The CHIRS Community Placement partnership with the Ministry of Community and Social Services and the City of Toronto began in 1997. As a host agency, CHIRS' role is to provide opportunities for individuals in the community to develop vocational skills and meaningful work and life experience. Many of the volunteer candidates face employment barriers such as language difficulties, as well as a lack of Canadian work experience, employment skills, and professional job references. Given that our CHIRS clients often face many of the same barriers when seeking employment, the partnership opportunity was a natural fit.

The volunteer program is structured to facilitate CHIRS' staff, placement volunteers, and clients to work collaboratively as a team. Volunteers placed in the Adult Day Service programs are offered leadership and mentoring opportunities to promote the identified program, individual and professional goals.

Since the inception of the partnership, placement volunteers have provided services and skills in a variety of departments including administrative, financial, group programming and residential support. The contributions of the volunteers add a valuable dimension to the CHIRS community, and the services our agency provides.

The benefits of this partnership have offered opportunities for placement volunteers to secure employment with CHIRS and other organizations, additional support for CHIRS' program staff and clients, as well as an increasing awareness about brain injury and disability. Since the initial partnership in 1997, the CHIRS volunteer program has expanded. The program now provides volunteer opportunities to a number of community members and students.

If you are interested in volunteering at CHIRS, please contact Vesna Latkovic at (416) 240-8000 for more information.