Volunteer

Are you interested in the history of Vancouver’s Chinatown and Chinese culture? Would you like to develop your professional skills while working in a peaceful environment? Join our Volunteer Program and start your journey into Vancouver’s Chinese Garden today!

The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is an internationally recognized cultural and educational facility that offers extensive professional training for a range of individuals. Our Volunteer Program offers direct work experience in events, retail, educational programming, public speaking, group facilitation and office administration.

The joys of volunteering here are many, among which is an opportunity to meet great people and relish the Garden's tranquil environment. Whether you are pursuing a career in the Arts or looking for a challenging and rewarding extracurricular activity, the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden has something for everyone.

Here are some ways you can get involved:

  • Docent/Cultural Interpreter: leading 45 minute public tours for visitors and the community to share information about Chinese gardens, history, culture, and philosophy. Great for fine tuning public speaking and group facilitation skills.
  • Professional Internship: The Garden offers short-term and long-term internships in events, retail, office administration and educational programming.
  • Special Events Assistant: assisting with special events and festivals at the Garden, such as Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Moon, Winter Solstice festivals, and Enchanted Evenings Concert Series.
  • Gift Shop Assistant: assisting with inventory, display, and customer purchases; great for those interested in obtaining retail experience.


What Our Volunteers Say:

"I have met so many different people from all over the world who are gracious and glad for me to share my interest and knowledge of the garden.Coming to the garden is a welcome and peaceful break from my busy and hectic schedule." ~ Lilac Lang

“I enjoy the Garden throughout the different seasons. As a volunteer I always get to see nature’s changes and be a part of the programs and events at the Garden. I’ve learned a lot over the years and continue to do so. Visitors to the Garden have their own stories to tell about their travels and cultural experiences, and I’ve been fortunate to be part of several conversations after my tours.” ~ Bev Corson

“My time as a docent for the past 3 years has been a complete blessing. Far beyond my expectations when I was just looking for some community experience, being a docent has allowed me to improve my public speaking skills, learn more about community programs, and meet some amazingly interesting people from around the world.” ~ Allan Cho

Current Openings

Full-Time Interns

Eight Treasures Shop Assistants

Docent/Cultural Interpreter

For questions and more information, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at
(604) 662 3207 ext 208 or email at: volunteers@vancouverchinesegarden.com

Download our Volunteer Application Form.

We offer many other ways to get involved, talk to us about how you would like to become part of the Garden family.