Volunteer at Rainbow Camp®

Making Rainbow Camp® run is a big job, and we appreciate the help we get from all of our amazing volunteers! The job of working with youth at Rainbow Camp is a demanding and rewarding one. It requires a great deal of stamina, enthusiasm, interpersonal skills and patience. Volunteers must be receptive to the campers and take very seriously the responsibility of nurturing these 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in a safe and interactive environment. The number one priority of Rainbow Camp volunteers must always be the campers’ experience.

Welcome Friend Association's Rainbow Camp® is a camp for young people who are two-spirited, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning (2SLGBTQ+), allied youth and their siblings. WFA's Rainbow Camp® is committed to developing a camp community that honours creativity, individual choice, and social justice, while having fun!

Volunteer Positions at Camp

Program Volunteers

Program volunteers come to run interactive programming for campers during our choose-your-own-adventure program slots. These are 1 to 1.5 hours timeslots spread through the morning and afternoon where campers are able to choose from several programs offered at the same time. Each offered program connects to one of our program streams (artistic endeavours, outdoor recreation, and education and activism). This option has an expected time commitment of 1.5 - 3 hours each time a program is run (including prep time on-site). Program volunteers are welcome to run multiple programs with us, during the same session or spread through multiple sessions in the summer. Honorariums and travel allowances are available.

Community Volunteers

From time to time, we may have specific dates where we are looking for community volunteers to assist with site maintenance tasks. This could include moving camp supplies from storage to our campsite/moving supplies back to storage after camp, building maintenance like painting buildings and cleaning, and helping in the kitchen.

Community Partnerships

We are always happy to partner with other local organizations for an exchange of services! If your organization is interested in connecting for a community partnership, please email info@welcomefriend.ca

Multi-Day Volunteers

Volunteers from outside of our local area are welcome to come and stay on-site for multiple days. This position is a combination of programming and site maintenance tasks as-needed. Multi-day volunteers may be involved in running their own programs, assisting others with their programs, assisting in the kitchen, and cleaning tasks. Honorariums and travel allowances are available.

Multi-day volunteers typically stay for the duration of a Rainbow Camp session (6 days) but shorter or longer stays can be arranged upon request. The length of stay will be determined based on your availability and the needs of Rainbow Camp.

Timeline of Volunteer Opportunities

Rainbow Camp Staff will be on-site at Rainbow Camp from June - August 2025. Campers will be on-site for Rainbow Camp from July 6 to August 15.

  • Early June: Camp Setup
    • help with preparing our physical site ready for campers, including basic maintenance, moving and setting up supplies, setting up tent cabins, and basic cleaning duties
  • June 16 - July 4th: Staff Training
    • facilitate training sessions, help in the kitchen, any basic site maintenance, cleaning duties, and assisting with moving supplies off-site.
  • July 6 - August 15th: Camp! Each session runs Sunday - Friday (Click here for a list of camp session dates.)
    • a chance to interact directly with campers through leading programs/guest speaking or helping in the kitchen.
  • August 16th- 22nd: Camp clean up
    • assist with closing down our site for the season, including basic maintenance, cleaning duties, and assisting with moving supplies off-site.

Volunteer Expectations

Location and Travel

Rainbow Camp is located approximately 1 hour east of Sault Ste Marie, Ontario.

Multi-day volunteers are provided with shared accommodations on-site. This may include sleeping in a shared room in staff housing with another team member or volunteer. Coverage of travel costs is available on a case-by-case basis.

Eligibility

Rainbow Camp is an equal opportunity organization and welcomes and encourages applications from people of all gender identities including people of visible minorities, Indigenous peoples and people with disabilities.

All volunteers must be over the age of 18.

Criminal Record Check

Volunteers who are staying on-site overnight require a Vulnerable Sector Check as a condition of the position. Vulnerable Sector Criminal Record Checks will be obtained through the volunteers’ local police records division. Volunteers are responsible for the cost of obtaining a criminal records check. A volunteer letter will be provided for you to submit when applying for a record check.

If you have a previous criminal records check from a previous work or volunteer experience, you do not need to provide a new one provided the record check was completed within the last 12 months (from the start of volunteer dates) and you will be required to sign a declaration indicating that there has been no change in your record or disclosing any changes that have occurred.

Failure to provide a criminal record check or providing a record check that is unacceptable for volunteering will result in early dismissal from camp.

We acknowledge that police departments have a long history of targeting 2SLGBTQ+ and BIPOC spaces and individuals. Depending on your location, a police check may be acquired online and/or by mail. If you would like more information on how to acquire a police check, please contact us and we will happily work with you to ensure this is done in a safe and equitable manner.

Safe Space Policy

All campers, staff and volunteers are required to agree to our Safe Space Policy.

  1. I will not engage in any behaviour – physical or verbal – that bullies, demeans, or marginalizes others.
  2. I will be aware of the range of different identities (gender, sexual orientation, race, class, ability, spirituality) that people may identify with, and avoid making generalizations, or assumptions about people.
  3. I will always seek active consent (agreement of all peoples) for physical contact (e.g., ask before giving a hug).
  4. I will not hesitate to speak up if someone is feeling uncomfortable in this Safe Space, for whatever reason.

Sober and Smoke-Free Space

Rainbow Camp is a designated Sober Space. This means that there are no drugs, alcohol, cigarettes or cannabis allowed on site at all times while on site, regardless of whether there are campers on site. This policy is non-negotiable and can lead to your dismissal from camp.

Personal Electronics and Internet Access

Phones and other personal electronics must be stored and used only during breaks (when campers are not present). Access to the internet is available in our staff area.

Laundry

Volunteers staying overnight will be able to access a laundry room to wash clothing and bedding as needed.

Honorariums

Honorarium amounts vary and will depend on services offered and amount of time spent at camp. Honorariums will be confirmed in writing (by email) prior to your arrival at Rainbow Camp. Honorariums will be paid by direct deposit within two weeks of completing your time as a volunteer.

Volunteer Discipline and Early Dismissal from Camp

All volunteers will be treated fairly and equitably in regards to expectations and policies. All complaints of volunteer misconduct should be reported directly to the Camp Director. All complaints of volunteer misconduct are treated seriously and investigated thoroughly.

Volunteers are expected to act as positive role models for our campers at all times and to follow Rainbow Camp rules. Any volunteers who are not meeting expectations may be dismissed from camp early.

If a volunteer’s travel dates or times change due to early dismissal or choosing to leave early, Rainbow Camp is not responsible for any additional travel costs (including transportation off site, hotel charges and/or travel bookings) incurred regardless of the initial amount paid for travel. Exceptions to this policy on compassionate grounds may be made by the Executive Director.

How to Apply:

Applications are completed online at https://rainbowcamp.campbrainstaff.com/ There are several factors that contribute to our onboarding decision:

  1. Previous volunteer or work experience at Rainbow Camp and/or Rainbow Online Connection (ROC)
  2. Previous volunteer or work experience
  3. Experience and qualifications
  4. Professionalism of your online application
  5. Performance during the interview

Once your application is reviewed, you will be contacted by email for an interview. This interview is an opportunity for volunteers to meet some of our staff team, review our policies and procedures, discuss availability and volunteer position, and ask any questions about expectations for their time at camp.

There will be no in-person interviews. All interviews will be conducted over the phone or video conferencing (Zoom). You will be contacted by email to confirm an interview date and time.

Frequently Asked Questions