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Volunteer at RBG

Volunteer in RBG branded clothing standing in the garden sapce

Our volunteers are a vital part of our team and support our work by sharing their time and skills with us.

RBG volunteers come from all walks of life, but have one thing in common; our love of the Natural World and our desire to share it with others.

Aviva
Corporate volunteers posing with tools in the vegetable garden
volunteer weeding the garden
Sheila & Nabil – by Nabil
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Join RBG’s Volunteer Team

At RBG we have over 500 volunteers working on 40 (or more!) different teams. We recruit at various points in the year, when our teams have capacity to welcome additional volunteers. We believe in fostering an inclusive environment where volunteers from all walks of life can contribute meaningfully to our collective goals and efforts.


By joining our team, you’ll have the opportunity to:

  • work alongside experienced and welcoming staff, students and volunteers,
  • learn from speakers with expertise in the Natural World and
  • make a tangible difference in our community.

Volunteering Requirements

Our volunteers are professional, committed and undergo an extensive onboarding process to join our team. All community members interested in joining our volunteer team need to:

  • Attend a volunteer information session (focused on sharing details about the volunteer roles currently available)
  • Have an informal interview (a chance for the applicant to find out more about the role and whether it is a good match)
  • Attend a volunteer orientation session (focused on customer service, health & safety and volunteer policies)
  • Attend training specific to their role (for some volunteer roles these are formal workshops, for other roles, a small amount of training is required)
  • Volunteer several times a month
  • Commit to volunteering at RBG for at least the next 12 months (summer camp volunteers excepted)

If you’re interested in volunteering at RBG, we’d love to learn about your interests, background and availability and invite you to our next Volunteer Information Sesion.

Apply to join RBG’s volunteer team!

If you’re interested in learning more about joining our volunteer team, please fill out our Volunteer Application Form and we will email you with an invitation to our next Volunteer Information Session.

Enchanted
Volunteer Scanning Pressed Herbarium Specimen
volunteer running a garden tour in a natural space
Volunteer Planting Native Species In Wetland Credit Markzelinski.com

Volunteer Team F.A.Q.

Select from the topics below to learn more about volunteering as an individual at RBG.

How old do you need to be to volunteer at RBG?

For most roles and projects volunteers need to be high school aged or older.

Can a high school student work towards completing their 40 community service hours?

Absolutely. Simply email volunteer@rbg.ca when you need to submit your proof of volunteer service.

Are there volunteer positions that are best suited for high school students?

High school students are welcome to join many of our volunteer teams. The three most popular volunteer roles for high school students are:

  1. Volunteering at our summer camp or working as a Camp Junior Staff
  2. High school students often chose to volunteer with our Natural Lands Conservation Project team doing tree planting, invasive plant removals, etc. While a lot of this work does happen on weekdays, we do some events in the spring and fall on weekends.

What if I want to volunteer in a variety of different roles?

There are so many interesting areas to volunteer at RBG that many of our volunteers chose to belong to several different teams and projects. Here is a list of some of our larger volunteer teams. Please note that not all teams are accepting new volunteers at this time. Some positions are seasonal or only offered on specific days/times of the week.

  • Gardening
  • Garden Shop
  • Summer Camp
  • Conservation Projects
  • Herbarium
  • Garden & Trail Ambassadors
  • Nature Interpretation
  • Children’s Programming
  • Tour Guides
  • Plant Documentation
  • Trail Watchers
  • Visitor Information
  • Propagation
  • Special Events
  • Program Facilitators
  • G-Scale Model Train Experts
  • Floral Design
  • Art Interpretation

Do you have to be an RBG member in order to volunteer at RBG?

No. A membership is not required in order to volunteer at RBG.

Corporate volunteers posing with tools in the vegetable garden

Corporate Volunteering

If you’re looking for a volunteer experience for your company that is unique, flexible and makes a local impact, then you belong at Royal Botanical Gardens.

At RBG we work closely with corporate partners to design a program that matches the needs and interests of your organization and team so that you can strengthen employee engagement and connection and ensure you all have a day to remember!

Corporate groups participate in a wide variety of volunteer projects at RBG, including:

  • Tree planting days
  • Invasive plant removals
  • Watershed clean ups
  • Pumpkin carving
  • Children’s garden projects
  • Vegetable gardening

Make a day of it! Ask us about including:

  • Meeting space for corporate retreats
  • Meals and refreshments
  • Time in our gardens or hikes in our nature sanctuaries

Learn more about Corporate Volunteering at RBG

If you’re interested in learning more about joining our volunteer team, please inquire using the form linked here.

corporate volunteer group posing on the trails ready to remove invasive species
group of volunteers with their vegetable harvest
volunteers ready for tree planting in a natural space
Employee Volunteers Planting Trees Credit Markzelinski.com