Join us for a Love Your Lakes shoreline cleanup at a location near you! Every week, local community members come together across the Durham Region to take action and protect Lake Ontario. Each cleanup brings us closer to cleaner shorelines, stronger communities, and our goal of removing 10 million pieces of litter since A Greener Future began in 2014.

Each cleanup lasts approximately 2 hours. When you arrive, you’ll be welcomed by our team and have the chance to meet your fellow volunteers. Before starting, our team will provide a brief orientation and hand out supplies so everyone feels prepared to participate. We’ll take a fun group photo to celebrate our collective action against litter, then begin our cleanup journey along the shoreline.

After each event, our team collects, sorts, and records each piece of litter volunteers collect. This real litter data supports research, education, and advocacy efforts — meaning that when you join a cleanup, you’re not just picking up litter, you’re joining a community movement taking meaningful action for the freshwater we all rely on.

These family-friendly events are open to everyone — no experience needed! Whether you’re looking for high school volunteer hours, a way to make a difference in your community, or simply something meaningful to do outdoors, our cleanups are a great way to spend your time. Our shorelines and wildlife need our help, and every piece collected makes an impact.

Want to get involved? Find a Love Your Lakes cleanup near you by visiting our events page, selecting your region, and registering for an upcoming event. We can’t wait to welcome you to the shoreline!

Are you 13-18 and care about the environment? Join ER Teens and get involved in environmental action to help make a real difference!

ER Teens is an Earth Rangers program for youth who want to help the environment. Volunteer your time by completing an eco-action project at home, at school, or in your community. Choose an initiative you're interested in, work on it whenever fits your schedule, and receive guidance and support from our team every step of the way. 

How it works:

1. Sign up on our website (earthrangers.com/erteens)
2. Pick a project
3. Take action (we'll help you make it happen)
4. Celebrate your achievements! 

Join anytime of year, no experience necessary. 

Ready to get started? Sign up at earthrangers.com/erteens
Questions? Email erteens@earthrangers.com 

Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) has a variety of volunteer opportunities for secondary and post-secondary students,  corporate opportunities,  festival events (Durham Children's Watershed Festival and Purple Woods Maple Syrup Festival) and the Conservation Area Trail Stewards (CATS) program. 

The Adopt-a-Garden program is ideal for volunteers who enjoy gardening and want to make a meaningful, ongoing impact in their community.

Adopt-a-Garden volunteers are matched with one school garden, typically located in their neighbourhood, and help with basic garden care throughout the growing season. Volunteers work alongside the school’s summer care team, meaning they are not the sole individuals responsible for garden maintenance.

We Grow Food will help set up communication between volunteers and schools to support collaboration and ensure everyone is aligned throughout the season.

What the role involves

• Light garden maintenance (watering, weeding, general upkeep)
• Approximately 1-2 hours per week, on a flexible schedule
• Commitment runs from May to September/October, with flexibility if conflicts arise during a particular week

Experience & Training

• No gardening experience is required
• Training sessions will be offered on April 9 and April 11 to review expectations and basic maintenance tasks

Who this role is best for

• Adults and community members interested in gardening
• Volunteers interested in gardening and are looking for flexible, independent opportunities

Students seeking volunteer hours are encouraged to volunteer at their own school through their school’s garden lead. In special cases, students may contact the Volunteer Coordinator at wgfcoordinator@gmail.com to inquire about additional opportunities.

·       Interacting with the public while providing great customer service. Merchandising and staging of furniture donations.

·       eCommerce: product research for price and key selling points, measure dimensions, photography, and minor touch up of items to support our new online platform.

·       Tasks may include customer service, product display, pricing, assembly, and repair

• Due to the physical nature of some of the tasks required, ReStore volunteers may be asked to lift heavy objects (bathroom fixtures, windows, doors, etc.)
• Assembling furniture and some restoration of various donations.
• Able to lift 10-20 pounds and be on your feet for several hours at a time.
• Volunteers are required to wear CSA approved green label safety shoes, some at store to borrow for volunteer shift

·       Come with a willingness to learn from experienced volunteers and staff and to work as part of a team. A positive attitude, enthusiasm, flexibility, and a sense of humour is always key! Tasks are not always glamorous, so be prepared to do a variety of things.

• Assisting in preparation of new garden beds
• Planting seeds & seedlings
• Assisting or facilitating community teaching events & student workshops
• Helping with crafts and interactive activities
• Occasional maintenance such as watering or tidying
• Some moving of soil (Volunteers will be notified in advance, and participation will be optional)

• Assist with event planning, client support, data entry, fundraising activities, etc.

• Collaborate with staff and other volunteers to achieve project goals

• Attend and support community outreach programs or events

• Help with administrative tasks as needed (e.g., phone calls, emails, filing)

• Represent Terra Nova in a positive and professional manner

• Maintain confidentiality and respect the privacy of individuals and families served by the organization

• Participate in volunteer meetings, training, or orientation sessions as required

Organize and deliver tours at WindReach Farm * wagon ride, farm and/or stable tour * sensory trail, wool demonstrations and more

Animal care * lead animals to pasture, feeding, watering * groom animals * keep all buckets and dishes clean 
 
Barn work * muck out stalls, replace straw, dump wheelbarrows * keep equipment clean and sweep barn floors 
 
Administration * maintain daily logs and animal care records * communicate with Barn Manager about concerns * advocate for Pegasus to attract sponsors and volunteers