Here at NC State, all leave-eligible SHRA and EHRA employees are given Community Service Leave (CSL). CSL provides eligible employees paid time off to volunteer in North Carolina schools, communities, institutions of higher education, state agencies and nonprofit organizations; as long as the employee is not receiving pay for the service.

All CSL must be pre-approved by supervisor prior to volunteer event. Learn more on the University HR Benefits – CSL webpage.

With the start of 2024, now is the time to begin the new year fresh and make a difference in the community. Here are some tips for how to make the most of your volunteering experience for the next 12 months.

Identify Your Interests and Goals

Volunteering doesn’t mean you have to devote your weekends to building a house or handing out food at your local food bank (unless that’s your thing). There are SO MANY ways to give that fit everyone’s unique skills, personalities, and schedules. You will have a richer and more enjoyable volunteering experience if you first take some time to identify your goals and interests. Think about why you want to volunteer and ask yourself what you might enjoy doing. Also, volunteering doesn’t have to be a long-term commitment. Most organizations are happy to accept any amount of time you can give.

Tailor Your Search

Once you have an idea of why you want to volunteer, what you’d like to contribute, and your time commitment, start looking for opportunities that fit your goals and interests. Perhaps there are opportunities at your workplace or in your community that you’re already aware of and can sign up for. If not, there are plenty of websites that can help you find something. VolunteerMatch, for example, allows you to easily search for volunteer opportunities in your area and you can even filter the results by skills and cause. NC State’s Division of Academic and Student Affairs (DASA) also has a great website where you can search for volunteer opportunities. University HR’s Community webpage lists tons of volunteer opportunities organized through NC State. There are plenty of remote opportunities as well. For example, Durham Meals on Wheels is looking for volunteers to make wellness calls to seniors to ensure they are available to receive their deliveries and that they’re doing okay.

Create Your Own Opportunities

If you really want to go all out, think of a need that isn’t being met, or a cause that is close to your heart, and organize an effort to contribute to that need or cause. Maybe your local food bank is running low, so you decide to organize a food drive amongst your team to collect needed items (you could even make it a competition for a little fun) that you can then deliver to the food bank. Or you could organize a coat drive for a local school or homeless shelter.

You might even consider organizing a volunteer event that your whole team can take part in if they choose, like a build day with your local Habitat for Humanity. Ask your team members if anyone is interested in organizing such an event and what you can do to support them.

Make It a Habit

Don’t forget, volunteering is important all year long. It’s a vital part of our wellbeing and there are always needs that you can help meet. Take a few moments today to look into ways that you can give to your community and encourage your employees to do the same!