Community Service Opportunities
Completed community service hours already? Complete the online community service form below. Scroll down!
Community Service List
Organizations sometimes reach out directly to our campus looking for high school volutneers. When they do, an email announcement is usually sent to students and they are added to our Community Service List available online. Check for frequently for new opportunities!
RCHS Community Service List: bit.ly/rchsvolunteeropps
Ongoing Local Opportunities
Send Our Seniors Mail
The Sonoma County Library is coordinating a mail program for elders in our community. You can send positive cards, postcards, homemade cards, drawings, and encouraging letters to the addresses of local senior living facilities. When received, the staff at the facilities will distribute the mail to those residents who need some happiness during this time.
Join our monthly lunch group in the CCC to earn hours for this activity. Stop by the CCC (K2) or email Ms. Hazlewood for more information.
Rohnert Park Library
Volunteer at the local library!
Teen Volunteer Orientation is held EVERY Wednesday from 4-5pm.
Interested teens must register for the orientation beforehand and bring their completed Teen Volunteer paperwork along with them to orientation.
Events Calendar where teens can pick a Wednesday that works for them, register, and a PDF of the paperwork is available for download: https://events.sonomalibrary.org/events/month?branches%5B101%5D=101
Questions? Email the teen librarian Allison Palmer at apalmer@sonomalibrary.org. IMPORTANT: Emails must come from your personal email account.
Redwood Empire Food Bank
The Redwood Empire Food Bank continues to offer volunteer opportunities during this time. See info on safety/health precautions they are taking and available shifts on their website.
Volunteer Opportunity Flyer (1).pdfBoys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Marin
The Boys & Girls Club has ongoing volunteer opportunities for students that like to work with kids.
Apply here to volunteer: https://tinyurl.com/BGCSMVolApp
Questions? volunteer@bgcsonoma-marin.com
Charles Schulz Museum
The Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa has volunteer opportunities throughout the year, including summer. Positions include: education room facilitators, greeters, gallery monitors and tour guides. Volunteers must be ages 14 and up.
Sonoma County Children's Museum
Do you enjoy being creative and working with children? Are you looking for a way to give back to your community? Consider becoming a Volunteer at the Children’s Museum! The Children’s Museum is looking for responsible, reliable, and energetic individuals to be a part of our Volunteer program. This is a great opportunity for you to make a difference in our community and mentor young children.Volunteers must be ages 15 and up.
Local Volunteer Resources
Volunteering in the Health Sciences
https://www.jewishfreeclinic.org/opportunities-to-give/volunteer/
Possible opportunities:
Long term positions as medical receptionists. The non-medical volunteer application can be found here. They ask for a long-term commitment, preferably throughout the school year for weekly afternoon Thursday shifts. Summer asks for approximately 20 hours per week.
http://phealthcenter.org/volunteer/
Petaluma & Rohnert Park Clinic Locations
Possible volunteer opportunities may include patient education & advocacy, playing music in lobby & food distribution.
Santa Rosa Community Health Center
https://srhealth.org/support-us/volunteer
Possible opportunities:
Waiting Room Readers, Notebook Designer, Baby Closet Volunteer, Gardner, Food Distribution, Online Portal Assistant, Campeones Team Member, Ambassador Program.
Sutter Santa Rosa
Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital Auxiliary
https://www.sutterhealth.org/ways-to-give/volunteering/ssrrh
Possible opportunities:
Junior volunteer program. Contact for more info.
West County Health Centers
https://www.wchealth.org/volunteer
Possible opportunities:
Forestville Teen Outreach Center runs a school year length program for volunteers between the ages of 16-25. Volunteers serve in a variety of capacities including peer education, teen outreach center promotion, waiting room etiquette, community outreach and as members of the Teen Health Advisory Board. The Teen Outreach Center recruits and selects volunteers in late August and the program begins as the academic school year starts.
Other Volunteer Suggestions
Many healthcare professionals will recommend volunteering in community environments to develop skills and awareness vital to this field. Healthcare professionals serve everyone in the community so it is important to have experience interacting with different groups.
