Five ways volunteering prepares you to be a YMCA educator

03 January 2025 - by Tia Chung

Thinking about a career in child care? You may be closer to it than you realize! Whether you’ve cared for children or helped in your community, the skills you gain as a volunteer are a great stepping-stone into the workplace. Even if you don’t have formal qualifications, your volunteer experience is a powerful start.

At the YMCA of Greater Toronto, we value people from all walks of life joining our team. Here’s how your volunteer experience can help you step into a child care educator role with us.

1. You've done great volunteer work

Have you volunteered with children, perhaps as a camp counsellor, a youth mentor, or by helping with after-school programs? Or maybe you’ve supported other communities, like assisting seniors or leading group activities. If you’ve volunteered in ways that involve care or mentorship, you’re likely more qualified to work in Y Child Care than you think.

A young person with long brown hair in a white top rests a hand on an elderly person's wheelchair as they both look out at trees through large windows.

Volunteering teaches skills like empathy, reliability, and flexibility — essential characteristics for a child care educator. So, don’t overlook the experiences you’ve gained.

2. You've built essential skills

As a volunteer, you’ve developed many soft skills, like patience, communication, and teamwork, that are key in child care work.

Working with children requires you to break down ideas in simple ways, manage conflicts with patience, and work smoothly alongside others.

An educator in a beige top and green apron shows colourful play money to three children in a vibrant YMCA child care classroom.

Keeping things calm, clear, and fun is a valuable skill for a child care educator, and your experience as a volunteer will help you apply those skills to any child care setting.

3. You've had a leadership role

If you’ve led activities or managed a group as a volunteer, you’ve picked up essential leadership skills. Early childhood education isn’t just about caring for children; it’s also about guiding them, especially as they develop and learn new things.

Two YMCA camp counsellors in blue t-shirts and helmets pose behind three helmeted children on bikes outdoors.

Child care educators are often role models and, for school-age children, mentors. They must confidently lead and pay attention to details, whether it’s helping a group complete a craft of managing an after-school program.

An educator in a black YMCA t-shirt assists a child with a pizza-making activity in a child care classroom.

Your volunteer work may have also prepared you to document observations and communicate with parents, which are all part of a Y educator role.

4. You understand and appreciate diverse backgrounds

In child care, you’ll interact with children and families from all backgrounds, and it’s important to be culturally aware.

If your volunteer work connected you to diverse communities, you know how to appreciate different perspectives, understand cultural nuances, and inclusively engage.

An educator plays with three children using a woodworking simulation setup in a YMCA child care classroom.

This awareness makes a huge difference when working with children, fostering a sense of belonging and respect.

5. You’ve seen YMCA educators in action

If you’ve volunteered with YMCA Child Care before, you’ve witnessed what our educators do every day. Supporting children’s growth, planning engaging activities, and being there for them are just part of the role — you’ve also seen educators’ impact on children and their families.

An educator in a pink hoodie with curly hair helps children colour an airplane drawing on a wooden desk in a child care classroom.

Your experience also gave you a feel for the position to help you decide if it’s the right path for you. If you haven’t already, check out our Meet a YMCA educator video series to get more of a glimpse into life as a Y educator.

A close-up of an educator in a white blouse with dark hair looking through a purple magnifying glass.

If you’re interested in taking the next step and starting a career in child care, remember that your volunteer work makes a difference!

Volunteering is the perfect gateway to becoming an educator. One day, it might even lead you to become a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE). At the YMCA, we’re here to support you every step of the way.