Volunteer opportunities in Santa Barbara County

ISTUDENT INTERNSHIP, LEADERSHIP, and VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES in SANTA BARBARA COUNTY...

VOLUNTEER... Let's turn our empathy into action by serving the Santa Barbara community. You can even volunteer in your own neighborhood... walk someone's dog, visit with an elderly neighbor or offer to do their grocery shopping, tutor kids on your block, provide child care for a parent that could use a break, or go through your closets and donate clothes and toys that you are not using. (view 2025 VOLUNTEER WORKSHOP recording >)

INTERN... Build confidence. Learn new skills. Be mentored by others. Get experience in something you are interested in. Get exposure to different types of jobs. An internship is a professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work related to a student's field of study or career interest. It is as much of a learning experience as it is work. Internships can vary in duration, from several weeks to several months, and can be either paid or unpaid. (VIEW INTERN WORKSHOP RECORDING 2025 > VIEW 2025 SLIDES > ) PRINT HANDOUT of 2025-26 INTERN OPPS in SB COUNTY >

BELOW ARE OPTIONS IN SB COUNTY... *Hover over each column to read everything in the field. If reading on your phone, turn phone sideways to have a bigger/landscape view. *You can click on the column headers to sort (ie: click ITEM to sort alphabetically by org name)

ORGS: fill out VOLUNTEER/INTERN OPPS FORM if you'd like your org added to this list

BENEFITS of an internship...

  1. Internships provide students with hands-on practical experience which is invaluable for understanding how concepts learned in the classroom translate to the workplace.
  2. Internships offer students the opportunity to explore different career paths within their field. Students can gain insight into what type of work they enjoy and what career path they want to pursue.
  3. Internships enable students to establish connections with professionals and build a network of contacts that can lead to mentorship opportunities and job referrals.
  4. Internships allow students to develop and enhance skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management.
  5. Internships allow students to build their resume and demonstrate to potential employers that they have practical experience, initiative, and are committed.

Ask yourself…

  • Would you like to work with adults, children, the elderly or with animals?
  • Would you like to volunteer in person or remotely from home?
  • Do you prefer to work alone or on a team?
  • Are you better behind the scenes or do you prefer to take a more visible role?
  • How much time are you willing to commit?
  • What skills can you bring?
  • What causes are important to you?

When you volunteer…

  • Know what’s expected. You should be comfortable with the organization and understand the time commitment.
  • Start small so you don’t over commit at first.
  • Don’t be afraid to make a change. Don’t feel compelled to stick with a role you dislike if it is not the right fit. Talk to the organization about changing your focus or look for an organization that’s a better fit.
  • Students, put your volunteer experiences on your resumes and think about the skills you learned while you were in that role. For many, this will be your first work experience.

The most valuable assets a volunteer can bring are…

  • compassion
  • an open mind
  • a positive attitude
  • a willingness to pitch in wherever needed

CAUSE AREAS...

  • Advocacy, Human Rights, Social Justice
  • Animals
  • Arts & Culture
  • Basic Needs: hunger & homelessness
  • Children & Youth
  • Crisis Support, Disaster Relief. Emergency/Safety
  • Education & Literacy
  • Environment
  • Faith-Based
  • Health Care & Medicine
  • LGBTQ+
  • Marginalized Communities
  • Mental Health & Wellness
  • People with Disabilities
  • Politics
  • Race & Ethnicity
  • Restorative/Criminal Justice
  • Seniors/elderly
  • Science
  • Sports & Recreation
  • Veterans
  • Women
  • Workforce Development

VIEW LIST OF CURRENT VOLUNTEER OPPS IN SB COUNTY > 

Non-Profit Panel of 20+ SB County organizations shares about how students can create meaningful ways to volunteer. Completing community service hours is more than checking a box off the to-do list... it’s learning about the joy of volunteering, learning new skills, and an opportunity to grow and discover new passions. Find which areas (animals, arts & culture, homelessness, environment & science, education, camps, elderly) are meaningful to you. Volunteering helps people manage stress, feel connected, and increase self-confidence.

Speakers 2025 [VIEW RECORDING 2025 > VIEW 2025 SLIDES > YouthWell, STESA, SB Museum Natural History & Sea Center, SB County Education Office, SB Botanic Gardens, Safety Town, SB Bucket Brigade, Peer Buddies, Planned Parenthood, Grace Fisher Foundation, Future Leaders of America, CAUSE, AHA!, Youth Making Change, SB Museum of Art

Speakers 2024 [VIEW RECORDING 2024 > VIEW 2024 SLIDES > :  Assistance League of SB, AHA!, Apples to Zucchini Cooking School, Cycling Without Age, Dunes Center, Girls Inc Carp, Housing Authority-City SB, Old Spanish Days Fiesta, PATH, Peer Buddies, SB Museum of Art, SB Public Library, STESA, SB Zoo, YouthWell

Speakers 2023 [VIEW RECORDING 2023 > or LISTEN SPANISH AUDIO >] VIEW 2023 SLIDES > :  Assistance League of SB, AHA!, Apples to Zucchini Cooking School, Central Coast Rescue Mission, City of SB Parks & Recreation, Community Environmental Council, Cottage Health, Friendship Center, Inclusive Arts Clubhouse, Inclusive Arts Clubhouse - Grace Fisher Foundation, Keiki Paddle, Mental Wellness Center, Resource Family Assistance Support Team, SB Bucket Brigade, SB Humane, SB Museum of Art, SB Museum of Natural History & Sea Center, SB Public Library, YouthWell

Speakers 2021 [VIEW RECORDING 2021 >]: Alpha Resource Center, Apples to Zucchini Cooking School, BUNS (Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter), Fairview Gardens, CommUnify, Community Environmental Council, Cottage Rehabilitation Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp, Cycling Without Age, Direct Relief, Explore Ecology, Food Bank, Friendship Center, Fund For SB, MWC, Sansum Diabetes/Veggie IQ, Santa Maria Public Library, SYV Humane Society/DAWG, SB Museum of Natural History & Sea Center, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, Wilderness Youth Project