Program specialist Jobs in Guelph, ON

This Volunteer Placement is Located in: Roseau, Dominica

Start Date: November 2026

Placement Length: 6 months

Language Requirements: English Level 5-Fluent

Eligibility: Open to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada only

The Volunteer’s Role

Are you looking to use your organizational skills to advance human rights and gender equality? Join our partners MiRiDom and DESEA as a volunteer for the regional BUILDING BRICKS initiative across eight Caribbean countries (including Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana, and Belize).

In this vital role, you will power the day-to-day operations, grant management, and community outreach behind local advocacy efforts. By streaming administrative systems, managing project data, and supporting financial documentation, your behind-the-scenes work will directly strengthen operational capacity and empower marginalized LGBTQIA+ communities across the region.

As a volunteer, you will:

• Streamline Operations: Digitze physical files to cloud systems, draft official correspondence, and research upcoming funding opportunities.
• Coordinate Programs: Plan community workshops and meetings, track project schedules, and consolidate program data to monitor impact.
• Engage Stakeholders: Serve as a key point of contact for community members, partners, donors, and regional consultants to foster strong partner relationships.
• Assist Grant & Financial Administration: Organize receipts, track activity expenditures against budgets, and compile documentation for donor reports and audits.

Essential Qualifications:

• University degree in Social or Political Sciences, International Development, Human Rights, Gender Studies, Social Work, Law, Public Policy, or a related field.

Essential Background:

• Proven experience in administrative, logistical, or program support within a professional setting.
• Background in communications, event coordination, or stakeholder engagement.
• Experience working alongside vulnerable, diverse, or marginalized populations.
• Strong organizational habits, high attention to detail, and proficiency with digital record-keeping.
• A deep commitment to human rights, inclusion, and gender justice in international contexts.

Ready to make a meaningful regional impact? Apply today to contribute your skills, strengthen community advocacy, and help advance gender equality across the Caribbean!

About Us

Cuso International (Cuso) is an international cooperation and development organization based in Canada that works to create social and economic opportunities for equity-deserving groups. Building on over sixty years of impactful work, we address global challenges by tackling the root causes of inequality. Working alongside our partners, we are focused on efforts to improve economic resilience, advance equity and inclusion for all, and deliver progress on climate action. We believe that by sharing skills, we can build better futures. Guided by our values of courage, inclusion, sustainability and accountability, Cuso combines innovative strategies and enduring partnerships to create lasting, meaningful change in communities across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada.
Project: Building Bricks

Partner: Minority Rights Dominica (MiRiDom)

Volunteer Support and Requirements

Support Package

Cuso International provides a comprehensive support package to ensure volunteers maintain a modest and healthy lifestyle aligned with local standards. This includes:

• Monthly living allowance
• Accommodation
• Health insurance (including required vaccinations and antimalarial medication)
• Round-trip airfare and visa/work permit costs
• Pre-placement, in-country and reintegration training (along with access to self-directed materials and online resources)
• Ongoing local support
• Access to the Employee Assistance Program during and after placement

Selection and Screening

If you are shortlisted, you will need to:

• Confirm passport or permanent resident details for travel
• Provide two professional references and one personal reference
• Complete a language assessment during the initial phone interview
• Pass a police check and medical clearance before departure
• Comply with anti-terrorism checks
• Agree to uphold the Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) policy and Code of Conduct

Residency and Citizenship: Candidates are responsible for confirming how volunteering internationally may affect their citizenship or residency status. Canadian Permanent Residents should verify requirements with Immigration Canada before travel.

Inclusion and Accessibility: Cuso International welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and equity-deserving groups. We provide reasonable accommodations throughout recruitment and placement. If you have accessibility needs, please contact us for support.

Ready to Make a Difference? Apply to volunteer today!