CVITP Tax Clinic Volunteers Needed
Would you like to build leadership skills and make CFN's free tax clinic possible? The tax clinic enables clients to file their income tax return, connecting them with government benefits and participating in Canadian life.
Volunteer roles support a welcoming, organized, and accessible community tax clinic under the oversight of Centre for Newcomers Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP). Volunteers work collaboratively, protect client privacy, follow clinic procedures, and adhere to the scope of the role.
Expectations for all roles
Provide respectful, patient, and inclusive service to all clients.
Protect personal and financial information and follow confidentiality requirements.
Attend orientation and role-specific training and follow the direction of clinic leadership.
Arrive on time, communicate absences promptly, and remain flexible during busy periods.
Must be available between December 2026 – May 2027
Maintain clear handoffs and report concerns, incidents, or process issues to the tax clinic lead, CFN Volunteer Coordinator.
See a detailed decsriptiion of positions available below. If one or more postions are a good for apply todat at https://bttr.im/tk252
Scheduling Team Coordinator
Role purpose: Coordinate schedulers, ensure scheduling hours are reliably staffed. Manage appointment/scheduling app. Keep CVITP Lead Organizer up to date.
Reporting directly to the CVITP Tax Clinic Lead and coordinating closely with the Appointment Coordinator and onsite coordinators.
Key responsibilities
· Ensure Schedulers are well trained and updated
· Prepare paper copies of schedule in a timely manner preceding each tax clinic day
· Flag urgent scheduling issues for clinic leadership
· Coordinate appointment capacity with onsite operations and tax preparer availability.
· Record outcomes such as confirmed, completed, cancelled, rescheduled, or no-show.
· Refer tax questions and complex client circumstances to trained staff or volunteers.
Skills and qualities
· Experience managing a team is an asset.
· Clear phone, email, and in-person communication.
· Accuracy, discretion, patience, and strong schedule management.
· Comfort using booking software, calendars, and basic office technology.
Practical expectations: Must be over 18 years old. This role is onsite. Registration with CVITP and a Police Information Check completed within the past three years are required.
Scheduler
Role purpose: Assess client eligibility, book clients appropriately. Reporting to the Scheduling Coordinator.
Key responsibilities
· Assess client eligibility and strictly adhering to policies.
· Provide guidance on eligibility to clients in preferred language.
· Accurately book clients using prescribed booking software.
· Send confirmation email immediately and confirm receipt with client.
· Provide instructions for appointment day.
Skills and qualities
· Intermediate proficiency in English (CLB 6)
· Excellent organization, accuracy, and time management.
· Clear and timely communication by email, phone, or approved messaging tools.
· Intermediate proficiency using spreadsheets, calendars, or scheduling software.
· Discretion handling client contact information.
· Intermediate proficiency in any of the following languages: Tigryna, Amharic, Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Pashto, Mandarin, French, Hindi
Practical expectations: Must be over 18 years old. This role is onsite at the Centre for Newcomers Northgate location. Registration with CVITP and a Police Information Check completed within the past three years are required.
Catering & Front Desk Operations Coordinator
Role purpose: Plan and order catering for each day of the CVITP tax clinic. Oversee the clinic’s day-of operations including coordinating food and refreshments, physical setup, volunteer coverage, client flow, and issue escalation so services run safely, efficiently, and with well-organized breaks. Counterpart role to Forms, Metrics & Tax Room Operations Coordinator. Reporting directly to CVITP Tax Clinic Lead
Key responsibilities
· Open and close the clinic site and confirm that workstations, signage, waiting areas, supplies, privacy measures, and refreshment areas are ready.
· Conduct morning huddles with front desk volunteer team, providing updates, special instructions, schedules, safety information, break timing, and operational changes.
· Monitor client flow and adjust front desk volunteer coverage or waiting areas as needed.
· Confirm expected volunteer numbers, service times, dietary needs
· Order catering in advance and within budget in consultation with clinic leadership.
· Coordinate food orders, deliveries, setup, replenishment, safe storage, allergen labelling, and cleanup.
· Maintain catering supplies, including water, cups, napkins, utensils, and waste containers.
· Coordinate meal and refreshment breaks so client service remains adequately staffed.
· Serve as the main contact for operational questions and escalate tax, privacy, safety, technology, food-safety, or client-service concerns appropriately.
· Coordinate with the appointment, forms/metrics, and tax preparation teams.
· Track catering expenses, submit receipts, and document significant incidents, supply shortages in a timely manner.
Skills and qualities
· Reliable, trustworthy, responsible and resourceful.
