What is The Interchange?

Do you feel called to serve ... to help make the world a better place, but don't know where to get information? Perhaps The Interchange can help you! Here's how.

Browse our newly re-designed web site www.theinterchange.ca! Email us at office@theinterchange.ca or give us a call (416) 269-5965.

The Interchange is a non-profit referral service that has been assisting volunteers who are searching for mission opportunities. Since starting in 1993, we have collected information on groups/organizations that need volunteers. While they are primarily Catholic groups, ecumenical and humanitarian organizations are also included who operate all over the world.

Organizations listed on The Interchange web site offer all types of projects, such as mission work, health care and teaching. Some organizations offer young adults the opportunity to experience life in another culture and participate with local people in their daily life and struggles.

On the other hand, there are organizations that offer those with many years of experience and expertise the opportunity to share this with others, but always respecting their culture and traditions.

Opportunities exist abroad as well as in Canada, for the young and not so young - from several weeks, to a few months to a few years, to even a lifetime!

Our Web Site

Our newly re-designed web site currently lists over 90 organizations seeking volunteers. For each organization, we provide their highlights such as type of work, geographical area they work in, required time commitment and qualifications, etc.

Our new site is user-friendly, easy to navigate and offers several search capabilities:

• Quick search: for a fast search of organizations meeting the keyword that is entered
• Advanced search: helps to narrow the search for organizations by entering a geographic area, time commitment and type of work desired
• Express Links: direct listing of popular work categories such as lay mission programs, teachers, health care workers and various work for young adults

Visitors interested in volunteering their time and expertise to mission work can search our site for suitable opportunities themselves. They can contact an organization directly for more detailed information if they find one that is of interest to them.

Need Assistance?

Volunteers can contact The Interchange for assistance by email or phone. But please remember our office is only staffed by part-time volunteers to respond to you.

If you need assistance, please complete the Personal Profile Form and send it to us (the Form can be downloaded from our web site or phone us). This will assist us to match your skills and other factors with the needs of organizations.

We will send you information on groups we deem to be appropriate. If any of these organizations are of interest to you, contact them directly. Please note that The Interchange is NOT a placement agency. We only offer information.

In Conclusion ...

We all have special skills and talents. If you are unable to find that special overseas commitment you have set your heart on, don't give up! You don't need to travel thousands of kilometers or to begin a completely new life. Right where you are now, there are countless possibilities. By giving of your time, you can receive so much in return. And you can change the world, as long as you are willing to try...So look around you!

Right in your community, many people or groups and organizations are waiting for your help. All you have to do is to find them - and we're here to help you find them!

At the same time, we ask a favour of you. Our work is ongoing. If you know of other groups or opportunities for personal commitment that could be listed with The Interchange, please send us their name and contact information. We are always looking to add worthwhile organizations to our web site.

We ask another favour. We request your feedback to improve our referral service. So if you go on a placement with an organization listed on our web site, please let us know - how you made out and how you would rate that organization. Thank you.

Acknowledgements

Scarboro Missions was instrumental in establishing The Interchange in 1993. It has encouraged and supported its efforts from the beginning and now fully sponsors this service.

We acknowledge too the generous financial support, for the first ten years, of the Office for the Evangelization of Peoples of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB).

The Interchange
2685 Kingston Road
Scarborough, ON
Canada M1M 1M4
Tel: (416) 269-5965
Fax: (416) 269-7388
E-mail: office@theinterchange.ca
Web site: www.theinterchange.ca