Volunteer with ESC To Make a Difference in Your Community & Environment
Join in a community dedicated to providing safe and inclusive spaces for all to engage in nature education. By volunteering with ESC, you have the power to spark change and inspire stewardship in others. Explore our opportunities to see how your efforts can make a lasting impact on our community and the planet. Become a part of something bigger—become an environmental hero today!
Inspire Stewardship
Help preserve and restore local ecosystems by funding educational initiatives that encourage responsible environmental stewardship.
Promote Equity
Your volunteer work can help break down barriers to outdoor education for underserved groups, promoting equity and inclusion.
Sustain Programs
Support the development and continuation of innovative, science-based educational programs for all ages.
Public Programs
Assist with our public programs including beach walks, toddler programming, clean up events, bird walks, family water quality field trips, festivals, and more! Volunteers help foster connections between our community and the watershed we all call home. By engaging beach-goers, leading hands-on activities, and teaching community members about stewardship actions, ESC volunteers take strides to protect our local environments. Volunteers must be at least 15 years old, or 13 with an adult present, pass a background check, and be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We ask volunteers to assist with one public program a year.
School Programs
Assist with our Salmon Heroes field trip (Sept-Dec), Beach Heroes field trip (March-June), and other out-of-school lessons. Salmon Hero volunteers raise awareness of salmon and what we can do to protect through a series of field trips for local 4th-8th graders. Beach Heroes volunteers showcase the intertidal biodiversity and stewardship actions for K-3rd graders. Out-of-school volunteers assist with outdoor, environmental education lessons for elementary and middle school after school clubs, recreational clubs, and local summer camps. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old, have reliable transportation, pass a background check, and be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Volunteer commitment varies with school program, but must be able to attend all training.
Admin/Facilities
Assist ESC programs by ensuring the learning center stays in tip-top shape, document programs by taking pictures and videos, contribute to file maintenance projects, and support behind the scenes during programs. Volunteers can contribute to ESC success in a variety of roles and projects that do not directly interact with the public if you would rather use a different skillset. Past projects have included uploading student assessment data for grant tracking, program material prepping, landscaping around the center, invasive species removal, and more. Volunteers must be at least 15 years old, or 13 with an adult present, pass a background check, and be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Volunteer commitment varies with assigned projects, but there is no minimum volunteer requirement.
Become a Board Member
Take a leadership role in helping to determine our path as an organization by joining our Board of Directors. Board members serve on different committees to shape our operational plan and grow support for ESC. Volunteering at public events and representing ESC at community programs are ways that our board members contribute beyond their normal duties. Board members are asked to commit to two evening meetings a month.
Upcoming Volunteer Orientations
For Fall 2024! ESC onboards volunteers twice a year: once in the fall and once in the spring. Sign up to learn more about our volunteer opportunities, requirements, and all things Environmental Science Center at our one of our upcoming online orientations!
REQUIRED FOR ALL NEW AND PROSPECTIVE ESC VOLUNTEERS.
