According to a recent survey conducted by National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), most employers expect college graduates to have experience—but how do you get that experience? Volunteering is a way to obtain valuable working experience, especially early in your college career (freshman and sophomore years), and some programs provide gap year credits. Listed below are some ideas for finding a volunteer opportunity in your local area as well as opportunities nationally and abroad.
Bakersfield
- – provides students with meaningful opportunities for education, training, and volunteering to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.
- – find possible volunteer opportunities with top nonprofits in the area
- – help serve meals, pack lunches, work the Easter event or collect warehouse donations
- – matches inspired people with inspiring causes
- – various volunteer opportunities
- – become a reading coach for local second grade students
- – help with cooking meals, baking, events, collecting wish-list items, cleaning, data entry and more
- – work to improve lives in your community
- – help people in lower-mid-range income brackets prepare their taxes
Fresno
- – provides students with meaningful opportunities for education, training, and volunteering to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.
- - provides an opportunity to give back to your community and bring hope to cancer survivors and their families.
- – work directly with youth as homework helpers and tutors, activities assistants and college preparation support
- – various volunteer opportunities
- – advocate and speak for the best interests of abused and neglected children
- - provide student support or community service within K-12 school and neighborhood community settings.
- – find possible volunteer opportunities with top nonprofits in the area
- – lists numerous volunteer opportunities for VA Central California Health Care System.
- – matches inspired people with inspiring causes
- – help elementary students with letter recognition and sounds, vocabulary development, fluency and reading comprehension in the classroom
- – help with patients, events/fund development, thrift stores, community awareness and more
- – tree and greenway care, tree planting, community engagement and tribute tree team opportunities
Merced
- – work directly with youth as homework helpers, tutors, activities assistants and college preparation support
- – various volunteer opportunities
- – opportunities in child care, nutritional support, homeless services, energy-saving programs and advocacy
- – sort and bag food, provide general cleanup and participate in special projects
- – find possible volunteer opportunities with top nonprofits in the area
- – matches inspired people with inspiring causes
- Ombudsman Volunteers – receive and investigate complaints on behalf of residents, including allegations of abuse and neglect about residents in nursing homes and residential care facilities for the elderly. Must complete 36 hours of classroom training and 10 hours of field work. Contact: Maria Nava Program Manager/Certified LTC Ombudsman 209-385-7550 Ext. 7468.
- – volunteer for breakfast service, Saturday evening dinner and monthly food giveaway
Visalia
- – provide valuable mentorship to club members
- – advocate and speak for the best interests of abused and neglected children or be a non-advocate volunteer (great for communications and marketing majors)
- – find a variety of volunteer opportunities in Visalia
- – volunteer to sort and pack food, pick/harvest food; work in the community distribution center; help with communications, events and outreach; work in the garden; provide nutritional education; or volunteer as a food runner
- – become a respite/companionship volunteer or other helper
- – train to become a volunteer crisis counselor or pitch in with administrative support, special projects, donation drives, facility maintenance or fundraising events
- – help provide for the health, education and/or financial stability of community members
- – find possible volunteer opportunities with top nonprofits in the area
- – opportunities to sort in the warehouse, stock thrift store shelves, provide mentoring, work events, data entry, lead worship and serve in the kitchen
- – matches inspired people with inspiring causes
National Volunteer Opportunities
- – help increase academic achievement, mentor youth, fight poverty, sustain national parks or prepare for disasters
- – volunteer in national parks
- – find volunteer opportunities with various federal organizations
- – Improve forests/grasslands and learn about natural/cultural conservation
- – America’s natural and cultural resources volunteer portal
Volunteer Abroad
- – community and conservation volunteer opportunities
- – matches your interests to a wide variety of volunteer opportunities and countries
- – public health, medical, womens’ empowerment, childcare, community development, teaching and more
- – opportunities to volunteer with wildlife, care for huskies and dog sleds or help save the Amazon Amerindian way of life
- – teaching and marine/wildlife conservation
- – opportunities that focus on children and communities living in poverty as well as projects supporting animal welfare and conservation
- – environmental, medical, media, human rights, business and teaching abroad opportunities
- – volunteer abroad on critical community development and environmental conservation projects
- – provides a variety of opportunities in various countries
- – contribute to the community, wildlife and environment
- – the world’s leading volunteer travel organization, providing impactful and affordable volunteer abroad programs
- – volunteer and internship opportunities in developing countries around the world
- – feet-on-the-street volunteer opportunities in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Peru
- – medical services and English teaching opportunities
- – safe, meaningful, affordable childcare volunteer abroad projects
- – offers overseas voluntary work placements including teaching, care, conservation and environment, medicine and healthcare, journalism, law and human rights, international development, business and more
- – Work on remote community and environmental projects and face adventure and challenges in some of the most incredible areas of the world
- – elephant, wildlife, community, orphanage and teaching projects
- – Leader Corps, elephants, Steve Irwin Wildlife Preserve, Golden Lands & World Heritage and Spanish immersion and service program opportunities available
- – provides information on volunteer and internships abroad
- – opportunities in teaching, conservation, social work, medical services and animal care
- – medical, womens’ empowerment, childcare, language, wildlife and conservation, sports coaching, disabled care, community development and teaching opportunities.