Organizations

If you live near an art or history museum such as the MET or the High (for my Atlanta twins,) they likely put on programs and events which require volunteers. While you give back to your local art community, you can also learn from it. If you don't have museums near you, research things like poetry open-mikes at restaurants and cafes which might benefit from some extra help.

Does your city put on art festivals? Maybe your school or church?  Surely, somewhere near you there's a farmer's market or an annual book swap! These sorts of events are built on the backs of volunteers. If you love art, writing, or music and you want to help celebrate it, spending a Saturday morning painting faces or running a book swap might be the perfect opportunity.

The Poetry Project works to further poetry in modern culture. While most of their in-person events are in New York, they also have online offerings which might need volunteers. This organization works toward a cause which students with a love for poetry likely resonate with.

Girls Who Make Beats encourages girls across the country to explore careers in music production. For folks who have experience in fields like that, or an interest in learning, involvement in this organization could be a great, unique community service opportunity! 

Soup kitchens really are a classic volunteer opportunity, and they're everywhere. For students who want to work in healthcare, these places will allow you to form people skills. These organizations also have a very tangible impact, something you can be proud of helping with.

In the same line as soup kitchens, senior centers provide a setting for you to spend time with often-overlooked members of your community. For those who are interested in healthcare, these spaces can improve skills which come in handy within that field. They also might have activities which you can help facilitate that tie back to your interests, whatever they may be. 

Hospitals need volunteers, even if you haven't received healthcare training yet! Some providers, such as the Red Cross, have particular programs just for youth volunteers. If your area has a smaller hospital, though, they may need help running functions such as the cashiering in the gift shop, organizing materials, running errands or just providing friendship to some patients. If your local hospital does not have a teen volunteer section on their website, try calling the appropriate phone number on their volunteer or careers page. 

Volunteering with organizations such as the Boys and Girls club looks similar to volunteering at a local library or YMCA because they offer a very diverse array of programs which may or may not relate to your interest. In this after-school youth program, though, you can volunteer at events which center in STEM, sometimes going as far as to lead them. 

STEM-E is a non-profit organization based in Texas which seeks volunteers and interns of all ages. These opportunities may fit well within the ambitions of teens interested in STEM. While their focuses are diverse, their emphasis on STEM and career initiative may reflect well on teens interested in those spheres.

A classic for healthcare workers and students, volunteers at the Red Cross do more than collect blood. Since the organization is also involved in disaster relief, all hands are needed. This organization's reputation precedes it, and it's very dependent on volunteers.

Oftentimes, local juvenile court jurisdictions will have something called Teen Court or Peer Court, which allows teenagers to defend their peers in real cases, acting as lawyers, juries, bailiffs and sometimes even judges! These programs are on a volunteer basis and are one of the best ways for youth to explore law from a real, tangible perspective.

Habitat for Humanity is a well-known organization with which volunteers build homes, among other duties, to help fight homelessness. With involvement from people as well-known as President Carter, this organization can be a great way to get involved in a community by fighting an issue often controversially approached by governments and law. 

If you want to get involved in local politics, political parties are an excellent way to start. In most towns and regions, there are subsects of the Democratic and Republican parties. In large cities and some towns, third parties and local-issue specific groups may also be present. These local chapters of major parties seek volunteers to help run events and engage in voter outreach.

For those with strong beliefs about social and political issues, organizations exist which provide volunteer opportunities to those who will fight for them. Whether it's your chapter of the NAACP, ACLU, Amnesty International or another local organization which appeals to your beliefs, working in grassroots movements provides excellent background for those interested in law and any sort of change. While some groups organize through websites such as Meetup, researching organizations which reflect your beliefs, finding out if they have a chapter near you or if you can start one , and taking action might be a very rewarding motion toward volunteerism.

A true classic in the world of teen activities, camp counseling allows people who enjoy classic summer activities to gain experience in guiding youth. By working in a local summer camp, especially one which specializes in a sport you like, you can learn skills when managing people which may come in handy in educational or athletic spaces. It's also a fun way to spend the summer if you're participating in activities you enjoy.

If you're involved in a church or other religious space, volunteering at events or as part of the staff will let you interact with people and the community on a new level. While every space is different, some churches may host events where your expertise may come in handy. 

Public libraries are great places to get started if you want to explore education while volunteering. While they may need volunteers for things like organizing books or keeping up with check-outs, they also may host events, such as picture-book readings, which might compare more to a classroom setting. They are also deeply important hubs in communities for people of all walks of life, meaning volunteering at public libraries is a very necessary office.

Adopt-a-Mile is an organization that allows you or a group to take ownership over the cleanliness of a stretch of road. You can host frequent cleanups to ensure that your mile is litter-free, a job which may seem even more important to those who love the earth. Some regions call this program adopt-a-highway or adopt-a-road, but local authorities typically lead it. Some rural places also have similar programs for stretches of water or forest.

For all the animal lovers out there, taking time to walk dogs, clean cages, feed bunnies and pet cats is honestly just another day in the life. Why not gain volunteer experience with these animals? Whether it's your county animal shelter or a privately-owned one which specializes in a particular species or breed, these spaces provide flexible schedules to you and necessary care for the animals in your community.

In many areas, community gardens can provide a necessary degree of food security and green space which other institutions may overlook. But by volunteering, you're not only serving your community in that way, you're learning about how to cultivate plants and  friendships. 

If there's a national park or other preserved land in your state, they likely need help in some function or other. While every park is different, these volunteer opportunities are generally great for folks who like the outdoors, though they are limited to people in their area.