Civic Engagement Resources for Students
Here you will find a comprehensive list of resources for any and every service opportunity! There are local, national, and international organizations showcased and opportunities include volunteering, internships, and careers. Use this resource for your classes, clubs, jobs, or personal interest to find exactly what you’re looking for.
These organizations focus on topics such as education, healthcare, social justice, sustainability, politics, conservation, economics, public health, research, language immersion, and much, much more!
We apologize that live links are not currently available, but will be soon. In the meantime, please use your favorite search engine to find what you are looking for from here.
Finding service opportunities
CCE Opportunity Blog - The most current volunteer announcements as well as student worker positions and internships.
Hands On Greater Portland - Volunteer opportunities that make a meaningful, rewarding change in the Portland area.
CNRG Portland – Connects people to and within the nonprofit community.
USA Freedom Corporation - Americans can enter geographic information about where they want to get involved, such as state or zip code, and areas of interest ranging from education to the environment, to access volunteer opportunities offered by a range of partner organizations across the country or around the world.
Global Volunteer Network - GVN supports the work of local community organizations in countries around the world through the placement of international volunteers. They have placed over 14,000 volunteers with 21 partner organizations over the past 8 years, and offer training programs and fundraising treks besides volunteer programs.
Back Door Jobs - Back Door Jobs provides a great search engine for short-term international volunteer, internship and job opportunities.
National Mentoring Partnership - Resources for mentoring programs and those seeking mentoring positions.
Volunteer Match - Connects volunteers with opportunities and recruiter with volunteers.
Global Volunteers - Organizes short-term volunteers on long-term projects to create, nurture and sustain the wellbeing of the world's children.
WWOOF - Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms is part of a world-wide effort to link volunteers with organic farmers,
Organizations with Service and Career Opportunities
Action Without Borders (founders of Idealist) - Idealist is an interactive site where people and organizations can exchange resources and ideas, as well as locate opportunities and supporters.
AmeriCorps - Provides a one-stop-shop for AmeriCorps State and National, VISTA and NCCC members and alumni - presenting a wealth of information and self-service capabilities.
Bainbridge Graduate Institute - Institute encouraging future and current business leaders to create a sustainable world.
Basic Rights Oregon - Information on the political movement to grant rights to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Oregonians.
The Borgen Project - Nonprofit organization addressing poverty and hunger.
Break Away - Resources to assist, and connect campuses and communities in promoting quality alternative break programs that inspire lifelong active citizenship.
The Bus Project - Engages underrepresented groups in democracy in Oregon by traveling and engaging in real conversations.
Campus Compact - Campus Compact is a national coalition of college and university presidents dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement, and service learning in higher education.
Grassroots Campaigns, Inc - Specialize in building and running face-to-face outreach operations to build support for groups, issues, and campaigns.
Green Corps - Field school for environmental organizing. Yearlong, full-time, paid Environmental Leadership Training Program.
Habitat for Humanity - Information on how to volunteer, find a ReStore or attend a Habitat event.
International Human Rights Exchange - Semester long program in human rights. IHRE offers students a unique opportunity for intense theoretical and practical engagement with human rights.
Jesuit Volunteer Corps - Opportunities to volunteer with groups of Jesuit volunteers.
Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest - Connects individuals with one or more years of volunteer service that focus on the core values of community, spirituality, simple living and social and ecological justice.
Jesuit Volunteers International - JVI is a faith-based NGO that places volunteers in 2-year service programs in Belize, Nicaragua, Peru, Tanzania and Micronesia. (Alternatively, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps - JVC- places volunteers in the United
States). JVI volunteers help their communities with education, AIDS ministry, pastoral ministry and social services.
National Service Learning Clearinghouse - Supports the service-learning community.
The Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex - Opportunities to work with programs to protect Oregon’s wildlife.
Peace Corps- Federal government agency devoted to world peace and friendship. The opportunities for Peace Corps service, often the “first step” for those interested in international work, are as diverse as ever.
Peace Brigades International - Working for human rights and social change in regions where there is oppression and conflict through a broad international network of organizations and individuals.
Southern Poverty Law Center - Nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, also provides resources for teaching tolerance in schools.
Victim Right Law Center - (There is a Portland Office) Provides legal representation to victims of rape and sexual assault.
Working America AFL-CIO - America’s union movement - demands politicians address the priorities that matter most to working people.
The Corporation for National Service - Contains information on CNS's three main programs: AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, and National Senior Service Corps.
Center for Digital Civic Engagement - The Center for Digital Civic Engagement is a project of Minnesota Campus Compact. The CDCE serves as a resource for sharing information on the study and practice of the innovative use of digital technologies
to support civic engagement in higher education and service-learning in online teaching.
People’s Grocery - A food justice organization in West Oakland, Ca., that grows local and healthful food for the empowerment of the local community. Here is a great resource list that People’s Grocery uses this list to help train their employees, interns, and volunteers.
