The Engaged Community Guide (ECG) Program is a legacy of the Mission Community Services Society (MCSS), and the City of Mission, first piloted in 2019. Then, as now, the purpose of the program was to offer opportunities for community-members who were also clients of the MCSS Housing and Outreach Department, by opening pathways to voluntarily assist in the uplift of their local neighborhoods. The ECG program, then, sets itself the goals of offering community-members who are currently, or have historically, experienced precarious living, housing or income, to receive life-skills training, help their community, and build relationships.

ECG Ambassadors are hard-working, thoughtful, and friendly representatives of the MCSS who help those in need in the various neighborhoods of Mission, BC. They are also important representatives of their neighborhoods and the MCSS, faces who can be trusted and relied upon, and are recognized in the city for their contributions.

ECG Ambassadors can be found walking the streets of Mission with their distinctive blue jackets. You will see them directing people to crucial social services and public resources; greeting those they encounter in the community, amongst businesses and neighbors; keeping the city's streets, sidewalks, and other outdoor areas clean; lending a helping hand wherever they can; responding to urgent situations where needed and contacting relevant emergency services.

Ambassadors also complete a thorough training program before they begin, including instruction in Naloxone administration and harm reduction, communication and de-escalation, community-safety and personal safety, walking-routes and tours, reports, organization and documentation, and life skills training. ECG’s who complete the program will receive a certificate of completion, and regular stipends for completing shifts.

Click here to see our volunteer opportunities and register as a volunteer online!