Student Volunteers

Website: https://www.bgctc.org/get-involved/get-involved-volunteer/

Contact: volunteer@bgctc.org, 360-956-0755

Activities: Volunteers can tutor, play games with kids, help staff run activities, and clean. Consistent volunteers can serve as 1 on 1 tutors in the 1st-6th grade tutoring program. Volunteers with a shorter or less frequent schedule can work in the games room, gym, art room, tech lab, or kinder room. Volunteers will never be alone with the kids, and there will always be at least one staff member helping to supervise each area.

Schedule: Clubs are open on school days from 3:30–6:30 pm, and volunteers are also welcome during programs operating during winter and spring break.

Requirements: Volunteers must be at least 16 years old. All volunteers must complete the Boys & Girls Club Volunteer Application and provide a color copy of a photo ID (driver's license or school ID are acceptable), and a background and reference check will be completed before volunteering. Please note that the background check can take a few weeks to process.

Website:  https://www.swwabigs.org/volunteer

Contact: nicole@swwabigs.org, call or text 360-203-5343

Activities: Big Brothers, Big Sisters offers a peer mentoring program that matches high school students with middle school students for weekly 1 hour meetings after school to play games, discuss life, and build friendships. We also place peer mentors at South Bay Elementary. To get started, apply online.

Schedule: Regularly scheduled volunteering typically takes place before or after school.

Requirements: Students must complete an online volunteer application, be at least 15 years old, and have their own transportation.

Website: https://capitollandtrust.org/

Contact: americorps@capitollandtrust.org or 360-943-3012 ext 0, then 1

Activities: Planting native plants, removing invasive plants and debris, human impact removal/mitigation, maintaining trails, and watering in the Summer.

Schedule: Events typically take place in the morning to early afternoon on both weekdays and weekends. Usually, 2-4 weekend events are scheduled each month to provide opportunities for student and working volunteers.

Requirements: All volunteers are required to sign a waiver each year in January. For youth volunteers under 18, a parent/guardian signature is required for the waiver. The waiver can be completed on paper at the events or electronically in advance.

Fun Facts: Capitol Land Trust has conserved 77 properties, 6,000 acres, and 15 miles of Puget Sound shoreline!

Website: https://crisis-clinic.org/volunteer/

Contact: Michael Dennis, info@crisis-clinic.org or 360-586-2888 x114

Activities: Student volunteers attend a 6-week training program to learn skills and prepare to answer the Crisis Line. After training, students would commit to one, 4-hour shift per week to cover the Crisis Line (anyone under 18 will be accompanied by an adult). The clinic environment is friendly and casual.

Schedule: The first weekend of training includes Friday evening (6-8:30 pm), Saturday and Sunday (9 am - 4:30 pm). After the initial weekend, each training is on Thursday evening (6-9 pm) for 6 weeks. After completing the training, volunteers can choose what time they would like their weekly 4-hour shift to be.

Requirements: Youth volunteers must be at least 15 years old. Anyone under 18 must obtain parental consent. All interested volunteers must complete a Phone Line Volunteer Application.

Fun Facts: Each year, the Crisis Clinic answers over 9,000 calls from the community!

Website: https://www.drytikesandwetwipes.org

Contact: Lance Benson (call/text): 360-584-8684; Haley Connor (call/text): 360-749-2347.

Activity: Volunteers will count and wrap diapers, pull-ups, or other hygiene products and prepare them for distribution for families in need.

Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 am–2:00 pm. Volunteer shifts may be available outside of these times, please contact for more info!

Requirements: Fill out a short online volunteer application.

Website: https://www.goodgrub.org/volunteer

Contact: Sade at volunteer@goodgrub.org

Activities: GRuB is an urban farm on Olympia's westside that grows healthy food, people, and community. Volunteers help us fulfill and expand our mission by sharing their time, energy, and skills on the farm, in the kitchen, building backyard gardens, and more. Volunteers work on the farm harvesting vegetables, weeding, and other garden maintenance activities. Please dress for the weather and wear clothes that can get dirty!

Schedule: Open volunteer hours are every Monday from 3:30–5:00 pm at GRuB’s urban farm at 2016 Elliott Ave NW, Olympia, WA 98502. Check the volunteer calendar for days when open volunteering hours are not offered. Other volunteer opportunities may be available, email volunteer@goodgrub.org for more information.

Requirements: Open Volunteer hours do not require a background check or formal volunteer application. We do require all volunteers to fill out a liability waiver and emergency contact form when they arrive.  If volunteers are under 18, a parent/guardian consent form is required. If volunteers are under 15, it is required that they are accompanied by an adult during volunteer hours.
 

Website: https://harlequinproductions.org

Contact: volunteers@harlequinproductions.org

Activities: Students typically volunteer as Ushers or Ticket Checkers. Ushers help greet patrons as they arrive, pass out programs, assist patrons to their assigned seats, and alert the House Manager of any seating issues. Ticket Checkers also help greet patrons, check that patrons have a valid ticket upon entering, and click them in as they enter so the theatre has an accurate audience count. There may also be backstage opportunities for students with some experience to help with Strike and Load in of sets.

