Becoming a volunteer

How to become a volunteer with the CSC?

The CSC is committed to achieving a skilled, diversified volunteer base that reflects the cultural diversity of the Canadian population, therefore, we encourage and welcome all interested individuals to apply, including women, members of visible minority groups, Aboriginal communities and persons with a disability.

If you would like to become a volunteer with the Correctional Service of Canada, your first step is to contact the correctional institution or parole office nearest you. You will find the addresses of all institutions and parole offices in the Regions and Facilities section of this site. When you contact the institution/facility, you will be directed to the appropriate staff member responsible for volunteers and volunteer activities. If you are interested in volunteering in a faith-based volunteer project, please refer to the Chaplaincy section.

Before becoming a volunteer, you will be interviewed to ensure your suitability for volunteering in a correctional setting. A criminal records check will be conducted and fingerprints taken. All information obtained about you is kept confidential and is used only to decide whether your application should be approved. You will also need to fill out an application form to give to the institution:

• Volunteer application and information

Please note, you must first save the form to your computer before you can fill it out. If you have problems accessing this form, please email the volunteer contact assigned to your region:

• Volunteer contacts

All volunteer applicants, including one-time volunteers such as members of church choirs, guest speakers and holiday project workers, are screened. The name, address, date of birth and social insurance number of each volunteer participant must be submitted to correctional authorities at least one week in advance of the volunteer activity taking place.

Once your application has been approved and accepted, you will receive orientation on the correctional environment and training on the rights, responsibilities and roles of CSC volunteers and on the importance of following CSC policies and procedures. As a volunteer, you will find that our staff are always available to assist you. Positive and supportive relationships between staff and volunteers are encouraged.

There are many benefits to be gained from volunteer participation. By becoming a CSC volunteer, community citizens have the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and experience in a field of great diversity and interest. Often, volunteers are more effective as role models than are CSC staff, who are seen as part of "the system". Volunteers help offenders by sharing their skills and talents and displaying the values offenders need most in order to reintegrate successfully.

The offenders who come into contact with volunteers can gain greatly from the interaction. We cannot expect that offenders will make a successful return to the community alone; they need assistance. The contributions that volunteers make provide a vital link between the correctional system, the offenders within and the community. Knowing that there are individuals who care and who are willing to freely contribute their time on their behalf can go a long way in helping offenders realize their worth as members of the community and realize their potential for successful reintegration.

CSC and its staff benefit from the great assistance volunteers provide. Having volunteers available to assist with program delivery and other important services helps staff to more effectively carry out the responsibilities associated with a correctional system. Having a community presence in the institutions and community facilities also helps to work as a go-between, and reduce feelings of opposition that can arise within a correctional system.

The community as a whole realizes the ultimate benefit and greatest reward when an offender makes a successful reintegration as a law-abiding citizen.