Looking for volunteer opportunities? Northeastern’s community service programs can help you find a match.
The Community Service and Civic Engagement team will connect you to volunteer organizations or support you as you lead your own project.
Interested in volunteering?
Northeastern’s Community Service and Civic Engagement team has you covered.
From hosting volunteer fairs, matching individuals with nonprofit organizations based on interests and availability and recruiting staff for alternative school breaks, the team offers a wealth of volunteer opportunities for faculty and staff.
“Please reach out to us,” says Erin Pecci, assistant director of community service programs for CSCE. “We have existing relationships with most, if not all, of the organizations in the Boston area, particularly within Roxbury, Fenway, Mission Hill and the South End.”
“Instead of sending out on your own, we always suggest that folks come to us. We would be happy to help you explore ways that can make an impact,” Pecci says.
Sign up for the volunteer campaign newsletter
She says faculty and staff interested in volunteer opportunities also are encouraged to sign up for Northeastern’s weekly volunteer campaign for both longer-term commitments, pop-up events and examples of other civic actions to take.
For more real-time updates, staff can also follow CSCE on Instagram @nucommunityservice.
The weekly volunteer campaign and Instagram promote existing partnerships as well as real-time requests from nonprofits, Pecci says. “Organizations will say, ‘I need volunteers for a fundraiser happening next Saturday.’ So we’ll work with them to put an ‘advertisement’ in our newsletter and help recruit volunteers.”
Attend a volunteer fair
The annual fall and spring volunteer fairs hosted by CSCE are not just for students, Pecci says.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend and meet individuals representing 75 or more nonprofit organizations, including the Samaritans, Partners for Youth with Disabilities, Gay for Good and many more.
The fall fair will take place Tuesday, Sept. 16, in the Centennial Quad.
Consider serving on an alternative spring break trip
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Northeastern hosts alternative weekends and spring break trips for students who want to explore service can look like in communities outside of Boston.
These trips range from Portland, Maine, to Seattle, Miami and beyond.
Every trip also requires the attendance of a faculty or staff chaperone who supports the students leaders. Faculty and staff receive training on what to expect as the university representative on site.
Recent trips have included working with Urban Art Works in Seattle to clean up graffiti and sort through donations of art supplies as well as serving meals and preparing outreach materials for an organization in Miami that assists homeless families.
“You’re actively engaged in the service projects alongside our students and community members.You’re rolling up your sleeves and volunteering with them,” Pecci says.
She says to visit CSCE’s website to learn more about serving as university representative and for other ways to support the alternative spring break program.
Consult with CSCE
Maybe your department is trying to put together a service project but doesn’t know where to start.
That’s another opportunity to reach out to CSCE, in particular director Hilary Sullivan, at h.sullivan@northeastern.edu, Pecci says.
“Through our consultations, we can assess what’s needed to help staff meaningfully engage with the local community.”