Get involved in many ways
We appreciate your interest in helping Winnipeggers get home safe and sound this holiday season – you truly are a gift and we’re grateful for your service! You can volunteer alone or encourage friends and family to volunteer with you. It’s great fun and we try to make everyone feel very welcome. We feed our volunteers each night before you set out on your night of busy volunteering for the community.
Both our online and paper based applications are below. Online applications are quicker to process and you will immediately receive a link to choose your shifts at the end of the process.
You will also find detailed information on each role that Operation Red Nose volunteers can fill for each shift. We kindly ask that you consider choosing three or more shifts if possible, as we have over 950 spots to fill each year to accomodate the city service. If you cannot offer that level of commitment, we are grateful for any degree of volunteer assistance for our clients.
Volunteer Positions
Drive Team Roles
A team of three volunteers provides the Operation Red Nose service: the escort driver, the designated driver and the navigator are the three members of the team.
Escort driver – 21 years +
Volunteers use their vehicles to drive the designated driver and navigator to the client's waiting location.
We offer to reimburse your gas in the
form of a gas voucher, or you
can choose to donate your gas to the
cause at the end of each night.
Navigator – 18 years +
The volunteer rides along with the designated driver and the client in the client’s vehicle. They also help navigate (thank goodness we all have maps on our phones now!) and handle the team administration tasks.
Designated Driver – 21 years +
The volunteer who drives the client’s vehicle, with the navigator at their side.
Experience with driving "standard" is
beneficial, but not essential.
Headquarters Roles
Headquarters Roles
Our headquarters is the nerve centre of our service. Safety Services Manitoba provides great facilities and has accommodated the Winnipeg campaign for many years.
These activities are ideally suited to those who prefer not to drive or have skills such as cooking, food preparation, taking calls, data entry, and welcoming and registering our volunteers for each night.
Dispatcher – 21 years +
Volunteers who stay inside the headquarters as dispatchers on the phone and maintain headquarters.
Greeter – 18 years +
Our greeting volunteers are based at our headquarters, where they register each volunteer's attendance. Greeters also form our drive teams, use our computer system, and collaborate with the night manager and coordinator to ensure that the administration of teams and the night runs efficiently.
Phone Operators – 17 years +
Volunteers who stay inside the headquarters as dispatchers on the phone and maintain headquarters.
Hospitality – 18 years+
Our hospitality volunteers are the stars of each campaign night. They ensure the coffee is hot, the food is prepared, the shopping and groceries are ready, and everything is safely set out to feed our volunteers each night of the campaign.
Complete the following form to submit your application, or contact us if you have any questions.
It is recommended that you complete this online application on a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet.
You MUST digitally sign the application at the end of the process for the application to be accepted by the police for processing your annual police clearance. Signing your application within the signature box on a cellphone may interfere your devices keyboard overlay.
Please have TWO of the following forms of ID available to upload to your application
Online Volunteer Application
Preferred First Form of ID
Manitoba Driving License
Front & Back Driving Licence Scans / Photos Required
Accepted Forms Of Secondary ID Type(s)
Valid Identity Documents (can be a combination)
- Provincial Photo Identification (Not any Driving Licences)
- NEXUS Card
- Identification Page from Canada Passport
- Permanent Resident Card
- Certificate of Indian Status (status card)
- Canadian military identification card
- Health Card
Online Volunteer Application Form
Submit Physical Volunteer Applications
Drop off at Safety Services
#3-1680 Notre Dame Avenue,
Winnipeg, MB, R3H 1H6
Drop off/Mail To:
#188-3336 Portage Avenue,
Winnipeg, MB, R3K 2H9
(CARE OF THE UPS STORE #119)
On the night of your shift with Operation Red Nose:
- Bring your valid Class 5 full driver’s licence (for escort drivers and drivers);
- Bring at least two forms of ID with you to present at check-in. We may need to scan them to validate your volunteer application.
- If you are scheduled as a Drive Team member, bring your personal proof of vehicle insurance. Although this is relevant to Escort Drivers using their car as a “team car,” we only allocate Drive Team roles after you arrive at HQ.
- Dress warmly. Bring a thermos cup with a lid.
- We recommend that you take a nap before your shift to ensure you are alert and ready to volunteer until the early morning hours.
- Arrive at Safety Services at 3-1680 Notre Dame by 7:30 p.m.
- Have fun, get fed by us, and set out by around 9 p.m. for the night.
- Our Call Centre stops taking calls at 3 a.m. Client calls are often on the wait list for a short period after this. Allow some flexibility to return to HQ after 3 a.m. to ensure we safely get all clients home. Our dispatcher will call teams when it’s time to head back to HQ.
What drive teams can expect:
- Check in with volunteers and identify your chosen role for the evening.
- If you come as a team of three, you can stay together; otherwise, you’ll be paired with other volunteers to make a drive team.
- Grab a seat and a light meal from one of our great sponsors or prepared by our hospitality team.
- Watch a short training video and have all your questions answered.
- Head out to an area of the city. The dispatch team will start sending in pick-ups as soon as requested, likely keeping you busy until the wee morning hours!
- After your last ride, you’ll return to headquarters to return your supplies.
- Head home and head to bed, knowing you helped your community stay safe.