Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network

Peer Support Volunteer

This volunteer role is intended for individuals who have personally experienced a pregnancy or infant loss.

Peer Support Volunteers provide compassionate, non-judgmental emotional support to bereaved parents and families by drawing on their own lived experience. After completing PAIL Network's peer support training, volunteers may choose to support families in one or more of the following ways:

• Phone Support – Provide one-to-one peer support through up to four scheduled phone conversations with a parent who has experienced a similar type of loss.
• Online Loss-Specific Support Groups – Co-facilitate a monthly virtual support group with another trained volunteer using PAIL Network's secure Zoom platform.
• In-Person Mixed Loss Support Groups – Co-facilitate a monthly in-person support group for individuals and families who have experienced any type of pregnancy or infant loss.

As a Peer Support Volunteer, you will:

• Provide compassionate, empathetic support while maintaining healthy boundaries.
• Help create safe, respectful, and inclusive spaces for participants.
• Work collaboratively with fellow volunteers and PAIL Network staff.
• Receive ongoing training, guidance, and support.

Whether providing support by phone, online, or in person, Peer Support Volunteers help ensure that no family has to navigate pregnancy or infant loss alone.

Family Panelist 

This volunteer role is intended for individuals who have personally experienced a pregnancy or infant loss.

Family Panelists are volunteers who share their personal story of pregnancy or infant loss during a 1-hour panel that takes place as part of a full-day Compassionate Care Workshop for health care providers. By sharing their lived experience, panelists help health care professionals gain deeper insight into how compassionate — or less compassionate — care can significantly impact families during and after loss.

These sessions are part of a broader effort to improve the experiences of future bereaved families by encouraging reflection, empathy, and system-level change.

Key responsibilities include:

• Briefly sharing your story in a way that feels safe and meaningful to you

• Attending a 1-hour virtual or in-person panel with up to 4 other volunteers

• Participating in a brief preparation conversation beforehand to help you feel supported and ready

After the panelists share their stories, the audience of health care providers will have the opportunity to ask general questions. Panelists are never expected to answer questions they are not comfortable with, and support is available throughout the experience.

Commemorative Event Volunteer

This role is open to anyone who feels called to support grieving families, regardless of personal loss experience.

PAIL Network organizes two commemorative events each year to honour and remember babies who have died during pregnancy or infancy.

• Walk to Remember - First Sunday in June
• Wave of Light - October 15th
• Family Activity - Various dates and locations

These events are thoughtfully planned by PAIL Network, and volunteers across Ontario are invited to facilitate and promote these important days in their communities.

As a Commemorative Event Volunteer, you will be a warm and approachable presence at an in-person PAIL Network event. These gatherings are not support groups, but rather quiet, private, and intimate opportunities for families to come together and share in their grief with others who understand.

Your role is to help create a compassionate and inclusive atmosphere, ensuring that attendees feel seen, valued, and supported. You may assist with greeting guests, offering directions or guidance, and supporting the smooth flow of the event. Your presence helps set the tone for the day and reflects the care and connection at the heart of PAIL Network’s mission.

Community Engagement and Project-Based Opportunities

Community Engagement and Project-Based Opportunities are open to anyone who feels called to support grieving families and help increase awareness of pregnancy and infant loss, regardless of personal loss experience.

This type of volunteerism does not involve an ongoing commitment, regular responsibilities, or volunteer requirements. Instead, individuals who join our Community Engagement and Project-Based list will receive occasional communications about one-time or project-based opportunities to support PAIL Network's mission. Participation is always optional, allowing you to choose opportunities that match your interests, skills, location, and availability.

Opportunities may include:

• Staffing an information table at a community event (health fair, volunteer fair, conference, etc)
• Supporting an awareness or fundraising campaign
• Assisting with a one-time outreach initiative
• Reviewing educational materials or resources
• Helping develop or distribute community resources
• Participating in special projects throughout the year

Each opportunity has a clear purpose, timeline, and expectations, making it easy to contribute in a way that fits your schedule. Whether you volunteer for a few hours at a community event or assist with a project from home, your involvement helps reduce stigma, increase awareness of pregnancy and infant loss, and connect families and professionals with PAIL Network's free bereavement support services.

We are grateful to everyone who helps share our message. Every conversation, event, and project helps ensure that more families know compassionate support is available when they need it most.