Schedule: Performances are generally on weekend evenings and some afternoon matinees.

Requirements: Volunteers are preferred to be 16 years old, but exceptions may be made on a case by case basis.

Website: https://www.nthurston.k12.wa.us/volunteer

Contact: volunteersupport@nthurston.k12.wa.us or 360-412-4451

Activities: Many NTPS students enjoy volunteering in our own district — often at the elementary or middle school they previously attended. Students can help out with special events (movie nights, festivals, etc.), tutoring, and classroom or office help.

Schedule: Regularly scheduled volunteering typically takes place before or after school. Special events usually take place on weeknight evenings, and occasionally weekends.

Requirements: Students must complete an online volunteer application that will be reviewed by their school principal. Middle and high school students are welcome to serve as student volunteers.

Website: https://olympiafilmsociety.org/volunteer/

Contact: volunteer@olympiafilmsociety.org or 360-754-6670 ext. 21

Activities: Volunteer in the box office, serve popcorn behind the concession counter, tear tickets, and project movies.

Schedule: We are open for movie screenings in the afternoon and evenings Thursday through Sunday, and have special events throughout each month.

Requirements: Volunteers under the age of 18 must fill out a Youth Volunteer Release Form that must be signed by a parent or guardian.

Fun Fact: The Capitol Theater, home of the Olympia Film Society, was built in 1924 and is over 100 year old!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/relayforlifeofthurstonofficial/

2025 Event Page

Contact: Nichole Woolsey, nichole.woolsey@cancer.org

Activities: Student volunteers can help with setup, direct parking, transport team gear, light luminaria, serve cake, run activities (like scavenger hunts or dodgeball!) and more. Snacks are provided!

Schedule: Relay for Life takes place each summer over a long weekend.

Website: https://streamteam.info/

Email: streamteam@ci.lacey.wa.us

Activities: Join Stream Team to perform a wide variety of activities to improve water quality in our community. Plant trees & shrubs to repair riparian buffers, remove invasive species like English ivy, attend a workshop to build bird, bee, bug and bat houses, teach the public about Pacific salmon, and much more!

Schedule: Stream Team events occur year round on weekdays and weekends. All events are posted on the Stream Team website calendar. If you'd like to receive an email with each month's upcoming events, email streamteam@ci.lacey.wa.us and title the subject Subscribe.

Requirements: Each event will note if there is an age requirement. Most events require registration, which can be done by clicking Register on the Stream Team website. Each participant must fill out a liability waiver.

Website: https://tcfb.org/

Contact: volunteers@tcfb.org or 360-352-8597 x 252

Activities: The Thurston County Food Bank offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities. In addition to working in our warehouse or pantries, we also have volunteers who do home delivery, farming, food preparation, and more! We are dedicated to eliminating hunger in our community.

Schedule: Please refer to our volunteer sign-up page for current volunteer opportunities.
https://thurston-county-food-bank.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/

Requirements: Students must complete a volunteer application (available on our website) before volunteering with the Thurston County Food Bank. Please note that we require a parent or guardian to provide a digital signature on the volunteer application. Youth aged 12 and above are welcome to volunteer with us.
 

Website: https://thurstontogether.org/Get-Involved/Volunteer

Contact: Kahlo Flores, kcflores@watogether.org

Activities: Student volunteers can engage younger students with reading, homework help, or by sharing an interest or activity you love! Programs this year include focus on STEAM and bilingual (Spanish-English) activities.

Schedule: Before school at Chinook & Nisqually Middle Schools. After school at Lydia Hawk and Pleasant Glade Elementary Schools. Student volunteers are welcome on a regular basis (once a week, once a month), for a short burst of time (every day for two weeks, or during the summer session. 

Requirements: Volunteers are background checked, and must submit an online application.

Website: https://www.unitedyouthmovement.org/

Contact: unitedyouth19@gmail.com

Activity: UYM volunteers provide service to the Thurston County Food Bank, and partner with United Way to learn skills and provide service by cleaning parks, painting, installing flooring, etc. UYM also offers career connections and educational opportunities with local businesses.

Schedule: After school and weekend opportunities are available.

Requirements: Students aged 14-19 are welcome.

Fun facts: Nearly all UYM staff are NTPS alums!

Website: https://www.thurstoncountyinclusion.org

Contact: pam@thurstoncountyinclusion.org, 360-329-2795

Activities: Volunteers have many opportunities at Thurston County Inclusion. We have a variety of events: from bowling, dancing, crafting, cooking or STEAM related activities. Opportunities to work with youth both with and without intellectual/developmental disabilities, which might look like helping participants with crafts and games or helping youth engage in fun and meaningful conversations. This can be done both on a smaller group or buddy style or a larger group avenue depending on volunteer preference. Volunteers also assist with set up/take down and resetting supplies for events. If you prefer to have a more behind-the-scenes role, we also have many prep and admin style needs such as helping with our monthly newsletter, photographing our events, and more!

Schedule: Our year-round events are typically on the weekends at varying times. We also offer a summer camp. Current dates on our website: https://www.thurstoncountyinclusion.org/summercamp