Volunteer with Luke's Place
We love our volunteers.
Just as we rely on our donors to help fund our organization, we rely on the leadership of our board of directors, the compassion and commitment of our legal support volunteers, the expertise of our family law pro bono lawyers and the enthusiasm of students to deliver our services.
Our volunteers learn valuable skills and are part of a community working to end violence against women and their children.
Board of directors
Luke’s Place board of directors support our work and provide mission-based leadership and strategic governance. We are thankful to all of our board members past and present for their dedication to the women and children that we support.
Our board meets bi-monthly and is responsible for:
- Oversee the organization’s vision and direction, including determining agency policy
- Adhere to the policies in the areas of board responsibility
- Support, contribute to and assist with fundraising and fund development activities
- Support and supervise the executive director
- Monitor the financial health of the organization, including approval of the annual budget
- Effective community relations
- Oversee legal issues relating to the organization
Legal support volunteers
Luke’s Place legal support volunteers work directly and independently with women who need support during a court appearance, at the police station or during a lawyer appointment. Legal support volunteers also provide support during group sessions and information workshops. Many of our experienced legal support volunteers also assist in a variety of agency events throughout the course of the year.
Luke’s Place offers an extensive training program free of charge for all new legal support volunteer applicants.
Testimonials
“As a volunteer nothing prepared me for the astonishing amount of strength and courage I have come to admire in the clients' of Luke's Place. Many women I accompany to court have had to summon up extraordinary amounts of courage, to leave their abuser. One woman moved her six children with her to a women's shelter, five weeks before Christmas. Talk about courage! Our clients' strength and courage continues to inspire me and is a big part of why I love volunteering with Luke's Place.”
- Nancy, legal support volunteer
“I wanted to do something meaningful with my time. By becoming a volunteer, I was rewarded with informative workshops, meaningful networking opportunities and the satisfaction of supporting women going through the court process.”
- Fran, legal support volunteer
Lawyers
We offer a variety of opportunities for family law lawyers.
- Donate pro bono time to our legal advice services by volunteering with our Legal Clinic, which provides free family law summary advice to women across Ontario who are dealing with abuse.
- If you are a Durham-based lawyer, you have the option of volunteering for in-person clinic appointments and/or virtual appointments.
- All other lawyers provide summary legal advice to women using web-based video conferencing or telephone.
- Participate in our Legal Advisory Group. This is a group of family law lawyers and administrators of family law services who provide consultation about our legal work. Our Legal Advisory Group is currently on pause.
- Provide public legal education to women by speaking on a topic at one of our legal information sessions which are currently being held virtually for women throughout Ontario.
- Assist us in preparing or updating resources for women or support workers throughout the province on various family law topics.
- Get involved in our law reform and advocacy work.
All lawyers who volunteer with Luke's Place have free access to our accredited training.
Testimonial
"Access to legal information and advice is absolutely crucial in the family court system, particularly for women in vulnerable situations. I am extremely proud to be part of a volunteer team at Luke's Place to help women understand their rights and entitlements and how to pursue them through the court."
- Stephanie, pro bono lawyer
Volunteer highlight
See one of our volunteer lawyers highlighted in this article from The Law Foundation of Ontario.
Student placements
Social work
Luke’s Place accepts full-year social work student placements for September. Students receive practical training and experience in supporting women and their children as they navigate the family law process.
Law students and articling
Our organization also accepts law student volunteers and offers articling student positions.
Connect with us
