Students and Volunteers

Three young people sitting around a table in a modern open office.

SOAR Community Services is dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community in which we live and serve. The Agency encourages applications from all qualified individuals.

Please submit resumes and cover letters, highlighting which job posting or which sector(s) – employment, justice, housing and addictions and mental health – you are interested in to: recruit@st-leonards.com.

Resumes will be forwarded to respective hiring managers who will arrange interviews if there are available openings. Resumes will also be kept on file for a period of 6 months so in the event a suitable opening becomes available at a later date, the hiring manager has access to interested parties.

Student Placements

SOAR Community Services provides a diversified continuum of health and social programs, supporting children, youth, adults and families in Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk Counties. The Agency has four distinct service sectors:

  • Employment
  • Justice
  • Addictions and Mental Health
  • Housing

With a view to supporting the professional development of the next generation of human service professionals, the Agency is committed to partnering with colleges and universities to provide meaningful field placement experiences, which contribute to the educational advancement of the student. While field placements may not be possible for all Agency programs, every effort will be made to accommodate the student’s interests and learning goals. 

Given the overwhelming demand for placements, St. Leonard's has implemented the following student placement recruitment protocol, which limits the number of possible placements in each sector per semester to a number that will ensure each student receives an equitable and sufficient amount of support from the assigned placement supervisor.

Procedure

In reviewing applications, the Agency takes the following factors into consideration:

  1. Interested students write to the Human Resources Manager (recruit@st-leonards.com) detailing the time frames for the placement and specifying which programs are of interest and why.  Accompanying the letter should be the student’s CV highlighting academic standing and letters of support or commendation. 
  2. The Human Resources Manager will review the application in consultation with the relevant Service Sector staff, and if eligible, the student will be contacted for an interview.
    • Relevance of Course Study to Agency Services
    • Relative academic standing
    • Motivation to work in the field. (i.e. history of volunteering, research into Agency programs)
    • Appropriateness of placement to student’s learning goals
    • Agency’s capacity to provide adequate supervision
  3. During the interview, staff will evaluate the student’s capacity to succeed in the placement, including maturity, commitment and interest level.  Staff will also determine the Agency’s capacity to help the student achieve their stated learning goals while in the placement.
  4. After the interview, the student will be notified whether or not they have been accepted for a placement. If so, the Human Resources Manager will communicate the student’s orientation time table and start date for the placement.
  5. Upon completion of the placement, an appraisal of the student’s performance will be completed using the school’s standard placement evaluation format and forwarded to the Human Resources Manager.

The Agency accepts college students, university undergraduates and a limited number of graduate students, depending on the availability of supervisors, for residential and non- residential field placements.

Participating College programs include CYW, Human Services, Social Services and Community Justice and University programs include BSW and MSW students.

Due to the Agency’s limited capacity to provide supervision, all placements must be organized well in advance, in consultation with the Agency. In particular, placements in the Agency’s adult correctional residence must be planned enough in advance to ensure the student receives the required security clearance from the federal government.

Volunteer Opportunities

The Agency encourages, supports and values the involvement of volunteers in its programs to enhance activities and increase communication and positive relationships between the Agency and the community.

Please submit resumes and cover letters, highlighting which sector(s) – employment, justice, housing and addictions and mental health – you are interested in to: recruit@st-leonards.com.

Resumes will be forwarded to respective Service Directors who will arrange interviews if there are available openings. Resumes will also be kept on file for a period of 6 months so in the event a suitable opening becomes available at a later date, the hiring manager has access to interested parties.