Take action for human rights | Amnesty International Canada

Here are the current options for volunteering, from letter writing and helping at public events to starting a new Amnesty group or taking on a volunteer leadership role. Think about where you’d like to begin and make your selection at the bottom of this page. You can always explore other roles as you become more familiar with our campaigns and actions and who else is involved with Amnesty in your community. Please note that during the pandemic our response time may be longer than usual.

Great places to start:

Letter writing / Urgent Action Network
It’s based on a very simple idea: when someone is in immediate danger of serious human rights abuse, those responsible receive thousands of letters and e-mail messages from all over the world demanding it to stop. This shows the authorities that the world is watching and has the potential to protect that person from further abuse.

Join the Youth & Student program
Student activists have always been at the frontlines of human rights movements. From standing in front of tanks in Tiananmen Square to petitioning governments to abolish the death penalty, students are there. There is no better way to become involved in human rights and global issues than to join the National Youth & Student Program. With more than 500 groups across the country, it is one of the largest youth activist programs in Canada.

Join or start a community group
Our community groups are part of what makes Amnesty an effective grassroots organization. They help to ensure that Canada is a country that speaks out for the human rights of everyone. There are more than 75 community groups and specialized teams across Canada, always looking for new members to help with letter writing, planning events, and public speaking.Join our Lobby Team:

Join our Lobby Team
Learn how to participate in lobbying and advocacy with Amnesty International. Participate in national lobby days and be ready to respond when we need you to contact decision makers, in-person, online, or even on Twitter, including around the upcoming federal election.

Book Club outreach
Combine the love of reading and human rights by becoming an Amnesty International Book Club Volunteer. Learn about Canadian literature and help raise human rights awareness through reading books. You will enhance important life skills such as leadership, public speaking, and community outreach.

Climate Justice and Corporate Accountability Team
This specialized team will focus on protecting human rights in the context of the climate crisis, particularly where there is a corporate accountability angle; it will pay particular attention to environmental racism and the impacts of the climate crisis on women and girls. This work will be lead by voices and experiences from front line communities who live daily with the consequences of climate heating and pollution. The group will gather via virtual monthly meetings to discuss, share, learn, strategize, support others, raise awareness, advocate and take action.

NEW Gender Rights Team
The Gender Rights specialized team will work to advance women's rights and LGBTI rights in Canada and around the world. The team will meet virtually to learn, discuss, share, strategize, collaborate, and take action in support of gender rights. Together, we will engage in advocacy on projects and issues that Amnesty is campaigning on and are of interest to team members.

Some experience required:

Become a Youth Organizer
Organizers are activist leaders who are excited to take action on human rights issues in creative and critical ways in their community. Amnesty is committed to having youth perspectives at the centre of all its human rights work and we encourage youth from across the country to apply. The Organizer position is an excellent opportunity for anyone 25 years and under interested in taking on a leadership role within Amnesty Canada, and learning about issues that matter to them and what they can do to make a difference.

Become a Fieldworker
Fieldworkers are trained Amnesty volunteers who work across Canada to promote human rights activism at the grassroots level. Fieldworkers help and support individuals and Amnesty groups to carry out their human rights work. These positions require six months experience with Amnesty and involve an application process, a commitment to stay active for at least two years, and a training program.

If you're in the Ottawa area:

Volunteer at the Ottawa office - CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE
We have occasional openings for administrative volunteers at the national office in Ottawa. All volunteer positions require an eight month commitment or longer. Volunteer roles include Operation Support, Donor Recognition, Member Services, and Finance and Admin Support.

Volunteer with Amnesty International Canada!

Register today!