Current Service-Learning Opportunities

Spooky Fest

The Center for Science Teaching and Learning in Rockville Centre is currently seeking volunteers for Spooky Fest. Spooky Fest is a massive (and fun) community event that can only be accomplished with the help of volunteers like you!

Opportunities for volunteering include:

• Enchanted walk – a beautifully lit and decorated trail. Volunteers will dress in costume (we provide) and greet visitors, giving out candy or “trinkets.”
• Face Painting –we provide the designs (very simple) and the supplies.
• Fortune Telling-be the “bringer” of good fortunes, we will show you.
• Glow Tent –help the kids make slime and goo
• Crafts – help the children make some Halloween crafts it’s easy!
• Haunted Woods- Like to scare people? Be a zombie or other scary creature, jumping out at the visitors.
• Entry table – greet visitors and take tickets

If interested, schedule an appointment for more information in the Center for Career Development & Experiential Learning: career.development@kbcc.cuny.edu or 718-368-5115.

JA (Junior Achievement) in a Day (Teach for a Day)

JA in a Day is a high impact way to deliver JA's lessons for a particular grade level all on the same day. Some schools choose to have every grade receive JA programming on the same day. "JA in a Day" is a unique opportunity as it offers volunteers a wonderful opportunity to get involved with Junior Achievement without juggling schedule conflicts or long-term commitments.

Volunteers participate in training sessions (on-site at the college) prior to the event where they will obtain their classroom materials and teacher assignments. On the day of the event, volunteers conduct the lessons in the assigned classrooms.

Fall 2024 Date: Friday, December 6th

If you are interested in participating, please complete this form by Thursday, October 24th: https://forms.gle/YCmxsx31Lvvj2Yt56

Latinas On the Verge of Excellence (L.O.V.E. Mentoring)

Did you ever wish you had a mentor who provided you with additional guidance when you were in middle school or high school? Latinas On the Verge of Excellence (L.O.V.E.) Mentoring is a non-profit organization that supports and empowers young Latinas and other young women of diverse backgrounds to strive for success, both in school and in life, through mentorship and health interventions targeted at mental health, reproductive health, and college & career readiness.

L.O.V.E. Mentoring is recruiting female college students and recent alumni to serve as volunteer mentors in our L.O.V.E. Mentoring Programs during the 2024-2025 academic year to help middle school and high school female students to thrive. We provide a safe space for mentees to engage in socio-emotional learning and guidance from mentors and teachers who come from similar backgrounds and share similar experiences. Our mentorship program is delivered from September to June in NYC Public and Charter schools across NYC, in the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn.

Qualifications:

• 3.0 GPA minimum
• Be currently enrolled in a higher education institution as an undergraduate, graduate student, or be a recent graduate (2023 and beyond).
• Interested in working with young, female students of diverse backgrounds, and aligned with our values
• Be available to mentor at least one partner school, once a week, for one hour, during the academic year
• Be willing to adhere to all program policies and procedures
• Be willing to complete the onboarding process, which includes: completing an application, attending a virtual Recruitment Event, completing self-paced online training, and attending in-person Welcome Event.
• Be willing to communicate regularly with program staff and take constructive feedback regarding mentoring performance
• Be willing to complete a background check

If you are interested in signing up, schedule an appointment in the Center for Career Development & Experiential Learning: career.development@kbcc.cuny.edu or 718-368-5115.

Reading Partners

Reading Partners is an educational nonprofit that mobilizes community volunteers to provide one-on-one literacy tutoring to aspiring readers ages 6-10. Becoming a volunteer tutor requires no experience as we provide an easy-to-follow virtual curriculum that includes all of the books and step-by-step lesson plans to teach an effective lesson. We are looking for in-person tutors to support the 25+ schools we serve across New York City.

What is the commitment?

• Lead one-on-one tutoring one hour per week.
• Flexible hours Monday through Thursday from 8am-3pm.
• Tutor in person or virtually.
• Follow a structured digital curriculum with lesson plans.
• Follow the tutor guidelines.

What is required to start?

• No experience required.
• Complete a free background check with the NYC DOE.
• Attend a virtual orientation to learn the basics.
• A positive attitude toward learning, diversity and students.
• An ability to interact effectively with diverse student populations.

