Accordion Sample Description
Accordion Sample Description
Accordion Sample Description
These are proven ways to connect to others, build community, and make positive change! Some topics also promote connecting to the Earth. This page includes ideas for starting a project and an overview of the modern service landscape.
Comparing Project Types
| VOLUNTEERING | SERVICE-LEARNING |
|---|---|
| Focus is community benefit, usually working with a non-profit | Focus includes academic learning (working with an educator) and community benefit |
| Can stand alone or be used to prepare for S-L projects | Has more academic rigor and usually a longer time commitment vs. volunteering alone |
| Often for a grad requirement but not class credit | May be used for a graduation requirement and/or course credit (with approval) |
| E.G. Assisting with a Special Olympics event | E.G. Fundraising for a voting rights group and presenting on it for social studies credit |
| For more ideas see below and the volunteering page | Find more ideas below plus additional information on the service-learning page |
General Approaches
Here are four possibilities:
Picking a Starting Point
Note: Examples of organizations working in given areas are in parentheses. Not all have volunteer opportunities, but their websites (and possibly staff) may be of use in exploring options.
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Consider what you might be into DOING.
Trees (Eden Projects)
School or community gardens
A farm using regenerative practices (Wolfe's Neck Farm, Scatter Good Farm )
Pollinator-friendly landscapes (National Pollinator Garden Network)
School or community gardens
A farm using regenerative practices (Wolfe's Neck Farm, Scatter Good Farm )
Pollinator-friendly landscapes (National Pollinator Garden Network)
Clothes, food, shoes, or glasses for disaster relief (United Way)
Disaster relief or other needs Cultivating Community)
Food (Wayside Food Programs)
Disaster relief or other needs Cultivating Community)
Food (Wayside Food Programs)
Petition or letter-writing drive (Amnesty International)
Registration drive to increase voting access (Rock the Vote, Represent.us, NAEYC)
Marketing to get the word out about an organization's activities or resources
Organizing or helping with an event to inform the public about an issue (Environment Maine, The Sunrise Movement)
Registration drive to increase voting access (Rock the Vote, Represent.us, NAEYC)
Marketing to get the word out about an organization's activities or resources
Organizing or helping with an event to inform the public about an issue (Environment Maine, The Sunrise Movement)
Writing/seeking grant funding
Race, workout, or yoga or dance (Zumba, other) class
Concert or other performance
Car wash
Dinner or party
Silent auction
Raffle
Race, workout, or yoga or dance (Zumba, other) class
Concert or other performance
Car wash
Dinner or party
Silent auction
Raffle
GROUP OF PEOPLE
Consider WHO you might want to work with or otherwise support.
Supporting year-round physical activity (Winterkids, Girls on the Run)
Children with serious illnesses (Camp Sunshine)
Potentially at-risk teens (Preble Street Teen Center)
Youth benefiting from mentors (Big Brothers Big Sisters)
Children with serious illnesses (Camp Sunshine)
Potentially at-risk teens (Preble Street Teen Center)
Youth benefiting from mentors (Big Brothers Big Sisters)
Health and other services (Vet Centers, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America)
Health, employment, and other services (Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, Maine Access Immigration Network)
Ex-offenders reentering society (Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition)
Homeless (Preble Street)
Indigenous people (National Indigenous Women's Resource Center)
LGBTQ (Equality Maine, GLAD Maine)
Victims of trafficking, assault, or abuse (SARSSM/Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine)
Current or potential voters (Represent.us)
People impacted by a flood, fire, shooting, or other tragic event (United Way)
Recovering addicts (Portland Recovery Community Center)
Animals/pets (Animal Refuge League, Humane Society)
Homeless (Preble Street)
Indigenous people (National Indigenous Women's Resource Center)
LGBTQ (Equality Maine, GLAD Maine)
Victims of trafficking, assault, or abuse (SARSSM/Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine)
Current or potential voters (Represent.us)
People impacted by a flood, fire, shooting, or other tragic event (United Way)
Recovering addicts (Portland Recovery Community Center)
Animals/pets (Animal Refuge League, Humane Society)
TOPIC
Consider an AREA of personal interest.
