Volunteer Registration and Management (VRM)
University of Calgary Volunteers
Volunteers
Individuals who, with or without special training, provide services or assistance to the university without payment of fees, wages, or salary and without any expectation of any kind of compensation (except travel costs or meal expenses). Volunteers must:
- be over 18 years old
- have Canadian Citizenship or Permanent Resident Status in Canada or are a current international student enrolled full time at the University of Calgary and hold a study permit. In this case, the volunteer activities must be short-term and incidental to their student work.
Rev. April 26, 2022
Volunteer Work
Volunteer work must be initiated by a university department/faculty and directed by a university employee. Departments should contact UService to determine if the duties fall under the definition of a volunteer.
Volunteers are often students who are provided with tasks of a short-term nature that are not part of their course work. This work normally requires little or no training and meets the students' learning objectives. There may also be event-specific volunteers who participate in a one-time event.
Volunteer opportunities for those other than students are limited both in terms of the tasks involved and the time associated with the volunteer opportunity. These tasks cannot include assignments normally done by paid employees covered under one of the university's Collective Agreements.
Link to resources and forms for University of Calgary Volunteer Coordinators
UCalgary Volunteers
To be accepted as a volunteer for the University of Calgary, certain requirements must be fulfilled.
The steps outlined here are what you can generally expect during the registration process. However, the University of Calgary does not use a central volunteer registration system, so please comply with the directions as provided by your sponsoring department, faculty or program of interest.
Rev. Oct 20, 2023
Volunteer opportunities at the University of Calgary are managed by the respective sponsoring areas. To apply, you must first contact the department, faculty or program of interest who will then advise you of their available opportunities and application process.
Areas using volunteers for support are listed below.
Rev. Oct 20, 2023
All potential volunteers are required to apply through a web-based registration system, called Better Impact. As application forms are department-specific, your sponsor will direct you to their online form. If you are interested in more than one department, you must apply to each separately.
Rev. Oct 20, 2023
Under the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation, volunteers are considered workers so are to be provided with equivalent health and safety protection, as do our employees. ALL first time applicants, to any University of Calgary department, will be directed to complete a short online training about their rights and responsibilities for complying with health and safety regulations.
Once the Volunteer OHS Orientation is successfully completed, you will not be asked to do it again, unless there are substantial content changes. This training will follow you throughout all UCalgary departments to which you apply.
To receive alerts on your cellphone in case of an emergency on campus, please download the UCSafety app on the App Store or get it on Google Play.
More information is available at ucalgary.ca/safetyapp.
Rev. Mar 14, 2024
Along with the health and safety training requirements, you will be asked to accept our liability waiver, acknowledging that volunteers are covered by Alberta Workers Compensation, and have opportunity to review our Privacy Policy. If you wish, you may use the links below to review these documents in advance, but both are included on the online application form.
To be be approved for a volunteer assignment you are required, at minimum, to:
- be age 18 years old or older;
- have Canadian Citizenship or Permanent Resident Status in Canada; OR,
- are a current international student enrolled full time at the University of Calgary and hold a study permit;
- review the Privacy Policy;
- agree to the Liability Waiver;
- complete the Volunteer OHS Orientation.
Along with these items, the recruiting department may advise you of additional eligibility requirements specific to their volunteer positions.
Once approved to volunteer, your department will provide you with next steps.
Rev. Oct 20, 2023
Before starting a volunteer assignment, the sponsoring department will present you with a role-specific Hazard Assessment. You will have opportunity to review the identified hazards and proposed hazard controls before accepting the assignment. If you have any concerns, please discuss them with your Volunteer Coordinator before signing the hazard assessment.
Along with signing the hazard assessment, you will be given an onsite orientation. Your volunteer coordinator will provide you with these and advise you of any additional safety requirements or next steps.
Rev. Oct 20, 2023
We are also required to track your volunteer hours. Each department will have their own process for recording these in the Better Impact.
Generally, upon completion of an assignment, you will record the number of hours you volunteered. With our online registration and management system, this can be as easy as logging into the volunteer portal and updating the assignment in question. However, please follow your volunteer coordinator's instructions for recording hours.
Rev. Oct 20, 2023
Once registered on the web-based Better Impact registration system, you may access your profile at myImpactPage.com.
Learn more here about using the myImpactPage.com portal.
Rev. Oct 20, 2023
Volunteer Health and Safety
Volunteers for the University of Calgary, are required to complete an online volunteer occupational health & safety (OHS) orientation before being approved for assignment. After receiving your application, your volunteer coordinator will provide instructions for completing this orientation, and any other health and safety requirements.
To receive alerts on your cellphone in case of an emergency on campus, please download the UCSafety app on the App Store or get it on Google Play.
More information is available at ucalgary.ca/safetyapp.
Rev. Mar 14, 2024
Volunteer Injuries
If a Volunteer Injury can be Treated by First Aid
The volunteer coordinator must take the following steps:
- Have a certified first aider treat the injury
- Call Campus Security to report the injury at 403.220.5333
- Complete the Online Accident Reporting Form (OARS). For assistance, refer to the Online Accident Reporting System (OARS) Instructions, on that page.
Should reporting to the Worker's Compensation Board (WCB) be required, the volunteer must complete the WCB Worker Report and Staff Wellness will complete the WCB employer report.
Rev. Sept 19, 2024
Injured Volunteer Requires More Than First Aid
The volunteer coordinator must take the following steps:
- Call 911 for an ambulance if required
- Call Campus Security at 403.220.5333 immediately to report the injury
Campus Security will contact Environment, Health and Safety who will also initiate the OARS Report.
Volunteer for...
The following areas engage volunteers to support their programs and events. To apply, you must contact the department or faculty directly.
Rev. Mar 3, 2025
- BMO Mentorship Program at Haskayne School of Business
- Calgary Stroke Program
- Career Services
- Child Studies
- Calgary Stroke Program
- Community Engagement
- Continuing Education
- Convocation
- CSM BHSC
- Clinical Neuroscience - Parkinsonism
- Cumming School of Medicine - Office of Professionalism, Equity, & Diversity
- Dinos Athletics
- Earth Week Campus Cleanup & BBQ
- Emergency Management
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Nursing Wellness Clinic
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
- Faith and Spirituality Centre (FSC)
- Garage 142
- Graduate College
- Haskayne Student Engagement
- Indigenous Engagement
- International Student Services
- ISIRC 2025
- Joint Effort GLA:D Program
- Library And Cultural Resources
- Little Red Reading House
- Math/Stats Outreach
- McCaig Institute
- Minds in Motion
- O'Brien Institute of Public Health
- Office of Sustainability
- One Child Every Child Volunteer Program
- Olympic Oval
- Orientation - CCPD
- Peer Assistive Tech Program
- Personal Training Department
- Physics & Astronomy
- Psychological Birth Trauma Study
- Rehabilitation & Fitness Program
- Residence Services
- Rothney Astrophysical Observatory
- School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape (SAPL)
- School of Creative & Performing Arts
- Schulich Teams
- Science Office
- Science Student Experience
- Student Success Centre
- Student Wellness Access and Support
- Student Wellness Services
- Study Abroad Office
- Thrive Centre
- UCalgary Alumni
- UCalgary Prospective Student Engagement
- UCalgary Strong Festival
- UCalgary Recovery Community
- Werkland School of Education
- Women's Resource Centre
- Writing Symbols Lodge