Volunteer Opportunities
Criminal Justice
There are a variety of volunteer criminal justice oriented opportunities in the Victoria area for you to pursue while you complete your education. The Youth Custody Centre, the Local Police departments, Greater Victoria Victim Services, the Boys and Girls Club, John Howard Society, Saanich Community Justice Association all offer you opportunities to develop your skills and abilities to work in this field. Follow police investigators for crime scene reconstruction, observe the court, tour local correctional facilities, and meet various professionals who work with in all facets of the criminal justice system. These valuable connections with the community are designed to give you practical experience and will allow insight into employment possibilities and provide direction for further educational paths. Learn what our students are saying.
Volunteer Programs
While some students enter the Criminal Justice Program with a definite career goal in mind, many enter knowing only that they wish to work within the criminal justice field, but not in which specific occupation. One of the opportunities available to a student is being involved in a volunteer program specifically oriented towards the criminal justice system. Volunteering provides the "hands on" experience which cannot be obtained through taking an academic course alone. It also demonstrates your initiative and interest in the field and provides a reference for your resume. Many employers, in fact, require or expect applicants to have engaged in some volunteer experiences. Students should remember, however, that volunteer work requires dedication and time, especially if there is a training program involved. Sufficient time for reading, studying, and working on assignments must remain the top priority in the student's agenda.
Local volunteer agencies which may be particularly suited to a Criminal Justice student are listed below. While every attempt is made to provide current information, contact names and phone numbers sometimes change. Consult the Volunteer Bureau of Victoria if you find names or numbers have changed.
Boy's & Girl's Club Services of Greater Victoria - Ph: 250-384-9133
Services provided: helping children and their families. Volunteers provide recreational, cultural, educational and social activities; assist in planning and implementation of programs and special events.
Community Police Stations
South Station: 165 Cook St - Ph: 250-381-2677 Fax: 250-381-2584
North Station: 3045 Douglas St - Ph: 250-370-1133 Fax: 250-370-2349
Greater Victoria Victim Services - Ph: 250-995-7351
850 Caledonia Street Fax: 250-995-7320
Services provided: emotional and informational support to victims of crime as their case proceeds through court. Volunteers are required to have strong interpersonal skills, valid B.C. Driver's License, good driving record, no criminal record, professional appearance and maintain confidentiality.
ROOTS - Youth & Family Substance Abuse Program - Ph: 250-721-2669
They look for volunteers occasionally for their day programs; call agency for an appointment
BC Families in Transition (formerly the Separation and Divorce Resource Centre) - Ph: 250-386-4331 - 730 Quadra Fax: 250-386-4301 Email:
info@bcfit.org
Volunteers work in family court and office, 8 week training program (2 1/2 hours per week)
Volunteer requirements: good communication skills, enjoy the company of children, good sense of humour, able to set limits, tact and diplomacy, able to remain neutral, non-judgmental, respect confidentiality, mature.
John Howard Society of Vancouver Island - Ph: 250-386-3428
2675 Bridge Street Fax: 250-361-4561
Services provided: support and referral services to offenders, ex-offenders and their families; weekly prison visiting programs.
Dispute Resolution Centre - Ph: 250-383-4412
108 - 1218 Wharf Street Fax: 250-383-9536
Greater Victoria Citizen's Counselling Centre - Ph: 250-384-9934
941 Kings Rd. Fax: 250-388-4391
Services provided: individual, couples and group counselling for adultresidents of Greater Victoria; training and supervision of lay counsellors.
NEED2: Suicide Prevention, Education and Support - Ph: 250-386-6328
230 Bay Street, Victoria BC, V9A 3K5 Fax: 250-386-9748
Services provided: emotional support, crisis counselling, and community referrals to youth through Youthspace.ca website. Volunteers can also be trained to deliver the school-based Suicide Awareness for Youth workshop. Volunteers receive 60 hours of training over a thirteen week period, you must be at least 19 years of age.
Pacific Centre Family Services Assoc. - Ph: 250-478-8357
3221 Heatherbell Road Fax: 250-478-3699
Volunteers receive a 10 month training course; volunteers must do 200 hours of volunteer counselling time. Contact agency for more information.
Salvation Army Family and Community Services - Ph: 250-386-8521
1911 Quadra Street Fax: 250-386-8527
Services provided: support to adult male offenders in halfway house setting
Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre - Ph: 250-479-1621
4216 Wilkinson Road, ask for Program Dept.
Victoria Area Parole Volunteer Program - Ph: 250-363-0105
Suite 101-1230 Government Street Contact: Honora Johannesen
Services provided: various to adult federal offenders and working on a variety of research-related projects.
Victoria Cool Aid Society - Ph: 250-383-1977
469 Swift Street Email: vcoolhp@horizon.bc.ca
Services provided: Streetlink Emergency Shelter provides assistance and shelter to the homeless, the mentally ill, and persons drug/alcohol dependent who are on the streets.
Victoria Women's Sexual Assault Centre - Ph: 250-383-5545
2 flr, 754 Broughton St.
Only women are allowed to work on the crisis lines. Potential volunteers can drop into the agency to pick up an information package.
Volunteer Victoria - Ph: 250-386-2269
211 - 620 View Street Fax: 250-386-2279 email: volvic@volunteervictoria.bc.ca
Services provided: volunteers are matched with agencies in need according to interest and skills
William Head Visitor's Program- Ph: 250-386-3428
(c\o John Howard Society) Fax: 250-361-4561
Services provided: volunteers visit prisoners at William Head for the purpose of providing social opportunities to persons incarcerated. Volunteers must be at least 19 years of age, need to be security cleared and to feel comfortable in a prison environment.
