Volunteer at the Y

Across the United States, more than 500,000 business leaders, community advocates, parents, teens and individuals who want to give back and support their neighbors volunteer at the Y. That’s because in 10,000 neighborhoods nationwide, we have the presence and partnerships to not just promise, but deliver positive personal and social change.

With a focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, Y volunteers give men, women and children of all ages and from all walks of life the resources and support they need to be healthy, confident, connected and secure.

Volunteers of the Y

• Lead our boards of directors and committees
• Raise funds to ensure the Y is accessible to all members of the community
• Coach our sports teams and teach many of our classes
• Motivate and support youth in building the character strengths, skills and relationships that lead to positive behaviors, better health, smart life choices and the pursuit of higher education and goals
• Extend a hand to help adults who want to do more, be more or live healthier
• Advocate for the Y’s efforts to influence policies and initiatives that positively impact societal issues of importance to the nation, and your community
• Participate in opportunities to give back and support neighbors

The Y is a nonprofit like no other. Take an active role in strengthening your community.

Blog Entry: Volunteerism at the Y Brings Communities Together

Find a Y to learn more about volunteer opportunities

Togetherhood

Togetherhood is a member-led community service program that invites Y members to activate their social responsibility by participating in the Y’s cause to strengthen community. Togetherhood provides Y members with fun, convenient and rewarding ways to give back and support their neighbors.

The program is run through individual Y branches as a partnership between a committee of members and a Y Staff Advisor. It is designed to be a simple, fun and rewarding way for members to identify ways that they can give back and support their neighbors through their own ideas, skills and energy, and the network of the Y.

Learn more about Togetherhood

Service Learning Resources

The Y is pleased to provide a suite of resources that can guide adults in helping youth identify their interests, and connecting those interests to volunteer and service-learning projects in their community. The Guide to Service Learning helps young people figure out what excites them, and what skills and passions they can share as part of the larger world. The Y's service learning resources also include a guide for adults, a survey for teens and a YouTube channel for youth to share experiences and reflections.

Learn more about Service Learning Resources

BLOG

Building Bridges of Inclusion through Volunteerism

By Chad Nico Hiu, Director, Diversity & Inclusion, YMCA of the USA and Emily Holthaus, National Director, Social Responsibility, YMCA of the USA

The Y has long played an essential role as a community convener and bridge-builder. This is more important than ever as our communities face increasing polarization, segregation and challenges across all dimensions of diversity. Our Movement connects individuals and families from all walks of life under our common cause of strengthening community and we are committed to welcoming and including all people and helping them reach their full potential.

Our commitment to inclusion comes to life through programs like Togetherhood®, which invites teams of members to lead volunteer service projects in their communities. This unique forum unites members from diverse backgrounds, empowering them to collectively identify critical community needs and work together to address those needs alongside their neighbors and community partners.

We can work collectively to foster empathy, bridge building, and inclusion through volunteerism.

In June, we had the opportunity to present on the Y’s formidable efforts in bridging inclusion gaps at the Points of Light Conference on Volunteering and Service in Detroit, Michigan. Points of Light is a premier national volunteerism and social change organization, which YMCA of the USA collaborates closely with. The conference was an inspiring and vibrant gathering of individuals representing nonprofits, government agencies, and businesses united under the common goal of improving how all sectors of society can work together to improve lives. Speakers included Lonnie Ali, who spoke about her late husband Muhammad Ali's lasting legacy of service to others, and social entrepreneurs Phillip Cooley of Ponyride and Christian Vanizette of MakeSense, who demonstrated the worldwide impact that vision, passion and technology can have when harnessed effectively. We led two workshops, which engaged more than 100 participants in challenging dialogue focused on how we can work collectively to foster empathy, bridge building, and inclusion through volunteerism.

It was emotionally moving to be a part of this gathering of a thousand passionate change-makers. Despite our wildly diverse experiences, each of us shared a common goal of uniting communities to address critical social issues through service. Standing in the back of the auditorium on the final day, listening to a stirring melody played by Mariela Shaker, a virtuoso violinist who shared her personal journey as a Syrian refugee and community leader, we were viscerally part of a formidable movement of positive social change, empathy and inclusion.

To learn more about volunteerism at the Y, engage in Togetherhood or other inclusion efforts, email us at socialresponsibility@ymca.net. We look forward to partnering with you on building cohesive communities together.