Event Photographer – Try Toronto (Toronto, Ontario)

Emerging Leaders Placement Project

Are you passionate about photography and interested in documenting meaningful stories of community, cultural discovery, and belonging?

Try Toronto (Try Canada Initiative) is seeking dedicated volunteer photographers to capture authentic community moments at our events—helping us document the transformative power of connection and integration for newcomers to Canada.

Our approximately 10 monthly events across Toronto bring together immigrants for curated experiences: tours exploring Canadian culture and landscape, volunteering activities building community impact, and trips fostering genuine human connection. As an Event Photographer, you'll help document these transformative moments that foster belonging and meaningful integration.

Commitment:

• Type: Ongoing flexible volunteer opportunity

• Schedule: Weekends and evenings (flexible based on your availability)

• Hours: 2–5 hours per event

• Format: In-person

• Location: Various locations across Toronto, Ontario

• Event Frequency: Approximately 10 events per month

• Event Size: 5 to 30 participants per event

• Organization: Try Toronto (Try Canada Initiative)

Requirements:

• Must be at least 18 years old

• Experience with photography (digital camera or smartphone)

• Passionate about documenting authentic community moments and human connection

• Comfortable attending diverse community events and interacting with multicultural participants

• Able to work independently to capture quality, authentic event photos

• Reliable and punctual attendance at assigned events

• Respectful, culturally sensitive approach to photography and participants

• Alignment with Try Toronto's mission of fostering belonging and integration

Key Responsibilities:

• Authentic Event Documentation

  • Attend assigned Try Toronto community events across Toronto

  • Capture genuine, candid photos showing authentic community connection

  • Photograph diverse interactions: newcomers meeting community members, cultural learning moments, shared experiences

  • Document the emotional transformation and belonging that Try Toronto creates

  • Balance candid moments with posed group photos as appropriate

• Visual Storytelling

  • Capture photos that tell the story of newcomer integration and belonging

  • Document cultural exploration, community impact, and meaningful connections

  • Showcase the diversity and authenticity of Try Toronto's multicultural community

  • Preserve important memories of transformation and community building

• Photo Curation & Delivery

  • Review and select best photos that represent Try Toronto's mission and values

  • Deliver photos to the organization in a timely manner

  • Basic editing (brightness, contrast, cropping, color correction) if comfortable

  • Ensure photos capture genuine emotion and authentic community moments

• Social Media & Impact

  • Provide photos suitable for Try Toronto's social media platforms

  • Deliver digital files in appropriate formats and resolutions

  • Support the organization's archival needs with meaningful, high-quality images

  • Help showcase Try Toronto's impact in building belonging and integration

• Flexibility & Cultural Sensitivity

  • Coordinate schedule with Try Toronto team

  • Be flexible with event timing, location changes, and participant comfort

  • Respect cultural backgrounds and participant preferences regarding photography

  • Collaborate with other volunteers and staff with cultural humility

  • Communicate questions about assignments and cultural sensitivity

What You'll Gain:

• Contribute directly to Try Toronto's mission of fostering belonging and integration for newcomers

• Help document authentic stories of community, cultural discovery, and transformation

• Flexible schedule: 2–5 hours per event, weekends and evenings

• Social media recognition and professional reference/recommendation from Try Toronto

• Experience capturing meaningful moments within a dynamic multicultural community

• Build meaningful connections with Try Toronto's diverse newcomer community

• Be part of a movement reimagining how North America integrates newcomers

• Opportunity to develop photography skills through real-world community work

• Build a portfolio of authentic, impactful community photography

• Contribute to preserving important stories of belonging and integration

• Join a vibrant volunteer community committed to newcomer support

About Try Toronto (Try Canada Initiative):

Try Toronto, operating as Try Canada Initiative, is a community organization founded in 2023 with a clear mission: help newcomers fall in love with Canada by building the emotional connection that transforms residents into engaged citizens.

Our Challenge: Social isolation among immigrants is directly linked to higher likelihood of leaving Canada within 5 years, lower community participation, slower economic integration, and higher rates of mental health challenges. Many recent immigrants arrive with education and professional credentials but face a fundamental barrier to integration: the crisis of belonging. This isn't just loneliness—it's the difference between making it work and feeling like home.

Our Solution: We believe that when newcomers explore Canada through curated experiences, learn its history and culture, and do this with people who share their language and background, they develop genuine emotional attachment. This emotional connection is the missing piece in traditional integration approaches.

Our Programs: Try Toronto runs approximately 10 in-person events monthly across Toronto, including curated tours exploring Canadian culture and landscape, volunteering activities building community impact, trips fostering genuine connection, and other engaging formats designed to build belonging.

Our Vision: Where belonging isn't luck—it's designed. Where social connection is taken seriously. Where immigrant-led solutions are funded and celebrated.

Additional Information:

• No photography equipment required – use your own camera or smartphone

• Events occur across various locations in Toronto on weekends and evenings

• Flexible scheduling allows you to choose which events to photograph

• This opportunity is accessible and inclusive

• Great opportunity for photographers interested in community impact and social integration

• Social media recognition for meaningful contributions

• Your photography directly supports Try Toronto's mission of building belonging

Ready to Document Stories of Belonging and Integration?

By volunteering as an Event Photographer with Try Toronto, you'll help document authentic stories of transformation, community, and belonging. Your photos will capture the joy of newcomers discovering Canada, the warmth of genuine human connection, and the power of community in fostering integration. Together, we're building a movement where belonging isn't luck—it's designed. Help us show the world how newcomers fall in love with Canada.

Apply

Click "Apply" or if you have questions,

Email: leaders.wil@gmail.com

Subject: Event Photographer – Try Toronto (Toronto, Ontario)