Volunteer Opportunities – We couldn’t do it without you!
Make a Difference, Get Involved!
YWCA volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization. We are committed to providing meaningful volunteer experiences, utilizing your skills and resources to complement our programs and services in a way that improves client services. We always need volunteers and we seek to align your passion with our work.
Current Volunteer Opportunities
Each year over 100 volunteers contribute 10,000 hours of services to the YWCA. Our volunteers serve at the Safe House, A Special Place Therapeutic Preschool, at Family Court and at the Family Justice Center.
YWCA Sonoma County volunteers support all of our programs. Whether you like working with children, want to help a client leave an abusive home or support our administrative team, we need you! Click below to see our current volunteer opportunities.
Volunteer Now
Click here to fill out a volunteer application.
Administrative Assistant: Provides administrative support to employees based in administrative offices and offers insight into inner workings of a nonprofit organization.
- Assist with outreach efforts as and when needed
- General clerical duties including maintaining and organizing filing systems, mailing letters, and restocking office supplies.
Community Outreach: To build awareness of the mission of YWCA and to promote the YWCA brand.
- Set up tables and displays
- Greet event attendees, answer questions
- Collect donations as necessary
- Recruit other volunteers
- Help with event cleanup
VIP Volunteer: A volunteer who utilizes their special skills and talents to assist the YWCA with special projects.
This volunteer opportunity is unique in that it is created based off of your special skills. Examples of special projects may include:
- Monthly speaker series for A Special Place Preschool
- Yard Maintenance
- Bicycle Maintenance for A Special Place Preschool
- Painting
Family Justice Center Volunteer: A Family Justice Center Volunteer will provide support to both staff of the FJC as well as the survivors and their families.
- Greet survivors and their families as they enter the nest and inform them of resources and services as needed
- Clean and organize the Nest and donation closets
- Enter and organize confidential client data into our database
(Bilingual) Court Accompaniment: Be a support person for individuals getting services through FJC or Safe House, attend Restraining Order Hearings.
- Provide moral support to individuals going to court – often facing their abuser for the first time since leaving
- Informing individuals about court processes and some legal terminology to help them feel comfortable with what happens in court
- Be conscientious about safety and take precautions if the individual feels unsafe like speaking with the bailiff or timing arrival and departure to avoid confrontation
Support Group Co-Facilitator: Provide services directly to clients through facilitating weekly support groups about the dynamics of domestic violence.
- Facilitate the YWCA’s domestic violence education support group once a week for 2 hours following specific YWCA curriculum only
- Provide resources and referral to clients as needed
- Collect client data, document hours and attendance, and give timesheets to appropriate program manager
- Other administrative activities as needed
24-hour Hotline Volunteer: A crisis line providing support, information, and referrals for domestic violence, as well as interview for entry into other YWCA programs. This position includes:
- Answering calls for domestic violence support and offering YWCA services
- Collecting data and entering into a database
- Offering other staff support as needed
Family Advocacy: Learn direct case management skills in a domestic violence shelter including:
- Telephone advocacy and interviewing for programs and services
- Accompanying intakes
- Preparing rooms for new residents
- Transporting residents to and from scheduled appointments
- Preparing files and tool boxes
- Resident data entry
Preschool Assistant: Work on-site with children attending the YWCA “A Special Place” Therapeutic Preschool to promote healthy social-emotional skills and model positive behavior. Volunteers will be given the opportunity to work with children in crisis and give them a positive environment in which to grow.
- Support staff during planned activities
- Help prepare meals and snacks for children as needed
- Assist with program events when necessary
- Participate in school chores and maintain learning environment
- Collect data and consult staff as needed
- Create flyers and newsletters to update families and promote programs
- Other tasks as needed
Connect with the YWCA Sonoma County for updates and News
Click here to get on our email list for volunteer opportunities
40 Hour Training Classes
Our 40 hour training classes are held biannually typically during the winter and summer.
Our Jan/Feb 2019 Class Flyer can be found here
One of the greatest gifts you can give is your time #volunteer