Here are a few ideas:
Food Banks
Senior Homes
Libraries
Summer Camps/Lifeguarding
Daycares/After School Programs
Community Events (City of RP or City of Cotati)
Volunteering with Animal Organizations
Giant Steps
Volunteers at Giant Steps do more than give their time and energy. They change lives and help special individuals achieve dreams never before dreamed possible. They make lifelong friends and join a larger community of fun-loving, energetic, individuals intent on making a difference. Volunteers assist riders during their weekly lessons, groom horses, help maintain the facility, assist with administrative tasks, and much, much more. If you’re interested in contributing your talents to a great cause, we welcome you to join us!
Minimum commitment: 1 class per week.
No previous horse experience needed. Minimum age: 14
Volunteer opportunities exist for individuals from the community, college interns and high school students to help with a variety of activities including horse care/preparation, office work, assisting with lessons on an as needed basis, barn chores and fundraising. Volunteers usually make a 2-3 hour weekly commitment to the program to ensure adequate staffing for lessons and other program/horse needs.
Volunteers are trained through a 2 1/2 day course at our facility, our extensive training provides an overview of disabilities, horse handling techniques, adapted tack and equipment, role play of lesson situations and much more. Minimum age to volunteer with Equi-Ed is 14 years old. Equi-Ed also provides on-going training opportunities for all of its volunteers.
To contact Equi-Ed about volunteer trainings and other opportunities, call (707) 5-HORSES (546-7737) or email equiedinc@aol.com.
Wonderdog Rescue
Volunteers at Wonderdog Rescue can help with events or commit to on-going support at the sanctuary to feed, water, and muck the farm animals.
Students need to fill out a volunteer application to be considered for volunteer opportunities.
Well Trained Horses
Volunteering at our rescue is a great way to give back to the community and learn valuable horsemanship skills. You can expect to put in some hard work, but in return, you'll gain knowledge and experience that will last a lifetime. Our volunteers are given the opportunity to learn about the care and needs of horses, and will gain valuable skills in horsemanship.
Join us every Saturday at 8:30am to meet the horses and help with morning feeding. Bring a bag lunch and stay until noon. Our volunteers have many backgrounds, and we can use your skills in graphic design, accounting, skilled trades, organization, painting, gardening, fundraising, horse training, skilled riding, vet/farrier, and hauling, etc.
You don’t need any prior horse experience to volunteer!
https://www.welltrainedhorses.com/help-out
Vol
Cotati Kids Heritage Grazing
This supports Cotati Kids Heritage Grazing. Students will be helping to care for and breed critically-endangered goats to preserve the genetically-distinct species and in the future to help contract the goats out for targeted grazing to create defensible space against wildfires and generate revenue to support the goats' care and maintenance.
Please sign up on the organization's website: https://www.ckhg.org/get_involved
Volunteering with Environmental Organizations
Young Stewards
LandPaths stewardship crew in the field and learn multiple facets of land stewardship through direct hands-on experience. Management themes may include weed and forest management, trail building, biological monitoring, erosion control, and volunteer engagement.
Saturday program. Semester commitment. Application required. Limited spots available.
MORE INFO HERE:
Virtual Volunteer Resources
Volunteering From Home
Looking for ways to volunteer from home? This list includes some virtual ideas for high schools students.
https://www.distinctivecollegeconsulting.com/blog/volunteer-from-home
This student-run website posts virtual and face-to-face opportunities for California high school students. You can search by type (virtual) or area (Northern California or Sonoma County).
You can also follow their Instagram account for updates! @teensvolunteer
Digital Volunteer Opp
From the website: "Become a Smithsonian Digital Volunteer and help usmake historical documents and biodiversity data more accessible.
Join 26,861 "volunteers" to add more to the total 618,082 pages of field notes, diaries, ledgers, logbooks, currency proof sheets, photo albums, manuscripts, biodiversity specimens labels that have been collaboratively transcribed and reviewed since June 2013"
See more information and info on tracking hours here: https://transcription.si.edu/tips
RCHS Community Service Form
40** community service hours are required for graduation. Your completed hours should be submitted to the Counseling Office using our Community Service form. Students can pick up copies of the community service form in the CCC or use the printable PDF below.
