Why Volunteer?
Volunteering can give you a real edge in the job market by building skills and giving you experience that looks great on a resume. Besides that it increases your social connections for both friendship and potential path to a job or career. It may even lead to a career choice in public service with an educational system, a nonprofit, or a governmental entity.
Volunteering gives you a feeling of satisfaction, accomplishment and pride in making a difference in your community. Studies have also measured health benefits for volunteers.
Skills Based & Pro Bono Volunteering
All organizations—especially those with limited resources—need people skilled in areas such as marketing, information technology, management and human resources. If you’re a professional or skilled technician, you can “give back” by putting these skills to work at a nonprofit.
Learn more about skilled volunteering and how you can make a huge difference.
Virtual Volunteering
Virtual volunteering is an unpaid service provided via the Internet. Learn the myths and get the facts.
Don’t let time constraints, physical limitations, or duties at home prevent you from getting involved. Learn more about virtual volunteering.
A helpful email can make just as much difference as a helping hand, with charities such as YouthNet pioneering online advice services.
Volunteer opportunities texted to your mobile phone via Do Something.org.
Enter “virtual” in the keyword box of our volunteer matching system to see all kinds of ways to volunteer virtually.
Family Volunteering
Family volunteering can be as simple as drawing cards for children in the hospital or as complex as linking hundreds of families in a day of volunteer service. Visit the Doing Good Together website for ways to get started with family volunteering projects with resources.
Young Volunteers can:
- Realize they can make a positive difference
- Build character and a sense of responsibility to community
- Gain skills and leadership experience
- Increase understanding of social and civic issues
- Increase appreciation for cultural diversity
- Be less likely to engage in at-risk behaviors and more likely to stay in school
- Meet new people and have new experiences
A youth from a family where at least one parent volunteers is almost twice as likely to volunteer as a youth with no family members who volunteer – and nearly three times as likely to volunteer on a regular basis.
Student/Youth Volunteering
Where to find student-friendly volunteer opportunities
- Nevada Volunteers lists youth friendly volunteer opportunities in your area. It’s easy, and it’s free!
- The Volunteering Resource Binder contains information from more than three dozen nonprofit organizations that need student volunteers in northwestern Nevada, including Reno, Sparks, Carson City, Incline Village, Winnemucca and Fallon.
- UNLV students can find great opportunities in southern Nevada.
- The United Way Volunteer Center lists volunteer opportunities in the Las Vegas Valley
- CSN students check here
- UNR students check here
You will reap the most benefits from volunteering if you can honestly say you enjoy helping others or want to help solve a community problem. Beyond that, volunteering can help with post-graduation job placement and debt-forgiveness. Learn How to Become has created a guidebook for students and young professionals seeking careers in the non-profit sector with information about how volunteering can be an avenue to future employment. Check out the guidebook here!
Older Adult Volunteering
One year national service positions can provide satisfaction and a small living stipend along with the option to provide an educational award to a child, grandchild, or foster child.
Watch this video to learn more about AmeriCorps.
If you’re over 55, you likely have many talents and skills—and extra time—to share as a volunteer and give back to your community.
Check out your local RSVP: Retired & Senior Volunteer Program
RSVP recruits and encourages people 55 years and older to share their unique skills, talents, and experience. From building houses to immunizing children, from enhancing the capacity of non-profit organizations to improving and protecting the environment, RSVP volunteers put their unique talents to work to make a difference. One time, ongoing, and periodic opportunities are available as well as virtual opportunities you can do from home.
Check out NV Volunteer Connect to find out which organizations are looking for a volunteer like you!
For Reno: office at the UNR Sanford Center for Aging or call 775-784-1807
For Las Vegas: office at Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada or call 702-387-47334
For Rural Nevada: Nevada Rural RSVP or call 775-687-4680
Other Opportunities at AARP and Encore – The Senior Corps programs, administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, support local Foster Grandparents programs and Senior Companions. Contact the state office at 775-784-7474.
