must be a minimum of 18 years of age *16 years of age for virtual programs 
  • Must be able to present a current CPR and First Aid certification
  • Students in a program seeking placement working with children
  • Retired professionals with related experience 

All volunteer angels undergo a 4+ hour specialized virtual training program that includes:

  • Child Life training skills 
  • Grief and bereavement training
  • Nana’s for Nankind, a training program that gives mothers and grandmothers the opportunity to volunteer if they have no experience outside of their family 

Sign-up to volunteer today

Sign-up for in-home programs
Learn more about in-home programs
Sign-up for activity programs
Learn more about activity programs
Sign-up for homework programs
Learn more about homework programs

The Volunteer Journey

  1. 1

    The Connection

    This is your first step in learning about how you can make an impact by supporting a family during their cancer journey.

  2. 2

    The Discovery Process

    Your chance to dive deeper into everything Nankind with our Volunteer Experience Team and showcase your life experiences!

  3. 3

    The Training Advantage

    You will learn how to answer really difficult questions kids have about their parents’ cancer and meet other volunteers through an interactive virtual group session to learn more about your responsibilities.

  4. 4

    Magical Matching System

    This is where the magic happens. Your unique experiences and strengths shine through to help find the best family fit!

  5. 5

    The Volunteer and Child Life Transformer

    You will gain expertise and confidence as you help a child through the trauma of living with a parent’s cancer illness or death with Child Life Specialists with you every step of the way!

  6. 6

    Graduation Celebration Process

    It’s always difficult to say goodbye, that’s why we help you plan a celebratory final visit and ask that you partake in an exit interview to express your insights, feedback and memories.

Learn more about our volunteer programs

Hear from Prayag, an angel volunteer

  • I’m truly honoured to work alongside so many fantastic people at Nankind and to be able to have met so many amazing families that I have worked with. Being a part of this community means being able to provide children and families a safe space to share their thoughts and emotions and to express themselves through play/creative arts.

    Brianna

  • Volunteering with Nankind has been a good fit for me. The chance to support people in meaningful ways is really fulfilling. It’s a humbling experience to see families showing such strength and positivity during their cancer journey.

    Geraldine, volunteer angel

  • Volunteering at Nankind is a huge gift and joy in my life. Visiting my family has quickly become the highlight of my week. The radiating love and courage felt in their home inspires me. I am so grateful to be a part of this special community.

    Claire, volunteer angel

  • Volunteering with Nankind has been a true pleasure. Over the past year, I have been able to build a valuable and enriching relationship with the family through the laughs shared, moments spent together, learning about their cancer journey, and sharing different parts about our lives.

    Angelo