Volunteer with children, outdoors and in nature

Apply today to become a volunteer with Evergreen’s Nature School as a Nature School Assistant for our Winter Session (January 16 – March 6)!

Position: Nature School Assistant (Winter 2026)
Organization: Evergreen Nature School
Location: Evergreen Brick Works (550 Bayview Ave), Toronto ON

Evergreen’s Nature Play and Learning programs connect children, youth and educators to nature through immersive, creative, and urban exploration activities. 

Evergreen’s Nature School is a seasonal, 8-week immersive outdoor play and learning program designed for children ages 6 to 10. This is a great program for volunteers looking to give back to children and build special bonds with our students. 

Please note we are currently recruiting for the Winter Session 2025 (Fridays, January 16th – March 6th)! Qualified and accepted Nature School Assistants for the Winter Session 2026 will also be welcome to see and sign up for Spring 2026 Nature School Shifts should they wish to continue in this role.

PLEASE NOTE: The shift schedule for Nature School Assistants is from January 16 - March 6 2026, from 9:00am-3:00pm, every Friday. We expect onboarded volunteers to fulfil this commitment expectation.

Nature School Sessions (2026)

• Winter Session 2026: Fridays January 16 - March 6, 2026
• Spring Session 2026: Fridays April 24 - June 12, 2026

Building on Evergreen's extensive experience in outdoor learning, play and placemaking, this program is perfect for students being schooled at home or for families interested in providing their child with an opportunity to take a day off from school to spend time outside learning from nature, building strong connections to the local landscape and community, and developing lasting relationships with peers outside of the home or classroom environment. 

As a Nature School Assistant, volunteers will support staff in delivering Forest & Nature School-inspired programming, with a focus on experiential learning, engaging in healthy risk taking, and letting curiosity lead their learning as the students connect with nature in a hands-on way. 

Program Details:

• Participants: Junior Group (ages 6-7) and Senior Group (ages 8-10) each group has around 8-10 participants.
• Nature School sessions: Winter 2026, Spring 2026 and Fall 2026
• Shift Day: Volunteer Nature School Assistant shifts will take place on Fridays, between Jan 2026 – Mar 2026.
• Shift Length: Programs are full days starting at 8:45am. Nature School Assistants will be required to volunteer for full day shifts from 9:00am-3:30pm.
• Curriculum-linked.

✨ What you bring: 

• You have an enthusiasm for nature.
• You want to grow your teaching skills and experience. Applicants are not required to have formal teaching credentials, but an interest and/or related experience in teaching or outdoor educational environments (ex. summer camps) would be considered an asset.
• You are interested in place-based, hands-on learning. 

• You are a team player and reflective practitioner, learning by doing, debriefing each day and continually developing our program and your skills. 

• You are at least 18 years old.

When & Where: Programming takes place throughout the school year on Fridays, with the winter session beginning January 16 until March 6. A typical shift for volunteers is 6.5 hours long from 9:00am - 3:30pm. Activities are based at Evergreen Brick Works (550 Bayview Ave) with explorations into the surrounding ravine system.


Commitment: We ask that Assistants commit for a minimum of one full 8-week session (fall, winter or spring). Shifts will be every Friday from 9:00am-3:30pm, with the first session beginning January 16th until March 6th. Volunteering for more than one 8-week session is also an option.

How we’ll support you: There will be one 2-hour training session at Evergreen Brick Works in early January based on volunteer schedule availability. Evergreen education staff provide the overall program leadership while assistants primarily work with small groups of students who are engaged in hands-on experiences. There will be continual opportunities for de-briefing your work and receiving feedback from staff. 

Perks: Be a part of expanding an exciting educational program into its seventh year at EBW, build your teaching skills and be a part of inspiring children/young people, seeing the transformative power of nature-based programs. Volunteers completing 20+ hours will also receive a volunteer t-shirt (pending inventory supply), 15% discount at the Evergreen Garden Market, access to the Toronto Attractions Council’s Reciprocal Program, and more. These are just some of the ways in which we thank our volunteers for their dedication and much appreciated contributions. 


Good to know: 

• Most activities take place outside, sun, rain or snow, so be prepared!
• After candidates submit their application, successful applicants will be invited for a short phone call interview to learn more about the role, Nature School, and your skills, experiences, and interests.
• Successful candidates will be required to have an acceptable Police Records Check.
• Free shuttle bus transportation from Broadview Station is available.
• Volunteers in this role will have transferable skills to our other Outdoor Learning and Play and Adventure Camp Programs.

Fulfillment of Educational Program Requirement:

If you are hoping to use this volunteer opportunity to fulfill an educational program requirement, we are happy discuss how this role may fulfill your program needs. Mentoring educators who are OCT certified are available to work with Nature School Assistant volunteers who are completing community placements, practicum hours, Co-Op terms, and/or other educational program requirements.

✋ If this sounds like you: 

• Please click the "Fill in an application" button at the top right of this page: https://bttr.im/fm642. If you are a returning Evergreen volunteer, select the "+ Sign Up" button at the bottom of this page: https://bttr.im/fm642
• In your application, be sure to tell us a bit about yourself and why you want to volunteer, as well as any relevant experience with children, camps or the outdoors.
• Please note if you are interested in one session of Nature School or more than one.

If you are having trouble accessing the application link, please visit: https://app.betterimpact.com/PublicOrganization/f2bbf2fe-0a9b-4b14-b71f-a9262b5aa3cd/Activity/4f03979e-e961-4ab0-a7e1-4b46b39ea2ca/3

Deadline to apply for this role for Winter 2026 is Tuesday, January 5th.

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