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    Volunteering & Service Learning Courses


    Why volunteer? Helping other people makes you feel happy. You may spend time with people with whom you ordinarily wouldn't interact. You can network with people with similar interests and volunteer activities look good on any resume - for a part-time job, internship, grad school, or full-time position.

    Service-Learning Courses allow you to earn course credit while challenging you to use knowledge and skills acquired in your college classes to meet genuine community needs. Check out the Office of Service Learning, the IU Community Partners and example course listings from Spring 2009 and Fall 2009 . Talk to your advisor for more information!

    What makes volunteering and service-learning courses career-relevant? You can explore different career paths: You can make minimal time commitments with different organizations to discover one that you enjoy so much that you decide to pursue an internship or career in that area. You can get experience in a particular career field: As a volunteer you get to interact with people who work full-time in that area. If you commit time to an organization and take on leadership roles, you might open a doorway for an internship or a job. Will a volunteer position really look impressive on a resume for grad school or your first full-time job? That depends on what you are able to accomplish and whether you establish a mentoring relationship with a professional at the organization who can write a recommendation that communicates your personal strengths and skills.

    Scroll down this page to explore lots of great volunteer opportunities! Talk with your advisors or professors if you have questions.

    Bloomington Psychology-Related Volunteer Opportunities:

    • Amethyst House provides education and recovery services to individuals with addictions and substance abuse issues. Call 812-336-3570.
    • Centerstone (formerly called The Behavioral Health Center) offers a full range of mental health services, substance abuse treatment and related services. Read about their services and call 812-339-1691 to inquire about volunteer opportunities or part-time jobs.
    • Meadows Hospital offers mental health services to children, adolescents, and adults on an inpatient and outpatient basis. Call 812-331-8000 to inquire about volunteering or part-time jobs.
    • Oaktree Counseling and Mental Health America (MHA) promote awareness and treatment of mental illness and to strengthen families. The co-ordinate programs such as Court Appointed Special Advocates. You can call 812-331-1551 to learn more.
    • Middle Way House & The Rise is a national model domestic violence program and rape crisis center that provides shelter for battered women and their children. They offer a wide variety of volunteer opportunities. To become a volunteer at Middle Way, you must attend domestic violence training for volunteers. Call 812-336-0846.
    • Milestones Clinical & Health Resources offers comprehensive, integrated community mental health and behavioral support services for South Central Indiana children and adolescents and individuals with disabilities of all ages. Call 812.333.6324.
    • People & Animal Learning Services offers therapeutic riding programs for children and adults with physical, cognitive and/or emotional disabilities.

    More Bloomington Community Volunteer Opportunities:

    The IU Office of Service-Learning provides detailed information about volunteer openings for over 20 great organizations including The Banneker Center, El Centro Comunal Latino, Girls, Inc., Hoosier Hills Foodbank, Midwest Pages to Prisoners, Monroe County United Ministries, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, Shalom Community Center, Stonebelt, Volunteers in Medicine and more.

    The Career Development Center has partnered with 30+ local community service organizations to offer work-study employment to students and most of these organizations need volunteers to improve the lives of community residents in areas such as health care, child care, social services, housing, crime prevention, etc.

    The Bloomington Volunteer Network maintains a list of 100's of organizations accepting volunteers. The list is updated every week and includes something for almost everyone. Click on VIEW Weekly Volunteer Update and BROWSE the Volunteer Opportunities Calendar to find just the most recent postings. A few of our favorite organizations:

    Search for Volunteer Opportunities Nationwide:

    You can find volunteer positions anywhere in the nation using Volunteer Match or Volunteers of America. A few notable national organizations in need of your heart, hands, and bright ideas:

    International Volunteer Opportunities:

    Scholarships for International Experience: The Hutton International Experiences Program (IEP) grants help students with a 3.3 or better cumulative GPA to participate in volunteer service abroad, study abroad, overseas research, international internships or student teaching in foreign countries. Click here to learn more.