Tutoring Locations

Reading centers are located in:

• Mott Haven (Bronx)
• Harlem (Manhattan)
• Lower East Side (Manhattan)
• South Jamaica (Queens)
• Bedford Stuyvesant (Brooklyn)
• Cypress Hills (Brooklyn)

If you are interested in signing up, schedule an appointment in the Center for Career Development & Experiential Learning: career.development@kbcc.cuny.edu or 718-368-5115.

Read 718

READ 718 is a non-profit literacy center that provides after school tutoring and literacy workshops to low-income students in grades 3-8.  They are currently recruiting volunteers for their Fall Cycle (Sept. 23rd - December 12th).

They are looking for dedicated, reliable, caring, positive people who are committed to working with a child twice a week for at most 10 weeks, excluding national holidays. Tutors will be provided with easy-to-follow lesson plans for each session, and will have access to reading specialists for questions and guidance.

There are 2 in person locations (Boerum Hill & Bed-Stuy), as well as a thriving Remote Program. 

If interested, schedule an appointment in the Center for Career Development & Experiential Learning: career.development@kbcc.cuny.edu or 718-368-5115.

Maimonides Medical Center

Volunteer Programs include: Child Life, Creative Arts, and Education | Emergency Department Volunteer Program | Hospitality Program | Labor Coach Support (Doula) Program | Mended Hearts Program | Pediatric Volunteers | Pet Therapy Program | Postpartum Support Program | Refreshment Cart Volunteers | Sabbath Candles | Sabbath Meals and Family Room | and more!

• Apply to become a volunteer, please complete the Adult Volunteer Application Packet
• All volunteers including adults and high school students are required to complete the Medical Clearance Forms. These forms will be provided after receipt of your volunteer application.

Accepted formats for submission include PDF and Microsoft Word Documents (as attachments). If you mail your application, it should be printed single-sided.

Queens Botanic Garden

Community Volunteer | Short-Term Opportunities (assist once or multiple times)
Help Keep QBG clean, green, and growing!
Make a difference. Be part of someplace special by volunteering at QBG. Led by our knowledgeable staff, volunteers participate in a variety of activities—from seeding to weeding to composting, or supporting our public programming—while gaining new experience and meeting new people.

Compost Bagging Volunteer Days
Dates: Every 2nd Wednesday of the month, June through October
Join the NYC Compost Project Staff prep for our compost giveaway events. Help to bag finished compost and learn about the composting process. 

Compost Beautification Volunteer Days
Dates: Every 4th Wednesday of the month, April through October
Join the NYC Compost Project Staff to care for our compost demo site by weeding, mulching, planting, applying compost and gardening.

Farm Volunteer Days
Dates: Biweekly on Tuesdays, April through September
Join our QBG Farm expert in preparing our raised farm beds for planting by weeding, raking, and mulching them. The produce is distributed to food pantries to support communities with food relief. Volunteers learn how to foster a farm ecosystem and grow healthy crops! QBG staff will provide gloves.

Horticulture Community Volunteer Days
Dates: Various Thursdays, April through November
Join our Horticulture staff for an engaging, educational event where you will learn gardening basics while working hands-on with our plants. Put your green thumb to good use in a variety of seasonal projects, including weeding, removing annuals, pruning, planting, mulching, and more! Tip: This is a recommended event to attend if you are also interested in becoming a Horticulture seasonal volunteer.

 

AmeriCorps with Reading Partners

(These paid opportunities are good for students that are asynchronous with a strong academic standing)

Program Coordinator

The Program Coordinator is the face of Reading Partners in person at elementary schools in the Bronx, Harlem, Manhattan, Brooklyn, East New York, and Queens. The Program Coordinator leads the coordination, operations, and relationship development of Reading Partners’ one-on-one tutoring programs.

The Program Coordinator will support a specific school site in a full-time capacity.

Volunteer Coordinator

The Volunteer Coordinator is the face of Reading Partners within the community, recruiting and onboarding volunteer tutors to serve students throughout various elementary schools in NYC (New York City).

The Volunteer Coordinator will support volunteers at multiple school sites in a full-time capacity.