Literacy or other adult ed programs (United Way, Maine Literacy Council, The Telling Room)
International education programs (Teachers Without Borders)
International education programs (Teachers Without Borders)
Climate disruption (Sunrise Movement, 350.org, Environment Maine)
Habitat protection, management, or restoration
Sustainable energy production, storage, conservation, or use (Environment Maine)
Water (clean-up, reducing, stopping, or avoiding pollution)
Soil (clean-up or regenerative agriculture) (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association)
Wild animal protection and health (Maine Audubon, Environment Maine)
Reducing waste
Habitat protection, management, or restoration
- Beaches
- Estuaries
- Forests (Natural Resource Council of Maine)
- Grasslands
- Oceans (Greenpeace)
- Rivers or wetlands (Environment Maine)
Sustainable energy production, storage, conservation, or use (Environment Maine)
Water (clean-up, reducing, stopping, or avoiding pollution)
- Lakes and ponds
- Oceans (Greenpeace)
- Rivers and streams
Soil (clean-up or regenerative agriculture) (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association)
Wild animal protection and health (Maine Audubon, Environment Maine)
Reducing waste
Regenerative farming in Maine (MOFGA, Wolfe's Neck Farm, Scatter Good Farm)
Farmer support (Farm Aid)
Farmer support (Farm Aid)
Anti-racism (Racial Equity and Justice , Showing Up for Racial Justice , Maine Youth Justice , Maine Youth Action Network )
Human rights advocacy (Amnesty International, ACLU Maine, Seeds of Peace, GLAD Maine, Maine Youth Court)
Standing up to hate/bigotry (Southern Poverty Law Center)
Human rights advocacy (Amnesty International, ACLU Maine, Seeds of Peace, GLAD Maine, Maine Youth Court)
Standing up to hate/bigotry (Southern Poverty Law Center)
Food insecurity (Wayside Food Programs)
Homelessness (Preble Street, Habitat for Humanity))
General support (Maine Center for Economic Policy, First Parish United Universalist Church)
Homelessness (Preble Street, Habitat for Humanity))
General support (Maine Center for Economic Policy, First Parish United Universalist Church)
Disease prevention and treatment
Physical health and safety (Planned Parenthood, Partners in Health)
Mental and emotional health (The Opportunity Alliance)
- Coronavirus, AIDS, and other infectious diseases (The Task Force for Global Health)
- Non-infectious diseases
Physical health and safety (Planned Parenthood, Partners in Health)
Mental and emotional health (The Opportunity Alliance)
OTHER WAYS TO START
Browse service opportunities and possibilities (each opens a new window)
- Service opportunities with United Way
- Service opportunities with a variety of non-profits via Volunteer Maine
- Service organizations listed at Volunteer Maine
- A consortium of colleges with service programs: Campus Compact
Add a service component to an existing SCHOOL PROJECT (contact us for ideas)
The Current Service Landscape
Purpose: To be able to situate projects within other efforts to make the world a better place and feel part of something big
Groups and organizations
Individual volunteers (on their own or partnering with a group)
Funders
Facilitators
Consultants (e.g., service-learning program designers/implementers)
Educators
- Independent non-profits (e.g., United Way, Habitat for Humanity)
- Government-linked or run groups and offices
- Religious groups
Individual volunteers (on their own or partnering with a group)
- Students (K-12, 4-year college, community college, or graduate; solo, in classes, or via clubs)
- Professionals providing services free or at reduced costs (e.g., docs volunteering at free medical clinics)
- Eagle Scout candidates
- Mitzvah candidates
- Other adults
Funders
- Individual or corporate donors (of money, goods, or other support)
- Grant providers (government-based groups, private foundations, corporations, other) providing general funding to groups or specific initiatives
Facilitators
- Volunteer or service project advisors (religious, academic, volunteer, other)
- Groups pooling/sharing information across efforts
- Consortiums of schools or other groups sharing notes/best practices (e.g., Campus Compact between colleges)
- Statewide clearinghouses and databases (e.g., of volunteer opportunities)
- Other resource providers (e.g., 3Levels.org) to assist and amplify existing efforts and facilitate new ones
Consultants (e.g., service-learning program designers/implementers)
Educators
- College, training students to work for non-profits, government, other
- Staff development professionals teaching skills to facilitate S-L or other community/civic engagement at schools or in workplaces
Daily living assistance
Professional services
Education and empowerment
Democratic representation and participation
Human rights protection and advocacy
Protection and health promotion
Technological innovation or engineering-based problem-solving efforts
Other ways to categorize efforts:
- Food (obtaining, nutrition)
- Shelter (emergency, long-term)
- Clothing and other essentials
- Transportation
Professional services
- Medical screenings and care
- Legal support
Education and empowerment
- Literacy
- Leadership skills
- Job training and placement
Democratic representation and participation
- Voting access
- Registration
- Census completion
Human rights protection and advocacy
- Human trafficking
- Worker exploitation
Protection and health promotion
- At-risk communities
- Wild animals or pets
- Habitats
Technological innovation or engineering-based problem-solving efforts
Other ways to categorize efforts:
- Population(s) involved
- Kids, elderly, other ages
- Immigrants
- Homeless
- Ex cons
- Endangered species
- Topic
- Poverty
- Hunger
- Health
- See UN Sustainable Development Goals (opens a new tab)
- Geographical scope/range
- Within a school
- Local/municipal
- County or state
- Regional or global)
- Duration of action
- One-time events
- Annual fundraisers/other activities
- Long-running and ongoing service provision
- Type of interaction
- Direct – working with people in a community
- Indirect – by supporting community organizations
- Advocacy – promoting actions in the public interest
- Research – finding and reporting information in the public interest
To connect
To apply course work and build
To “pay it forward” (give others opportunities we’ve had)
To express
To demonstrate faith-related values or responsibility
To fulfill a requirement
To increase the impact and personal meaning of a school project
To have a fulfilling career
To emulate, continue, or share in the work of others engaged in service
- To oneself and others
- To the natural word
- All three (why 3Levels.org exists)
To apply course work and build
- Knowledge and skills
- Connections and networks
- Portfolios
- Community and environmental health
To “pay it forward” (give others opportunities we’ve had)
To express
- Feeling part of society or a specific community
- Wanting to contribute to something bigger
To demonstrate faith-related values or responsibility
To fulfill a requirement
- For school graduation
- Completing a legal agreement
To increase the impact and personal meaning of a school project
To have a fulfilling career
- Working for a service organization
- Contributing to others’ lives
To emulate, continue, or share in the work of others engaged in service