A while ago we asked ourselves: what kind of apps are available to help users discover volunteer opportunities in their community? Do any exist? And if so, how would something of that nature even work?!

We found surprising answers in three different apps: Golden Volunteer Opportunities , JustServe , and Volunteer Connection (by the Red Cross).

If you’re looking to help your community through a secure, tried-and-tested application, consider these. Also, to help determine which one works best for you, we’ve compiled a few pointers on each; read through, connect at your comfort level, and enjoy volunteering!

Best service project apps

Golden Volunteer Opportunities

Yep, that’s the name! Golden Volunteer Opportunities provides a medium for organizations in need of help to connect with people that want to offer their time to a good cause.

Download the app, and let’s get started! The first page asks the company’s central question: “Why is volunteering so complicated?”

When you’re finished creating an account, you can enter the full app. Welcome!

Golden’s interface takes you right to the action: the main page contains a scroll-down list of personalized volunteer opportunities based on, at the very least, your location. If you’re just perusing, check through the list and see if anything pops out!

Of course, there are powerful tools to narrow down the search! Go to the “Filter” menu, located by the search icon.

If you only have a few hours at certain points of the week, the Availability section lets you target the specific times of the week that work best. Have a few hours on Thursday? Check what’s happening then!

On the other hand, if you’re trying to stay near work, home, or school, there’s an option to set very specific location requirements.

Finally, in the Advanced Settings, Golden asks a range of questions from whether or not you like being indoors, to whether you enjoy work that applies mental or physical effort:

With a little searching, you’ll find a verified cause to support that fits your needs: time, location, and more. Now, click for specifics!

For example, if you’re an expert in American Sign Language, helping as an interpreter may be a great opportunity to support homeless women in downtown LA:

Scrolling down reveals more information, including a map to the location and answers to the questions we saw in the Advanced Search section above: indoor/outdoor, mind/body, etc.

Remember, volunteer work feels different for everyone. If you’re going for the first time, we recommend bringing friends; the more the merrier, safety in numbers, and many hands make light work!

Of course, let’s answer the big question: if this is an independent app, it must make money somehow. How does that work?

Well, it’s simple: the organizations using Golden to find volunteers may purchase premium accounts that have more features in regards to scheduling and volunteer management. For example:

At its heart, Golden still follows the mission statement set forth by its creator, Sam Fankuchen.

JustServe

JustServe is an app developed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but provides service opportunities to both volunteers and organizations regardless of “race, religion, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation” according to their website’s Description page .

The app offers great tools for anyone!

After registering, the main screen once again provides a simple, scroll-down view of possibilities:

Not finding anything that works? No problem! The Search Options contain a number of choices.

Like Golden’s system, you may narrow down the location or put in a keyword. Further on, however, JustServe distinguishes itself with an interesting set of original details: age suitability, group volunteering, and home participation, to name the top three.

Once you’ve entered your restrictions and found something interesting, open up the post! The details will generally be laid out in a more straightforward fashion than other apps:

Scrolling down will uncover the description, which defines exactly what type of worker they’re looking for:

Finally, the project details give you information about the company in question: contact information for someone who can provide more information, and a description of the Sponsor!

Volunteer Connection

The Volunteer Connection app is our wild card…

Unlike the others, this one – created by the Red Cross – doesn’t simply connect volunteers with service opportunities. In fact, you need to create an account and apply before being able to sign in on the app.

The “Get Started” option takes you to their webpage:

Here, Red Cross creates a list of available positions listed A-Z, which are often based on very specific skill sets:

While this may be a turn-off for the average user, Volunteer Connection may be the perfect route for someone with specific skills, looking to apply their knowledge. If that sounds like you, give their program a try!

Conclusion

Most people looking to serve will find one or two places, attend regularly, and get connected with the workers there, while others find opportunities when they can, or when the need strikes.

Whatever your needs, the surprising availability of these apps can lead to great service opportunities, invaluable connections, and priceless community building.

We hope you enjoy giving something a try. There are few things more rewarding than helping your community through service!

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