Volunteering with ImmUnity Canada

Do you live in either Ontario or the Atlantic provinces? Do you have a PI or are you a caregiver of someone who does? Are you outgoing, compassionate, Zoom-savvy and enjoy facilitating groups of people?  Our national and provincial CommUnity Connect Group facilitators are vital to creating a sense of community for members who are geographically isolated from each other.  Provide a listening ear and guide the conversations, as well as make new friends in this very important and valued role. 

Position Description

ImmUnity Canada provides informal group peer support across Canada for immunodeficiency patients and caregivers. A support group is a gathering of people facing common issues to share experiences and information.  By doing this, other participants are able to offer support, encouragement, and comfort, and receive the same in return.  These groups are informally guided by volunteer peers who have no formal training.  
 
Our CommUnity Connect Group facilitators have a central role in the development of a sense of community among our members. We offer national, provincial/regional support groups that any member can join, covering diverse topics affecting the immunodeficiency community. We also offer more specific peer support groups, such as for parents and caregivers, and older adults.

Core Experiences

Working as a volunteer CommUnity Connect Group facilitator, you will be:

• Connecting with group members as a peer, with lived immunodeficiency experience
• Ensuring that those attending the group are at ease by creating a friendly, safe environment
• Encouraging group participation and discussion, and a sense of community support
• Opening, closing and facilitating discussions, ensuring community rules are adhered to
• Providing feedback to ImmUnity Canada about attendance numbers and issues discussed

Experience, skills, qualities and equipment needed

To be able to complete these tasks with ease, you should:

• Be over 21 years of age
• Enjoy meeting new people
• Have strong communication and listening skills
• Have lived experience of immunodeficiencies, as a patient or caregiver
• Feel comfortable using Zoom, or willing to be trained on how to use it
• Have access to a computer and a stable Internet connection

Onboarding/Training Provided

As a new volunteer, you will receive an ImmUnity Canada volunteer handbook, which contains some useful information about the organization, our policies and your rights and responsibilities.  We will also provide you with a position/facilitation guide, which includes instructions on how to use Zoom, and opportunities to meet other volunteers to share best practices. Finally, we will equip you with ground rules and provide staff support for any issues arising.

Benefits to you as a Volunteer

At ImmUnity Canada, we gain a great deal from the work of our volunteers and hope that as a CommUnity Connect leader, you will feel appreciated.  We will offer you a personal reference and hope the experience will also benefit you in the following ways:

• Increase your confidence in public speaking and facilitation
  
• Enable you to recognize, explore and shape your leadership skills
• Develop your negotiation and problem-solving skills
• Make you feel valued in your contribution to creating a sense of community among our members

Location

Remote/virtual position.

Time Commitment

• 2 hours per month, depending on demand
• You should be able to commit for a minimum of 1 year or more.

Application Process

Application form, plus brief email and resume, followed by an informal interview via telephone or Zoom.

Please fill out the online application form, and send your resume and an email explaining why you are interested in this role, to Fiona, the Project and Volunteer Coordinator:

volunteer@immunitycanada.org

Are you keen to tell your story about your journey with immunodeficiency?  Do you have good verbal communication skills and an outgoing nature?  Are you comfortable in front of an audience or video camera?  If so, there is always a demand for patients, parents and caregivers to tell their stories about PI!  You might be answering questions about your experiences during diagnosis, what it is like to live with or care for someone with a PI, or the impact that appropriate treatment has had on your life.  

Position Description

Our Patient and Caregiver Storytellers verbally narrate their stories to grow awareness about immunodeficiency and the experience of living with a rare disorder.  We are looking for people to share their stories during our conferences and education days, for our website and social media, as well as to go into a story bank for future use.  Volunteers might also give public talks, participate in video interviews and webinars or even take part in a live television/radio interview.  These positions are based on our need for presenters, and demand from media and other organizations, so may be ad-hoc in nature. 

Core Experiences

Working as a volunteer Patient and Caregiver Storyteller, you might be:

• Using your verbal communication skills to share your story, in-person, on Zoom or on video or live television/radio
• Helping ImUnity Canada to create a patient and caregiver story bank for use on social media, our website and for advocacy purposes
• Growing awareness about immunodeficiency and how it impacts people
• Representing ImmUnity Canada as a volunteer leader
• Collaborating with staff via telephone, email and virtual platforms  

Experience, skills, qualities and equipment needed

To be able to complete these tasks with ease, you should:

• Be willing to share your immunodeficiency story in the public domain
• Be outgoing, confident and friendly
• Feel comfortable using your communication skills to talk to media, the public and others
• Be over 18 years of age or accompanied by a parent/guardian
• Have access to your own transport, a stable internet connection and a cellphone

Onboarding/Training Provided

As a new volunteer, we will take you through an orientation to ImmUnity Canada and your role.  You will also receive an ImmUnity Canada volunteer handbook, which contains some useful information about the organization, our policies and your rights and responsibilities.  We will further provide you with a guidebook for Patient and Caregiver Storytellers, which comprises your training and provides some useful tips for producing a compelling talk or presentation.  ImmUnity Canada staff will also provide support as you need it and be available for questions related to your position.