YM/YWCA - Ph: 250-386-7511
880 Courtney Street
Volunteer work involves youth care/daycare. Volunteer profile forms/applications available at agency
Victoria Youth Custody Centre - Ph: 250-708-2207
94 Talcott Road Mail: PO Box 9219 Stn Prov Govt Victoria BC V8W 9J1
Contact: Elsie Hanson - Volunteer Coordinator
Students from the criminal justice program are encouraged to apply for volunteer positions. Volunteer applications are available in the career resources drawer or at the Victoria Youth Custody Centre.
Victoria Youth Empowerment Society - Ph: 250-383-3514
533 Yates St. Fax: 250-383-3812
Services provided: storefront office with information, referrals, counselling, advocacy, employment search assistance and drop-in centre for youth in crisis. Volunteers must be at least 21 years of age; are subject to a criminal record check and interview. Volunteers must make a minimum six-month commitment.
Various local Police Departments also have Auxiliary and Community Services programs:
Central Saanich - Ph: 250-652-4441,
Colwood Detachment R.C.M.P. - Ph: 250-474-2264,
Esquimalt Police Department - Ph: 250-385-1441,
Oak Bay Police Department - Ph: 250-592-2424,
Saanich Police Department - Ph: 250-475-4321,
Victoria City Police Department - Ph: 250-995-7654.
Summer Employment Opportunities are occasionally made available to students through agencies and departments related to the criminal justice system. The federal government, for example, offers student employment within their Customs Border Services. The Federal Student Employment Program receives applications during the late Fall for employment in the following summer. Applications for this program are available at the student employment centre and in the Criminal Justice office. Other summer employment opportunities exist with the local police departments who frequently hire students for special summer projects.
The Program Chair advises students when and where to apply for those positions, but it is up to the individual to pursue the positions. This information is also usually posted on the outer door of the Criminal Justice office.
Career/Employment Opportunities
Prospective Criminal Justice students should research the career and employment opportunities that will be available to them upon completion of the two-year diploma or Associate of Arts program at Camosun College, or upon attainment of their degree in Criminology. The Advising Notes handout, available at the Career Resource Centre, and an interview with a career counsellor will provide helpful information. The Canada Employment Centre, located on the Interurban campus, phone #370-3839, will also be able to assist in getting up-to-date information about career and employment opportunities, and their availability in specific geographical regions.
The Library Media Centre (LMC) has catalogues listing employment and career positions and titles in the field of Criminal Justice, and also the educational and experience requirements for positions. Due to the popularity of, and the growing number of students graduating in, Criminology and Criminal Justice programs, more and more employers require that applicants have their degree in Criminology.
There are over 500,000 criminal justice-related jobs in Canada. Upon receiving their two-year diploma, students are usually eligible to work in correctional services, customs, law enforcement, and in services to young offenders. The majority of applicants to the R.C.M.P. will be accepted only upon completion of a degree.
Students receiving their degree in Criminology are further eligible to look for employment in such fields as probation, parole, immigration, some areas of research, and counseling within institutions.
As there are no Bachelor degree programs in Criminology available at universities further east than Montreal, students obtaining their degree may have a good chance of finding employment on the Canadian East Coast. Also, a large number of criminal justice-related positions are situated in central Canada. Finding employment on Vancouver Island is also possible, though the openings here are highly competitive due to our location.
The outlook is optimistic for those students wishing to apply to law school after completing their Criminology degree. Many law schools view this degree as a logical entrance degree and have become more than ready to accept such students provided they have high academic standing.
Careers that our past graduates have accessed include: the RCMP, local municipal police departments, Deputy Sheriff, youth and adult corrections, parole officer, probation officer, Family Maintenance Enforcement Officer, private investigation, loss prevention, community corrections, street support worker working with at-risk youth, research, insurance claims and investigations, and victim assistance services.
Criminal Justice Employability Skills Profile
Recently, a number of skills have been consistently identified as being necessary or highly desirable by employers in the criminal justice community. The following are characteristics or skills you should be developing or fostering during your educational experience at Camosun College.
- Academic Skills
- Communicate
- ability to write effectively and succinctly
- ability to listen carefully
- ability to read, comprehend, prepare and use written materials, documents and reports
- ability to communicate orally in a clear and direct manner
- ability to understand and speak languages of a diverse client groups
- Think
- ability to think critically and logically
- ability to evaluate facts, solve problems and make decisions
- ability to use technology, instruments tools, and information systems
- ability to access and apply specialized knowledge from various fields
- understanding of the justice system, causes of social problems and intervention strategies
- Learn
- desire and ability to continue the learning process during employment
- Communicate
- Personal Management Skills
- Positive Attitudes and Behaviors
- self esteem and confidence
- honesty, integrity and personal ethics
- initiative, energy and persistence
- positive attitude to learning, personal growth and well-being
- Responsibility
- ability to set goals and priorities in work and personal life
- ability to manage time and resources in work and personal life
- accountability for actions taken
- Adaptability
- positive attitude toward change
- recognition and respect for diversity and individual differences
- creativity and innovation
- Positive Attitudes and Behaviors
- Teamwork Skills
- Working With Others
- understand and contribute to the agency's goals
- understand and work within the culture of the group
- plan and make decisions within a group
- respect for opinions of others
- ability to give and take to achieve group results
- leadership skills and knowing when to use these
- Working With Others
