Introduce us to your group!
Is your group looking for a local cause to get involved with? Does your organization or business encourage groups to be hands on for good in the community? Is your youth group planning a food or coat drive? Are you looking for an opportunity to engage on the front lines of our streets? We welcome adult and youth groups who want to become involved on a regular basis with NightShift or are looking for a one-off visit to Whalley in Surrey, BC. Tell us a little about your group and we will help you fit right in.
Help us help you find the best fit
Let us know when your group is thinking of dropping by for a one-time visit. We’ll arrange for a short introduction, any visitor requirements and plug you in – whether you’re interested in supporting evening outreach or helping out during the day. Perhaps your group is interested in participating on a regular basis? In this case we’ll make arrangements for you to come alongside an existing team initially and maybe – when the time is right – you may want to take on an evening of your own! We encourage each person to attend our volunteer orientation and training program. Individuals may register online for one of our monthly Welcome Nights to find out more, or sign up for our in-depth FORGE training program, or we can book a special group training session if you have at least 15 participants in your group. Please contact our Volunteer Services team with any questions you may have.
Ways for you to get involved
There are lots of ways for your adult or youth group to join in with our regular operations and services:
♥ Limited daytime help around the ministry
Mon-Fri, during office hours, help organize in the warehouse (e.g. sorting supplies, preparing care kits), or help our admin team (e.g. inventory of program supplies or help us prepare a fundraiser), or go on clean-up duty (e.g. sweeping and washing floors, cleaning bathrooms or windows, vacuuming) in and around our centre.
♥ Afternoon food prep assistance
Support a regular food prep team on certain days for 2-3 hours when the NightShift kitchen is being used to prepare the evening meal. Some teams use their own Fraser Health approved kitchens, so we would match you up with the appropriate group.
♥ Evening street outreach
Come alongside one of our regular outreach teams and help to serve a hot meal, hand out desserts or drinks, provide support for the clothing truck, mingle with the crowd to offer companionship, join in with the music ministry or offer prayer support. We serve Mon-Sun in Surrey and Mon-Thu in Langley, from 6:30-8:30 pm. Visiting group: please no more than 8 people per visit!
♥ Gifts in kind
If your group is good at gathering supplies that would support our operations, let us know! The need to stock our food and clothing shelves is there throughout the year, not just in the winter months. Here are some of the things you might consider for a clothes, blankets, food or supplies drive.
♥ Evening AOK
During the school year (Oct-May), 6:30-8:30 pm, we encourage small groups of young adults (approx. age 18-24) to go out into the community and engage with people in small Acts of Kindness. Many of our street friends would admit to not having a single friend. That’s why our AOK teams offer conversation and encouragement, share hot chocolate and snacks as available, and where appropriate, refer people to access the NightShift outreach, Mobile Outreach Unit (MOU) and Resource Centre for additional support. AOK teams tend to comprise groups of university or college-age students under the supervision of a group leader (ratio 1:3 – that is, one adult for every three youth under the age of 19).
♥ Youth groups
If yours is a youth group from a school (Grade 6 and up), church or other organization, help us by keeping your group to no more than 8 people, including a supervising teacher or youth group leader, at any one time. We require a ratio of 1:3 – that is, one adult for every three youths aged 11-18.
♥ Children of all ages
Children may accompany their parents or guardians (ratio 1:2) at the discretion of their parents and as part of their parents’ volunteering role. Parents/guardians must complete Consent Forms for each child under the age of 19. This is for one-time visitors as well as for regular volunteers.