Benefits to you as a Volunteer

At ImmUnity Canada, we gain a great deal from the work of our volunteers and hope that as a storyteller, you will feel appreciated.  We offer a personal reference to all volunteers and hope the experience will also benefit you in the following ways:

• Have the opportunity to be in the spotlight!
• Improve your communication and public speaking skills
• Develop and practice your story-telling skills
• Get out-and-about and make new connections
• Gain satisfaction from using your own knowledge and experiences to promote awareness of immunodeficiency

Location

Wherever you are needed across Canada and virtual platforms such as Zoom.

Time Commitment

• Hours will be ad hoc, as required

Application Process

Application form, email and resume, followed by an informal interview over Zoom/by phone. 

Please fill out an online application form and either upload or email your resume.

If you are a current or former ImmUnity Canada volunteer, please send your resume attached to an email explaining why you are interested in this role, to Fiona, the Project and Volunteer Coordinator:

volunteer@immunitycanada.org

Do you want to use your experiences of immunodeficiency, IVIG and/or SCIG treatment to help others?  Are you confident at speaking in public?  If so, you can share these experiences of how immunoglobulin therapy has changed your life by visiting plasma donation sites, giving talks and taking part in vital campaigns to increase plasma donation. 

Position Description

Our Plasma Awareness Advocates tell their stories to put a face to Immunodeficiency and the patients who were previously anonymous recipients of plasma products.  Volunteers share their experiences of how IV immunoglobulin therapy and/or SCIG have changed their lives by visiting plasma donation sites, giving talks and video interviews, and taking part in vital campaigns to increase plasma donation.

Core Experiences

Working as a volunteer Plasma Awareness Advocate is a very rewarding experience and you will be:

• Using your communication skills to share the ImmUnity Canada story and mission
  
• Telling your Immunodeficiency story to the public, in-person or on video 
• Talking to donors and medical staff about the life-saving benefits of immunoglobulin therapy.  
• Growing awareness of the importance of plasma donation for patients with Immunodeficiency
• Encouraging donors to keep donating and to share your experience with people they know
• Representing ImmUnity Canada as a volunteer leader
• Communicating with clinics and Canadian Blood Services (CBS) via telephone, email, virtual platforms and in-person visits  

Experience, skills, qualities and equipment needed

To be able to complete these tasks with ease, you should:

• Be receiving/have received IV immunoglobulin therapy or SCIG, or have a family member who does
• Have a good understanding of immunodeficiency and the history and mission of ImmUnity Canada
• Be outgoing, confident and friendly
• Be able to communicate your story clearly and succinctly
• Feel comfortable using your communication skills to talk to healthcare professionals, donors and the public
• Be over 18 years of age or accompanied by a parent/guardian
• Have access to your own transport, a computer, the internet and a cellphone

Onboarding/Training Provided 

As a new volunteer, you will receive an ImmUnity Canada volunteer handbook, which contains some useful information about the organization, our policies and your rights and responsibilities.  We will also provide you with a guidebook for Plasma Awareness Advocates, which comprises your training.  Further to this, ImmUnity Canada staff will provide support as you need it and be available for questions related to your position.

Benefits to you as a Volunteer

At ImmUnity Canada, we gain a great deal from the work of our volunteers and hope that as a Plasma Awareness Advocate, you will feel appreciated.  We offer a personal reference to all volunteers and hope the experience will also benefit you in the following ways:

• Improve your communication and public speaking skills
• Develop your leadership skills
• Practice your story-telling skills
• Get out-and-about and make new connections
• Gain satisfaction from using your own knowledge and experiences to promote plasma donation

Location

In your local area, with travel to healthcare clinics and blood donation sites.

Time Commitment

• At least one visit a year to a donation site
• You should be able to commit for a minimum of 1 year or more

Application Process

Application form, email and resume, followed by an informal interview over Zoom.  

Please fill out an online application form, and send this and your resume with an email explaining why you are interested in this role, to Fiona, the Project and Volunteer Coordinator:

volunteer@immunitycanada.org