Welcome!
One of San Jose’s greatest resources is the diversity of people who call this city home. By choosing to volunteer, all San Jose residents have the opportunity to strengthen our great city by connecting with their families, their neighbors, and their communities through service. Serving others is as easy as dishing out food in a senior center, picking up litter, planting a school garden, reading to a child, or educating families about important programs that can empower their lives and help break cycles of poverty. By sharing the resource of your time, you can empower other residents through service, and get connected to the city’s wealth of diverse communities and people.
Make a difference in your community...join Volunteer San José!
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Getting Started
What opportunities are available?
Please click on Job Descriptions to check out our current listings. Each listing includes the department or program that needs your help and what skills and qualifications are required.
How much time does it take?
You can choose to volunteer once a week or once a year. Most regular volunteer opportunities are scheduled Monday through Friday, while special events may occur on weekends. Many volunteer opportunities require a time commitment of 6 months.
Do I need a special clearance?
Some volunteer opportunities require fingerprinting or other type of clearance. This may take several weeks to complete. All jobs working with children require fingerprinting.
Any questions? Please call the Volunteer San José office at (408) 723-3754.
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Things to consider before selecting a volunteer position
Time Commitment
Are you looking for a volunteer position where you serve a few hours each week, one where you serve occasionally as needed, or a full-time opportunity where you dedicate a year to service? When selecting a volunteer opportunity, consider the amount of time you can realistically devote on a regular basis, and for what length of time overall.
Opportunities that are more intense in nature will often ask that you make a six-month or one-year commitment, and will vary in the number of hours per week you are asked to serve (1-40 hours per week). Other opportunities may be one-time events, or on a periodic basis over an extended period of time. Knowing the amount of time you can, and are willing, to serve will help you select a volunteer opportunity that will suit your needs.
Service You Would Like to Provide
Do you want to work with children or the elderly? Do you want to focus your efforts on a particular issue area, such as the environment or education? Do you want to serve people directly, complete administrative tasks, or do physical labor? Determining the type of service you'd like to provide will help you narrow your choices and find an opportunity that meets your interests.
Skills and Talents
Do you have a special set of skills that you'd like to utilize during your service experience, or are you interested in developing new skills? Many volunteer opportunities will provide a chance for you to utilize special skills or talents. In others, you can try something completely new and develop a new skill.
Getting Involved
Once you have narrowed your choices, contact the program and introduce yourself. In addition, you should ask questions regarding other requirements, including background checks, fingerprinting (for those serving with children). If a background check is a requirement, the City will process it for you, but you will need to determine approximately how long it will take for you to be cleared to begin your service. If the process is a lengthy one and you want to get started right away, you might want to pursue other opportunities.
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Families & Kids
There are a few opportunities for children 12-16 years of age, provided a parent or guardian is willing to directly supervise the child in their volunteer work. Many opportunities are suitable for families, such as Adopt-A-Park or Adopt-A-Trail, Litter Pick Up, Graffiti removal, and most of our Special Events, to name a few.
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