For Students
There are many ways to engage with the Northfield and surrounding communities while a student at Carleton. The ACT Center can help you find volunteer programs, one-time volunteer opportunities, academic civic engagement courses, internships, and many other avenues into the world of social justice and change.
One-Time Volunteer Opportunities
Choosing a Service Program
What Can You Gain from Volunteering with ACT?
It is important to consider both what you can give and what you want to get out of a service experience when trying to decide which type of program is right for you. Service is a way to share your talents, learn new skills, and explore a passion. All volunteering requires commitment and reliability. One of the benefits of the ACT Center is that we offer a wide variety of programs so there is bound to be one that fits your skills or interests. Things to consider when choosing a service program:
Time Commitment: It is important to realize that demands on your time at Carleton will vary. Each of our 35 on-going programs have different schedules and expectations. Consider these questions when choosing:
- What day(s) of the week are you available?
- How frequently do you want to volunteer? Weekly? Monthly? Once a term? On-call basis?
- Will you be off-campus any term this year?
- Do you have other large obligations this term (e.g. sports team, comps, lab courses, etc)?
- Do programs that interest you require additonal time for travel?
Personal Interests: What do you enjoy doing? What have you always wanted to learn? Volunteering is amazingly rewarding if you commit yourself to the experience and to those you're serving.
- What are your past volunteer experiences? Do you want to continue with similar service groups or try something new?
- What ages do you like to work with?
- What are your skills (e.g. fluency in a foreign language, experience working with people having developmental disabilities, enjoy listening and sharing with children, gardening experience, etc.)?
- What skills and knowledge would you hope to gain from your volunteer experience to help you in your future career?
- Do you prefer to volunteer one-on-one or with a group?