Get Involved

Become a valued member of Unseen Ottawa's Street Stewards program, where you can make a difference in your community. Your participation through volunteering enhances trust and safety within neighborhoods and contributes to impactful outreach initiatives.

Street Stewards

Neighbour-to-neighbour, route-based outreach. Small trained teams walk the same blocks each week, offer dignified café meal tokens and small warmth items, make quick connections to partners, and log privacy-safe notes.

How it works

Volunteer Patrols

2-person teams walk a fixed route weekly, practicing trauma-informed engagement and safety protocols.

Meal Tokens

We quietly offer prepaid café tokens for a hot drink or soup. This meets an immediate need and restores dignity without strings.

Warm handoffs & quick connections

When asked, we connect people directly to outreach, 311, or the library - often calling ahead. Fast, person-to-person handoffs increase the chances support is accepted.

Year 1 Impact Targets

Focused pilot zone: Centretown & ByWard Market

Safety & Training

90-minute trauma-informed + naloxone briefing before first round
Buddy teams every time (2 people; 3 while training)
Clear incident levels with 911/311 triggers
Boundaries: no casework, no promises, no photos, no names
Short, well-lit routes with step-back spots; de-escalation scripts
Monthly check-ins and Impact Briefs

What you’ll do

Walk a short loop and greet neighbours using consent-based language
Offer small warmth items and, when helpful, a café token (or escorted hot drink)
Make quick warm handoffs to outreach, 311, or the library when asked
Log basics on your phone in under 3 minutes—no identifying details
Debrief with your buddy and share route notes in team chat

VOLUNTEER FORM