Volunteering
According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, one in four Americans serve as a volunteer. Volunteering is a significant way to contribute to your local community and serve a cause you are passionate about, all while building key skills for your personal and professional development.
Many organizations rely on volunteers to help meet their goals and maximize their output. When reaching out to organizations, we ask our students to be considerate of the staff’s time, the organization’s needs and responsibilities, and the clients that they may be interacting with on-site. Volunteering can come in many different forms: daily operations, serving on committees, working an event, hosting drives, and so much more! Consider the ways your time commitments and skills can meet an organization’s needs.
Community Service vs Volunteering: Why does it matter?
Community service refers to activities performed to benefit the community, often mandated by an institution or legal authority. It can be required by schools, workplaces, or courts and typically follows a structured format. Some examples of this are
- Completing hours for high school graduation.
- Court-ordered community work.
- Participating in a local charity drive organized by your employer.
Volunteering is a selfless act where individuals freely give their time, skills, and effort to assist others or contribute to a cause, with no expectation of payment or obligation. It is driven by personal motivation to make a positive impact, whether locally or globally. People choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons, from supporting a cause they believe in to gaining new experiences and skills. Unlike community service, which may be required or structured, volunteering is typically flexible and chosen by the individual based on their interests or availability.
While both community service and volunteering benefit society, the power of choice makes the term and idea ‘volunteering’ a more transformative and impactful experience. It encourages passion-driven contributions, encourages personal and professional development, strengthens communities, and nurtures a lifelong commitment to service. By embracing volunteerism, individuals not only help others but also enrich their own lives in ways that mandatory service cannot. The most meaningful change comes from those who serve not because they must, but because they choose to.
Volunteer Opportunities
Our office works with a variety of nonprofit organizations across the High Country and often learn of pressing needs for volunteers. We compile these details to share with students who are interested in getting involved in local efforts. Review the volunteer opportunities and our community volunteer database below to find your next act of service!
One-day service opportunities
CEL hosts many on-day service events. Our office sponsors a monthly opportunity for service, reflection and education through our Days of Service events. These events are held in the full three months of each semester. Our office also hosts an American Red Cross Blood Drive every semester. For more information about these events, visit our different program pages or find these one-day events in Engage.
Semester-long service opportunities
The Community Fellows program consists of small groups who work closely with a local non-profit partner for the duration of the semester. These groups engage in direct service, as well as advocacy, education, and philanthropy projects to benefit the social issue addressed by their non-profit partner. The Community Fellows program is a great way for students to delve deeper into a social issue and to also learn more about non-profit organization.
Individual service opportunities
If you are looking for individual service opportunities, CEL has compiled a list that is categorized by volunteer area, location, and organization, as well as various descriptions of common or past volunteer work. Look through our list of Community Partners below to see who serves a cause close to your interests! If you need help navigating this process, feel free to reach out to Brent James.