Volunteering in the Correctional Service of Canada

Conclusion

The Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement states that “Volunteer involvement is vital to a just and democratic society.” Volunteers strengthen our communities. They are a meaningful, positive selected strategy for strengthening service delivery. The Correctional Service of Canada is able to increase its capacity to successfully accomplish its goals by the contribution of volunteers.

This handbook was put together to give you an overview of how CSC operates, where it fits into the criminal justice system and to give all volunteers the information they need to understand how important they are to the Service.

Whether you are volunteering with literacy, tutoring, health care, chaplaincy, or any of our restorative justice initiatives, you must receive training. Each co-ordinator of volunteers will oversee the management of these training sessions. We need you and we want to share in the successes that we work so diligently to achieve.

Why I Volunteer

“I volunteer because I do not have to, but because I want to. It is a way to give and share with others. I do not judge, I do not preach. I just give my time. I do not ask for recognition but by volunteering I am able to be a stronger, better person. By learning about and understanding many unfortunate life stories, I have learned true appreciation for all I have. I believe we all have the potential to learn from each other.”

— Andrej Brygin, Volunteer Kelowna, BC