Events Volunteer Associate (Toronto)

Call for Applications: Events Volunteer Associate (Toronto)

About Rainbow Railroad

Rainbow Railroad is a global charitable organization that envisions a world where LGBTQI+ people are free to live with dignity and without fear of persecution based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics. With the support of partners across the globe, we collaborate to champion the rights of LGBTQI+ people toward access to justice, peace, economic stability, and the facility to actualise their dreams.

Our mission is to help at-risk LGBTQI+ people to safety and to create a sense of home and belonging in their community. Our work has become increasingly critical at a time when there are more displaced people than ever before and where the rights of LGBTQI+ people continue to be threatened by homophobic, transphobic, and queerphobic policies and cultures. Since 2006, we have rallied the support of human rights defenders, governments, donors, volunteers, agencies, and organizations, as well as people with lived refugee expertise to assist over 20,000 LGBTQI+ individuals in finding safety through multiple relocation pathways and other forms of assistance.

Rainbow Railroad is a USA 501(c)(3) organization and a registered Canadian charity with offices in New York and Toronto.

THE VOLUNTEER ROLE

We are seeking a highly motivated and organized individual to play a skilled volunteer role supporting Rainbow Railroad’s events and engagement work.

The Events Volunteer Associate supports the planning and delivery of key organizational events, including Pride-season initiatives and donor or community gatherings. This role contributes to event logistics, coordination, and volunteer support while working closely with staff to ensure events are inclusive, well-run, and aligned with Rainbow Railroad’s mission.

This is an unpaid volunteer position intended to support organizational capacity during peak event periods.

VOLUNTEER DUTIES

• Support event planning and coordination, including vendor, venue, and service provider logistics
• Assist with research related to upcoming events, including vendors, venues, in-kind partners, and accessibility considerations
• Support coordination across teams, including Communications, Development, and Community Engagement, as needed for events
• Assist with volunteer logistics and on-site coordination during events
• Support documentation of event outcomes for internal reference, including notes on attendance, engagement, and lessons learned
• Assist with on-site event set-up, teardown, and general event support as needed

VOLUNTEER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Be punctual, reliable, and responsible in fulfilling volunteer commitments
• Communicate clearly about availability and any changes that may affect participation
• Complete assigned tasks within agreed timelines
• Accept guidance and direction from the Volunteer Coordinator or designated staff lead
• Participate in orientation, training, and pre-event briefings as required
• Maintain clear boundaries between volunteer responsibilities and paid staff roles
• Handle sensitive organizational information with discretion
• Comply with Rainbow Railroad’s policies and procedures

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR IN A VOLUNTEER

Personal Skills

• Strong organizational and coordination skills
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams
• Clear communication and attention to detail
• Comfort working in fast-paced, event-based environments

Experience & Interests

• Interest in event planning, community engagement, or nonprofit operations
• Experience supporting events, volunteers, or logistics (paid or unpaid) is an asset
• Familiarity with LGBTQI+ community spaces and values is an asset

Requirements

• Sensitivity to LGBTQI+ issues and alignment with Rainbow Railroad’s mission
• Ability to commit consistently during peak event periods
• Minimum commitment of 3–6 months
  • Increased availability during spring and Pride season
  • 1-2 morning/afternoon, a week for a total of 5-12 hours a week commitment
• Toronto-based, with in-person participation required for events and administration

VOLUNTEER BENEFITS

• Meaningful contribution to Rainbow Railroad’s public-facing and community events
• Hands-on experience supporting nonprofit event delivery
• Training, guidance, and on-site support from staff
• Opportunities to build skills and networks within an international LGBTQI+ organization
• Professional references available upon request

Length of Role: Minimum 3–12 months

Application Deadline – Feb 28, 2026

Please note that we will be accepting resumes on a rolling basis, so we encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

Rainbow Railroad is dedicated to building an organization that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. This includes diversity in languages spoken, culture, race, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Requests for accommodation due to disability can be made at any stage in the recruitment process.

For inquiries related to these volunteer opportunities, please contact ndavis@rainbowrailroad.org.