**CLASS OF 2023: Amended service hours is 20.
**CLASS OF 2024, 2025, & 2026: No change to service hour requirement.
Community Service Overview
As part of a student's four-year high school experience, a student's Community Service involvement will count toward the forty-hour student/community service graduation requirement if the student follows these procedures:
1. Provide a service to the organization and types of agencies listed below.
2.Obtain PRIOR APPROVAL for planned community service with agencies or organizations not listed above from the High School Assistant Principal or his/her designee.
3. Complete the Community Service Participation form, including the signature of the participating agency or official. (Make sure you are logged into your Gafe account to access the form.)
4. Submit the Community Service Participation form.
Important: If a student provides service to a type of agency/organization not listed without obtaining PRIOR APPROVAL, the hours may not be accepted.
Reminders for Volunteers
Here are some things to remember when you sign up to volunteer:
Reliability: They are counting on your help!
Community organizations plan around volunteers turning up and people in our communities rely on the programs they deliver, so being reliable is a hugely valuable quality. Make sure that you have the time and transportation needed to follow through on a volunteer commitment. And if anything changes, make sure to let them know ahead of time.
Communication: Communication is key!
From signing up to finishing up your volunteer commitment, make sure you communicate clearly with the organization. If you are reaching out about a volunteer opportunity, make sure they know how you heard about it and how they can contact you. Other information you might want to include is that you are a high school student at our school and if you have a specific shift in mind (if they are posted). Then make sure to read any instructions or replies they provide you! And if you have questions, either before the volunteer event or when you are volunteering, make sure to ask! They don't expect you to know everything, and most organizations are happy when you ask questions because it shows you care about the work you are doing for them.
10 tips on Volunteering Wisely
Adapted from https://www.networkforgood.org/volunteer/volunteertips.aspx
Research the causes or issues important to you.Look for a group that works with issues about which you feel strongly. You might already be giving money to one of these organizations, and that might be a good place to begin your volunteer experience. If you can't find such an organization, here's a challenging and intriguing thought: why not start one yourself? You can rally your neighbors to clean up that vacant lot on the corner, patrol the neighborhood, paint an elderly neighbor's house, take turns keeping an eye on the ailing person down the street, or form a group to advocate for a remedy to that dangerous intersection in your neighborhood. There is no end to the creative avenues for volunteering, just as there is no end to the need for volunteers.
Consider the skills you have to offer.If you enjoy outdoor work, have a knack for teaching, or just enjoy interacting with people, you may want to look for volunteer work that would incorporate these aspects of your personality. Many positions require a volunteer who has previous familiarity with certain equipment, such as computers, or who possesses certain skills, such as ability in athletics or communications. For one of these positions you might decide to do something comparable to what you do on the job during your workday, or something that you already enjoy as a hobby. This sort of position allows you to jump right into the work without having to take training to prepare for the assignment.
Would you like to learn something new?Perhaps you would like to learn a new skill or gain exposure to a new situation. Consider seeking a volunteer opportunity where you'll learn something new. For example, volunteering to work on the newsletter for the local animal shelter will improve your writing and editing abilities - skills that may help you in your career. Or, volunteering can simply offer a change from your daily routine. For example, if your full-time job is in an office, you may decide to take on a more active volunteer assignment, such as leading tours at an art museum or building a playground. Many nonprofits seek out people who are willing to learn. Realize beforehand, however, that such work might require a time commitment for training before the actual volunteer assignment begins.
Combine your goals.Look for volunteer opportunities that will also help you achieve your other goals for your life. For example, if you want to lose a few extra pounds, pick an active volunteer opportunity, such as cleaning a park or working with kids. Or, if you've been meaning to take a cooking class, try volunteering at a food bank that teaches cooking skills.
