Youth Researcher

2 hours/wk. (flexible hours), Hybrid 
1 year community project (until February 2026) 

Community Development Halton (CDH) is a not-for-profit social planning organization that works to enhance the quality of life for individuals, families and communities in Halton. We are dedicated to serving the community and promoting social welfare, engagement, and development within Halton Region. Our initiatives include community-based research, needs assessments, education, training, volunteerism, and policy analysis for systemic change. 

Position Description 

The Youth Researcher will join a team of youth volunteers to conduct research on volunteering in the City of Burlington. We are assembling a team of youth, currently residing in Burlington, that will be trained to conduct research on facilitators and barriers to volunteering. 

We are particularly interested in recruiting BIPOC youth, queer youth, those living in low-income households, newcomers, immigrants, refugees, and others with diverse identities and abilities. 

The Research Problem 

The mandatory requirement for high-school students to complete 40-hours of volunteering was implemented about 20 years ago. Since then, questions have arisen about how this requirement affects youth. Originally intended to promote volunteering in youth, concerns have arisen on whether this requirement has turned volunteering into a transaction (i.e. volunteering to get the minimum 40-hour requirement). 

Further, some organizations have moved away from recruiting youth volunteers or may have shifts that don’t work well for youth. We are interested in exploring what it takes to empower youth to volunteer, and how organizations can change their practices to encourage youth volunteering. 

Participation Requirements 
- Attend weekly, hour-long, in-person meetings with the Youth Research Team, and Youth Engagement Coordinator 
- Receive training on how to conduct research in communities 
- Use these skills to collaborate with other youth to create research questions and conduct community research 
- Work to create a report and workshops to deliver the research results to other youth and the non-profit sector 
- Participate in speaking opportunities as they arise 
- Youth may have the opportunity to turn their research into an art project, to be decided upon by the Youth Research Team 

Recruitment Process 

1. Interested youth are asked to attend one of two virtual information sessions to learn more about this role and the research project. Please register for one of the following sessions at: 

Thursday, March 13th, 2025 from 7-8pm 
www.cdhalton.ca/event-details/information-session-youth-engagement-research-project-2 

Thursday, March 20th, 2025 from 7-8pm 
www.cdhalton.ca/event-details/information-session-youth-engagement-research-project 

2. Submit a video of yourself (max. 2 minutes) to the Youth Engagement Coordinator at ikaur@cdhalton.ca, answering the following questions: 
- Who are you? 
- What is one thing that makes it easy and enjoyable to volunteer in your community? 
- What is one barrier that you have noticed to volunteering in your community? 

Last day to submit your video is March 31, 2025

3. Interview with Community Development Halton Staff 
- You will be asked to provide a character reference 

Recruitment Criteria 
- Commitment to 1 year, flexibility in availability, ability to attend in-person meetings 
- Reliable internet connection 
- Currently residing in Burlington 
- Interpersonal skills, ability to interact with and interview others, across age groups 
- Public speaking skills 
- Can work independently and as part of a team 
- Demonstrated community and/or civic involvement 
- Lived experience(s) of the challenges of completing the required 40 hours OSSD community service requirement is considered an asset