· Strong organization, time management, leadership, and interpersonal communication.
· Calm decision-making and the ability to prioritize competing needs in a busy public-service environment.
· Superior demonstrated client service.
· Ability to anticipate quantities, coordinate schedules, and manage several timing details at once.
· Ability to collaborate with counterparts in an efficient and respectful manner.
· Experience managing a team is an asset.
Practical expectations: Must be over 18 years old. This role is onsite with frequent movement around the site, standing during setup and cleanup, lifting light supply boxes, and comfort handling time-sensitive operational issues. Registration with CVITP and a Police Information Check completed within the past three years are required.
Front Desk
Role purpose: Welcome clients, complete arrival procedures, and support an orderly, respectful flow through the clinic.
Key responsibilities
· Greet clients, confirm appointments, and explain the check-in process using approved scripts or guidance.
· Direct clients to waiting, intake, tax preparation, or follow-up areas while protecting privacy.
· Distribute required intake forms.
· Confirm that clients have the required documents.
· Update appointment status and communicate arrivals, delays, walk-ins, and accessibility needs to the Catering & Front Desk Operations Coordinator.
· Monitor waiting areas, provide general clinic information, and respond calmly to routine questions.
· Keep the reception area organized and promptly escalate safety, privacy, conflict, or service concerns.
Skills and qualities
· Warm, professional client service and clear communication.
· Patience, discretion, cultural sensitivity, and comfort working in a busy environment.
· Ability to stay calm in pressurized environments.
· Ability to follow check-in procedures and use basic scheduling or sign-in tools.
· Intermediate proficiency in English (CLB 6).
· Intermediate proficiency in one of the following languages is an asset: Tigrinya, Amharic, Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Pashto, Mandarin, French, Hindi
Practical expectations: Must be over 18 years old. Involves extended periods of sitting or standing and frequent interaction with the public. Registration with CVITP and a Police Information Check completed within the past three years are required.
Metrics & Tax Room Operations Coordinator
Role purpose: Oversee Tax Preparation and Forms Management operations. Maintain accurate clinic forms, collect client information approved service data, and support secure, consistent reporting without providing tax advice.
Counterpart role to Catering & Front Desk Operations Coordinator. Reporting directly to CVITP Tax Clinic Lead
Key responsibilities
· Use secure storage and transfer procedures for paper and electronic records.
· Reconcile daily totals, identify discrepancies, and raise questions with clinic leadership.
· Prepare summary reports using only authorized, non-identifying information.
· Follow retention, destruction, confidentiality, and access-control procedures.
Skills and qualities
· Exceptional attention to detail and comfort working with forms, spreadsheets, or databases.
· Sound judgment when handling confidential information.
· Ability to follow standardized processes and meet reporting deadlines.
· Experience leading a small team.
Practical expectations: Must be over 18 years old. Primarily standing or walking around. Must have basic Canadian Income Tax return knowledge. Registration with CVITP and a Police Information Check completed within the past three years are required.
Metrics Collection
Role purpose: Collect, verify, and securely record approved tax clinic service data so clinic activity can be accurately monitored and reported.
Reporting to the Metrics & Tax Room Operations Coordinator and working closely with front desk and tax preparation volunteers.
Key responsibilities
· Check intake forms for administrative completeness and return incomplete items to tax preparer or client as appropriate/needed.
· Record data accurately and promptly using Appenate. All forms must be entered within 24 hours.
· Review entries for completeness and consistency and flag missing information or discrepancies to the Metrics & Tax Room Operations Coordinator.
· Reconcile daily totals with appointment and tax preparation records.
· Follow clinic procedures for record retention, access, and secure disposal.
Skills and qualities
· Strong attention to detail, accuracy, promptness and organization.
· Comfort using online reporting tools.
· Ability to follow standardized definitions and data collection procedures.
· Sound judgment and discretion when handling confidential information.
· Ability to identify inconsistencies and ask timely questions.
· Intermediate proficiency in any of the following languages: Tigryna, Amharic, Arabic Farsi, Dari, Pashto, Mandarin, French, Hindi
Practical expectations: Must be over 18 years old. This role is onsite and may involve seated data entry as well as moving between the front desk and tax preparation areas to collect information. Registration with CVITP and a Police Information Check completed within the past three years are required.
Beyond our tax clinic there are mant ways for you to be part of creating a welcoming environment for newcomers to Canada. Contribute your time, share your skills and create meaningful relationships as you develop a stronger social network and gain a deeper appreciation of Calgary’s diverse culture. For more information visit https://www.centrefornewcomers.ca/volunteer
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