Graphic Design Volunteer

Organization: CivicAction
Position type: Volunteer (unpaid), part-time
Location: Toronto, Ontario (remote/flexible arrangements to be confirmed)
Time commitment: Approximately 3–5 hours per week (proposed)
Term: 3 months preferred
Reports to: Manager, Digital Strategy & Content

About CivicAction

CivicAction brings together leaders and communities across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) to understand the issues shaping our region and turn collective leadership into action.

Through leadership development, civic intelligence, engagement and mobilization, CivicAction works across sectors to help build a more inclusive, prosperous and resilient region.

About the opportunity

We're looking for a creative, detail-oriented volunteer with a strong interest in graphic design to help bring CivicAction's stories, campaigns and initiatives to life.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working in Canva, has a good eye for design and wants to gain hands-on experience creating visual content for a civic leadership organization.

You'll work closely with our Digital Strategy & Content team to design graphics, develop reusable Canva templates and create branded visual materials for our digital channels, campaigns, events and website.

A key focus will be helping us build a consistent and organized library of Canva templates that can be easily adapted and reused by the team.

What you'll do

Graphic design and visual content

● Design graphics for LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and other digital platforms.

● Create visual assets for campaigns, program announcements, events, impact stories and organizational updates.

● Design graphics for newsletters, website pages, presentations and other digital materials.

● Adapt existing designs for different formats and platforms.

● Ensure designs follow CivicAction's brand guidelines and maintain a consistent visual identity.

Canva templates and design resources

● Develop reusable Canva templates for social media posts, event promotions, quotes, impact statistics and storytelling.

● Help refine and standardize existing templates.

● Organize Canva templates, graphics and other design assets so they are easy for the team to find and reuse.

● Support the development of simple visual guidelines for recurring content formats.

Creative collaboration

● Work from design briefs and content provided by the Digital Strategy & Content team.

● Share creative ideas and recommendations for improving the presentation of our content.

● Make design adjustments based on feedback.

● Help ensure designs are clear, accessible and appropriate for different audiences.

What we're looking for

● Comfortable using Canva to create polished, professional graphics.

● A strong eye for layout, typography, colour and visual consistency.

● Familiarity with designing for social media and digital communications.

● Ability to work within established brand guidelines.

● Strong attention to detail and good organizational skills.

● Ability to take feedback and make revisions.

● Interest in CivicAction's work and the nonprofit sector.

Nice to have, but not required

● Experience with Canva or similar design tools.

● Basic motion graphics or animation skills in Canva.

● Experience designing infographics or visualizing data.

● Familiarity with accessible design practices.

● Experience creating graphics for websites, newsletters or presentations.

● Previous design experience through school, freelance, personal or volunteer projects.

We welcome applications from students, recent graduates, emerging designers and individuals looking to build their portfolios. Formal professional design experience is not required.

What you'll gain

● Hands-on experience designing for a civic leadership organization.

● Opportunities to contribute to real campaigns, programs and events.

● Experience developing reusable design templates and working with established brand guidelines.

● Opportunities to develop portfolio pieces, subject to CivicAction's approval.

● Feedback and guidance from an experienced digital communications team.

● An opportunity to contribute your creative skills to work that supports communities across the GTHA.

Time commitment

We're proposing approximately 3–5 hours per week, with flexible scheduling around agreed-upon projects and deadlines. The preferred term is 3-months.

This is an unpaid volunteer opportunity. The scope of work will be planned around the volunteer's availability, and CivicAction staff will remain responsible for creative direction, final approvals and publishing.

How to apply

Interested applicants are invited to upload:

● A resume or brief summary of relevant experience.

● A short note explaining their interest in the opportunity.

● Two or three examples of graphic design work, such as Canva graphics, social media designs, event materials or other visual projects.

Application Deadline: November 23rd, 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.