Time Commitment and Benefits for both Positions

• Serve from August/September 2024 – June/July 2025
• Serve in-person, Monday - Friday, in a full-time capacity of 8 - 8.5 hours per day
• Commit to a service term of 1700+ hours.
• AmeriCorps members receive a twice monthly paycheck of $1,363.64, totaling $30,000.08 over the 11-month service term.
• Segal Education Award of $7,395, after successfully completing your service term.
• $500 Mid-year Bonus
• $3,000 End-of-year Bonus 
• Public transportation reimbursement of $132/month for 11-months
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage at no monthly cost to you
• Opportunities for network building with thousands of service-minded individuals.
• Childcare assistance is available through AmeriCorps for those who qualify.
• You may be eligible for student loan forbearance on federal student loans.
• Reading Partners is committed to your growth and development. We offer a supportive culture, on-going professional development opportunities, and coaching designed to catapult you into your next career.

The NYC Service Resident Volunteer Corps (RVC) is a cohort of resident volunteers developed to support New York City government agencies with some of their greatest volunteer needs. RVC builds out a space for resident voice to support actions within City government, through volunteerism, in order to increase the capacity to tackle our city’s most pressing issues and connect agencies more closely with the communities they serve. RVC is open to every resident New Yorker who wants to make an impact in their city through government volunteerism; anyone can serve, and all can be served. For Volunteers: The program is open to all resident New Yorkers over the age of eighteen who are interested in making an impact on their city through civic engagement. As an RVC volunteer, you are empowered to design your own volunteer experience as you have the opportunity to participate in the projects which interest you specifically, as well as the flexibility to determine your own time commitment to the program. After signing up to join the program, you will be required to attend an orientation and training session. Based on the interest and scheduling information provided on the initial intake form, we then match you with a City agency project that best suits you. These assignments may begin immediately, or in certain cases may take place on more of a “pop-up" basis depending on what you are interested in. Throughout the program year, NYC Service holds formal volunteer check-ins, workshops, and recognition events to ensure that we’re sufficiently supporting you. Additionally, informal check-ins are always available if needed. If you are an NYC resident who is interested in signing up to volunteer in RVC, click here.

Mount Sinai Brooklyn

Volunteer Programs include:

• Ambassador Program After three weeks of successful service, Ambassadors become eligible to join other Mount Sinai Brooklyn programs such as BI Cares or Friendly Patrol.
• BI Cares volunteers have the option to focus their efforts on a specific unit or department, where they assist patients in that designated area.
• Friendly Patrol Program volunteers have the responsibility of visiting all inpatients through regular rounds, without being assigned to any specific floor or department.
• Observership Program is available throughout the year and primarily targets undergraduate and graduate students pursuing health-related studies. Participants have the chance to shadow physicians and medical and surgical physician's assistants, both at the hospital and certain offsite locations.

To become a volunteer, please email Career.Development@kbcc.cuny.edu for the application.

All volunteers including adults and high school students are required to complete the Medical Clearance Forms.  These forms will be provided after receipt of your volunteer application.

• Unit Support Volunteers help us meet our patients’ non-clinical needs. They visit patients, fulfill small requests, and help orient them to the hospital and unit.
• Emergency Department (ED) Volunteers provide non-clinical support by utilizing communication, companionship, and fast-paced problem-solving techniques to enhance the overall ED experience.
• Delirium Program Volunteers provide non-medical interventions to promote cognitive stimulation, reorient to the environment, and increase the mobility of delirium patients. Delirium is a syndrome of global brain dysfunction associated with acute medical and surgical conditions, typically occurring in hospitalized geriatric patients. Volunteers serve as part of a team to treat active cases of delirium and prevent delirium in high-risk cases and gain one on one patient experience in medical and surgical unit settings. Orientation, ongoing supervision, and education will be provided.
• Our Animal Assisted Therapy Program allows volunteers with a dog qualified by an approved therapy dog organization to engage with patients and staff throughout the hospital. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old or older and must be willing to commit to making one visit a month.

Unit Support & Emergency Department Volunteers are required to commit to a consecutive 3-hour shift per week and 150 hours minimum.
Delirium Program Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age, serve a minimum of 130 hours over 6 months, and have afternoon availability (12:30 pm – 5:00 pm) Monday through Friday. Must commit to one 4.5-hour shift per week.

Brooklyn Book Bodega

Join Brooklyn Book Bodega to volunteer at our Book Hub, 141 Flushing Avenue at Brooklyn Navy Yard for onsite sorting and stamping books. Volunteers 18+ welcome and ages 14-17 with guardian consent.

Brooklyn Book Bodega increases the number of 100+ book homes in Brooklyn. Research shows that households with 100+ books boost life outcomes for children and adolescents.