Open Arms Patient Advocacy Society requires a 1-2 year minimum commitment depending on the role. We expect all volunteers to be able to commit 5-10 hours a month to the Society, depending on the role. Our positions are flexible and can be completed mostly remotely on your own time. Volunteers must reside within Alberta.

Learn about the volunteer roles we’re looking for below, and apply using the form at the bottom of this page.

CURRENT OPENINGS

Advocate

We are particularly interested in advocates with expertise in the area of mental health/social services or are located in a rural area (ie. non-Calgary or Edmonton). 

Role and Responsibilities: Advocates are the heart and soul of Open Arms. The role of an advocate is to work with clients to achieve their desired goals, which will look different depending on the individual client’s needs. Advocates typically have at least 3 clients at a time, but the workload may vary depending on how many cases the organization receives each month. Advocates are also responsible for providing a written update to the Advocacy Chairs each month, prior to the monthly advocacy meeting.  

Some of the duties of an advocate may include: 

• Guiding clients on how to obtain any necessary medical records, information, or documentation.
• Providing resources and programs to clients to meet their goals. 
• Attending medical appointments with the client (depending on scheduling; we understand this is a volunteer position!)
• Assisting the client in taking notes, drafting questions, or sending emails to healthcare professionals. 
• Facilitating open and respectful communication between clients and their healthcare providers.
• Supporting the client in becoming their own advocate and having a voice. 
• Charting all interactions in SharePoint between the advocate, client and healthcare professionals.
• Attending all training sessions and workshops to improve skills as an advocate.

Volunteer Coordinator

Role and Responsibilities:  

• Post volunteer roles on various volunteer sites/job boards and screen applications 
• Manage recruitment sites and locate new avenues to source volunteers 
• Schedule interviews between applicants and Board Chair or Vice Chair 
• Ensure all volunteer documentation is signed and uploaded to the applicant profile in SharePoint
• Communicate with IT department to set up volunteer emails and SharePoint access 
• Develop, maintain, and manage the volunteer database in SharePoint. 

Fundraising Director

Role and Responsibilities:  

• Seek, plan, and initiate fundraising opportunities to support the Society in collaboration with the Board of Directors.  
• Collaborate with the Board Chair and Treasurer to seek granting opportunities for the Society and assist in grant writing.  
• Support the promotion of Society Memberships, Sponsorships, and Partnerships with the Marketing & Outreach Team.  
• Develop relationships with major donors, identify new potential major donors and nurture relationships. 
• Lead fundraising projects, such as the annual silent auction, and manage volunteers for fundraising projects. 

Marketing Chair

Role and Responsibilities: The Marketing Chair will work in collaboration with the Marketing & Outreach Team to promote the services of the Society, develop new strategies for outreach and promotion, and produce content for social media, newsletters, and our website. Some of the key responsibilities include:  

• Manage marketing planning, implementation, and evaluation of marketing strategies to ensure they support the goals of the Society.
• Lead Marketing & Outreach Committee meetings, collaborating with the committee to produce effective content for social media, the organization’s website, and outreach initiatives.
• Liaise and network with internal and external contacts (Other Non-Profit groups, business associations, government agencies, news and other media) to ensure the marketing strategies for the Society are healthy and successful. 
• Train and manage Marketing Committee volunteers 
• Stay up to date on current healthcare issues and matters surrounding patient care. 

Board Member-at-Large

Role and Responsibilities: 

• Support key areas of the organization’s operations, such as marketing, outreach, finance, policy & governance, resource development, or advocacy. 
• Utilize expertise to support Society projects and affairs.  
• Serve as an ambassador to promote the organization and liaise with external stakeholders, potential partners/sponsors, and members of the community.
• Engage in committee work as required.