Don't over-commit your schedule.Make sure the volunteer hours you want to give fit into your life, so that you don't exhaust yourself or shortchange the organization you're trying to help or neglect your schoolwork. Do you want a long-term assignment or something temporary? If you are unsure about your availability, or want to see how the work suits you before making an extensive commitment, see whether the organization will start you out on a limited number of hours until you get the feel of things. Better to start out slowly than to commit yourself to a schedule you can't or don't want to fulfill.
Nonprofits may have questions, too.While most nonprofits are eager to find volunteer help, they have to be careful when accepting the services you offer. If you contact an organization with an offer to volunteer your time, you may be asked to come in for an interview, fill out a volunteer application, or describe your qualifications and your background just as you would at an interview for a paying job. It is in the organization's interest and more beneficial to the people it serves to make certain you have the skills needed, that you are truly committed to doing the work, and that your interests match those of the nonprofit.
Consider volunteering as a family.Think about looking for a volunteer opportunity suitable for you to do with your siblings, cousins, or parents/guardians. When a family volunteers to work together at a nonprofit organization, the experience can bring them closer together, teach younger children the value of giving their time and effort, introduce everyone in the family to skills and experiences never before encountered, and give the entire family a shared experience as a wonderful family memory.
Virtual volunteering?Yes, there is such a thing! If you have computer access and the necessary skills, some organizations now offer the opportunity to do volunteer work over the computer. See some suggestions at the top of this page!
I never thought of that!Many community groups are looking for volunteers, and some may not have occurred to you. Most of us know that hospitals, libraries, and churches use volunteers for a great deal of their work, but here are some volunteer opportunities that may not have crossed your mind:
Day care centers, Neighborhood Watch, Public Schools and Colleges
Community Theaters and Civic Clubs
Retirement Centers and Homes for the Elderly, Meals on Wheels, Church or Community-Sponsored Soup Kitchens or Food Pantries
Museums, Art Galleries, and Monuments
Community Choirs, Bands and Orchestras
Neighborhood Parks, Youth Organizations, Sports Teams, and after-school programs
Shelters or refuges for Women and Children
Historical sites and National Parks
Give voice to your heart through your giving and volunteering!Bring your heart and your sense of humor to your volunteer service, along with your enthusiastic spirit, which in itself is a priceless gift. What you'll get back will be immeasurable!
Why Volunteer?
Gain Experience
Working in the field or a position that has transferable skills will help you become more experienced when you are looking for that job.
Resume Building
Add volunteering to your resume. Businesses, either for or not for profit, want to see you that you’ve been busy, so show them how you took the initiative to volunteer at a local nonprofit and be specific of what you did. Being the leader or creating a new and helpful tool will prove to the potential employer that you are an asset to their organization.
Gain New Skills
Work experience is invaluable; there are some things you can’t learn in school. So by volunteering, you are in a new environment, observing people in their jobs and hopefully you are given tasks that challenge you. If not, ask!
Try It On try something you are interested in. This way, if you don’t like it, you’ll know before you take classes or apply for the job and then realize it’s not what you want to do as a career.
Meet People
Not only do you get to gain experience, but you meet people who can be a potential reference when your job hunting if you made the right impression, or they may recommend a place to apply. Let them know you are looking and ask for them to be on your list of references, after you’ve shown them what you can do!
Potential Job
This may lead to a job. Nonprofits make up a large percentage of organizations in Sonoma County, and therefore many jobs are found there. Prove what you can do, and they may find funding to keep you.
Job Hunting 101
See every step as a practice for when you job hunt. From the initial conversation on the phone when you introduce yourself, to the showing up on the scheduled time to volunteer, this is like a job and a good time to practice how you present yourself and are seen. Take it all as a learning opportunity.
Thinking of College?
College applications ask for community service. But since it’s getting more competitive, not only do you show your volunteer time, but you need to stand out by taking a leadership role or again, creating something new that addresses a need in the community.
Feel Great About Making A Difference!
Lastly, but more importantly, volunteering leads you to find the joy of serving others and helping to improve our local community. Make a difference, meet people, gain new skills, and add a whole new experience awaits you-Volunteer!