Why should you volunteer to help the OCF?
- The organization needs you. Climbing is a rapidly-growing sport, in Canada and around the world. Canadian climbing needs your help to keep up – to help the organization keep pace, and to help run good competitions.
- Skills! Volunteering builds confidence and resumes. Volunteering with the OCF will add to your skill set and experience.
- Parents: volunteering benefits your children. Not only does it help ensure that the organization and competition run smoothly, but it gives you common conversational ground with your children – something that is especially nice with pre-teens and teens.
But I don’t know anything about climbing! How can I possibly contribute?
You don’t have to be a climber to help out at a competition, or to help with the OCF. The climbers do the climbing and the volunteers support them in a variety of ways.
What kind of help are you looking for?
There are lots of volunteer positions available. We need help behind the scenes with the OCF, and hands-on help at the competitions. Volunteers are particularly needed at competitions to help with registration, Isolation Zone, judging, scoring, set-up and take-down…we even need drivers. Whatever position you are interested in, we will train you if necessary, and your help will make the sport run more smoothly.
I don’t want to miss seeing my child (grandchild, friend, niece, etc.) climb!
Don’t worry, most of the volunteers at a competition also want to see someone special climb. We trade off duties so that you can see “your” climber on the wall. The more volunteers we have, the easier it is to arrange this.
I can’t spend all day at a competition…
The more helpers we have the shorter the time commitment is. Even an hour or two helps.
I’m a high school student – can I get volunteer hours for this?
Absolutely. Many of our teenaged climbers meet their 40 hour requirement by helping out at competitions.
Okay, you’ve convinced me. How do I get started?
You can sign up as a supporter at https://member.climbontario.ca or e-mail us at volunteer@climbontario.ca for more information on current volunteer opportunities.
(by Sue Carkner)