If you’re asking yourself if you should go into social work, it can be easy to look at the field and become overwhelmed.
With three levels of social work practice (macro, mezzo, and micro) and dozens of specializations and areas available within each level, it can be tough to figure out which is right for you.
Volunteering is an effective way to explore various areas of social work while giving back to the community. Read on to explore seven social work volunteer opportunities and the responsibilities you can expect with each.
Social Workers Working With the Homeless
In a homeless outreach program, such as a soup kitchen or shelter, you can expect to volunteer in a variety of ways depending on the needs and scope of the center. Each program is unique and may provide a number of different services for their guests including meals, showers, laundry, temporary sleeping arrangements, career counseling, prayer ministry, educational opportunities, computer access, and more. As a volunteer you may be asked to serve in some of these ways:
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Coordinate volunteers to bring meals and do laundry
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Help maintain the center
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Visit with guests
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Offer assistance with resume preparation and professional skills
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Coordinate aid from outside groups who wish to come and serve the program
Volunteer Tutoring at Tutoring Centers
Tutoring centers are generally affiliated with public school systems or county education initiatives, and frequently provide free or reduced-cost academic assistance to students in poor or underprivileged areas. These programs serve all age groups from elementary to high school students and are usually available as after-school or weekend opportunities. As a volunteer you may be asked to serve in some of these ways:
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Provide academic instruction and guidance
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Ensure the center is stocked with supplies
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Coordinate with parents and caregivers to ensure student safety
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Keep detailed records of the center attendees
Gain Social Work Experience at Crisis Pregnancy Centers
There are a wide variety of crisis pregnancy centers out there that provide free prenatal, post-natal, infant care and care items to women who otherwise would not have access to these services. These centers exist to support mothers and their children and provide them with equal access to pregnancy and newborn necessities.
Although it varies from center to center, they provide items such as ultrasounds, prenatal health screenings, prenatal vitamins, diapers, wipes, formula, clothes, strollers, cribs, newborn care education, food for families, and more.
As a volunteer you may be asked to serve in some of these ways:
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Sort, label, and organize donations
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Talk to mothers who are seeking help
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Create care packages for new mothers
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Coordinate resources and assign them to those in need
Be a Red Cross Volunteer
From disaster relief services to food pantries to medical missions, the American Red Cross stands ready to help with a wide variety of services and assistance programs.
This organization has chapters at the national, state, and local level where aspiring social workers can get involved and volunteer. The opportunities to assist are numerous. Here are some examples:
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Blood drive coordinator/recruiter
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Disaster Action Team member
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Health and Safety Instructor
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Community Organizer
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Armed Forces Case Worker
Start to Explore the Area of Children’s Social Work at the YMCA
The purpose of the YMCA is to offer space and resources for youth and community development. The organization is unique in that its aim is to foster the development of the whole person, body, mind, and spirit, and to make this holistic development widely accessible to all members of all communities.
The YMCA also strives to instill a sense of social responsibility in young people and encourage them to give back to their communities. As a volunteer you may be asked to serve in some of these ways:
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Childcare provider
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Hobby leader
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Tutor
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Mentor
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Healthy eating and lifestyle instructor
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Special events coordinator
Volunteer at Hospice or Nursing Homes
In nursing homes and hospice care facilities you'll have the opportunity to interact with residents and those who are in need of significant medical care. Most of the volunteer work that occurs within these settings is a ministry of presence — simply being with people.
Nursing homes are staffed, but the staff doesn’t have a significant amount of spare time to dedicate to conversing with the residents, socializing with them, helping them with activities and recreation, and simply listening to them. This is some of the most important and meaningful work that takes place in a nursing home and hospice care because it offers real human dignity to the residents. As a volunteer you may be asked to serve in some of these ways:
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Plan and leading games and activities
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Create a social calendar and coordinate social events
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Visit with and listening to residents
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Accompany residents from one place to another
Support Sexual Violence Prevention at RAINN
RAINN (the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) is the largest nonprofit anti-sexual assault organization in the United States. It exists to provide help and hope to victims of sexual abuse.
The organization operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE) in partnership with local sexual assault service providers across the country. They work to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
As a volunteer you may be asked to serve in these ways:
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Become a trained crisis hotline volunteer
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Volunteer in your local community with a sexual assault support organization
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Organize an awareness event or fundraiser to support RAINN
Complement Your Volunteer Experience With a Social Work Practicum
Another way to get an idea of the area of social work you’re best suited for is through practicum education.
These educational experiences are a key element of the Master of Social Work program offered by Baylor’s Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University. Practicums allow students the opportunity to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to real-world social work situations.
Check out this webinar to hear directly from the Practicum Education team about how the program works and the opportunities available to MSW students.
Want to take a deeper dive into what it takes to begin a career in social work? Explore our resource — The Guide to Launching Your Career in Social Work. 
