How to find a Volunteer Service Position

To find a volunteer opportunity, please visit www.volunteerfresno.org.

There is virtually no limit to the types of service positions available. Almost any service agency you can think of has opportunities for volunteers. Maybe you have a favorite charitable or non-profit organization where you would like to work. Maybe you are already working in a volunteer capacity and would like to get academic credit for the time you spend there. If the work you are doing or would like to do is volunteer (unpaid), is community service oriented, and the agency you serve is a non-profit organization, CS 101 credits should be available to you. If you are not sure about how you would like to fulfill your service requirement, or if you run into problems with your planned service position, we have several ways for you to access hundreds of different volunteer opportunities and we'd be happy to assist you.

We strongly encourage you to select a community service assignment that will provide you with the best experience possible. For example, you may want to choose an agency that offers you service work related to your major and/or your future career. Don't be afraid to "shop around" for the best service opportunities. However, you should be sure to arrange you service experience in the first few weeks of the semester. Agencies often have waiting lists for volunteers, lengthy screening requirements, or it simply takes many days or even weeks just to reach the correct person in an agency. Start contacting agencies you are interested in right away!

The CESL Office maintains a Community Service Opportunities Directory with information on a large variety of service opportunities with agencies throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Also, an Agency Data Book is maintained by CESL which contains information on many service agencies in the region. These resources can be found in the CESL Office located in the Science 1 Building, Room 136.

Remember that there are literally hundreds of different volunteer service opportunities available to you. There are major related opportunities available in fields as diverse as Health Science, Social Work, Engineering, Education, and many more. From Anthropology to Zoology, we have service opportunities that meet your career interests. There are even a number of unique and rewarding opportunities for service right here on campus.

Please note that there are a few types of service activities that are not eligible for Community Service 101 credit. While we do not discourage students from being involved in these types of activities, you may not use these types of service work to earn course credit. These types of service include, but are not limited to:

Paid work of any kind;
Volunteer work for a private, for-profit company;
Work for any private individual or family not directly associated with a nonprofit agency;
Paid or volunteer work for a political candidate or campaign. (You may work for an elected official but can not work on any type of campaign or election effort.)

Also, you may not use hours that you have volunteered prior to signing up for the CS 101 course or are using for credit in another class unless you have made previous arrangements with the CESL coordinator and/or the instructor of the other course.

CESL coordinates many different university programs that promote volunteerism.

The following are a few examples:

Community Service Scholarship Program

This program, funded through private and corporate donations, provides scholarships of $500 or $1,000 to students in exchange for community service.

University HOPE (Housing OPportunities through Education)

American Humanics