Sisters of the Road: Resource List - Sisters of the Road exists to build authentic relationships and alleviate the hunger of isolation in an atmosphere of nonviolence and gentle personalism that nurtures the whole individual. This resource list includes great resources from Sisters of the Road, like information about their Photovoice exhibit, as well as links to organizations working on economic human rights, nonviolence, food justice and systemic change.
Fulbright Fellowship - The Fulbright Fellowships are competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists. The Fulbright Fellowship is one of the most prestigious awards in the world and operates in 155 countries.
Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship - The Ambassadorial Scholarships program is the world’s largest privately funded international scholarship program. Opportunities exist worldwide for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as for professionals seeking vocational studies.
Compton Mentor Fellowship- The Compton Foundation created the Mentor Fellowship Program to promote the creativity and support the commitment of graduating seniors from participating schools as they move beyond academic preparation to
focus on continuing “real world” applications and contribution. The Fellowship is intended to be for one year, beginning and ending at an annual Mid-June gathering of Fellows held in the San Francisco area.
Adventures in Health, Education, and Agricultural Development - AHEAD, Inc., is an American NGO working to combat malnutrition, disease, poverty, technological deprivation and other conditions that negatively impact health in Tanzania and The Gambia.
Agencia Latinoamericana de Informacion (ALAI) - ALAI is a communications organization committed to social justice, gender equity, and people’s participation in the development of Latin America. ALAI accepts a few volunteers into its Quito, Ecuador office each year to assist with translation, publications, journalism, and documentation work.
American Friends Service Committee - AFSC is a Quaker organization founded in 1917 devoted to service, development and peace programs throughout the world. In addition to periodic volunteer opportunities, AFSC sponsors The African Great Lakes Initiative of Friends Peace Teams, a series of summer workcamps in Burudi and Rwanda where volunteers assist in building clinics and peace centers.
Amigos de las Americas (AMIGOS) - AMIGOS places volunteers in groups of 2-3 to help small communities in Latin America. Volunteers may help carryout educational activities and youth fairs, community-based initiatives and ongoing projects with partner agencies.
Amizade - Amizade is a global service-learning organization started in 1994 that places volunteers in 9 countries for a wide array of community empowerment projects. Stressing local assets and intercultural immersion, Amizade works in Bolivia, Brazil, Ghana, Jamaica, Mexico, Northern Ireland, Poland, Tanzania, The Navajo Nation and Washington D.C. Amizade partners with the University of West Virginia to offer academic credit.
Child Family Health International - CFHI is an NGO committed to placing health science students in global health education programs in ways that are socially responsible and financially just. A health consultant organization to the UN, CFHI offers programs in Bolivia, Ecuador, India, South Africa, Mexico and the USA.
Concern America - Concern America is an international development and refugee aid organization whose main objective is to provide training, technical assistance, and material support to community-based programs in developing countries and refugee camps. Concern America volunteers serve two years as community organizers, agriculturalists, nurses, and teachers in Latin America and Africa.
Cross Cultural Solutions (CCS) - CCS’s international volunteer programs give volunteers the opportunity to work side by side with local people on sustainable community initatives which are locally designed and driven. Volunteer positions are available in Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Peru, Russia, Thailand, and Tanzania.
Foundation for Sustainable Development - FSD’s international training programs support locally-driven development initiatives in the areas of microfinance, micro-enterprise, health, environment, youth and education, women’s empowerment,
human rights, and community development. Programs are available at ten locations in six countries: Argentina, Nicaragua, Bolivia, India, Kenya, and Uganda. FSD offers internships, global service trips, service-learning trips and volunteer opportunities.
Serian UK - Serian UK is a UK registered NGO aimed at promoting education and sustainable living in both Tanzania and the UK. Tanzania-based volunteers are needed to train teachers, lead creative arts projects, help launch women’s small businesses and promote cross-cultural education in rural communities, including the Maasi village Eluwai, where NoonKodin Secondary School is located.
Volunteers for Peace - Volunteers For Peace (VFP) offers placement in international volunteer projects in more than 100 countries around the world including the USA. Projects typically take place over 2-3 weeks but can last up to a year, and are tailored toward the type of project and region a volunteer is interested in.
WorldTeach -WorldTeach is based at the Center for International Development at Harvard University and is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides opportunities for individuals to make a meaningful contribution to international education by living and working as volunteer teachers in developing countries. They have year-long and summer-long volunteer opportunities, with no age limit for participation.
Post-Graduation Service Opportunities
AmeriSpan Study Abroad - Offers volunteer placements and language immersion opportunities throughout the world.
City Year - A corps of diverse young adults, who dedicate at least a year to civic.
Fund for Public Interest Research - Helps progressive groups wage campaigns that help preserve our environment, protect human rights, clean up politics, and challenge corporate power. Offers a number of full-time positions across the country as well as summer jobs.
Lutheran Volunteer Corps - Provides essential services in the areas of education, public safety, human needs, and the environment. Many programs offer the opportunity for hands-on direct service while others involve coordination, development and management of projects.
Public Allies - Allies work four days each week for ten months at a local nonprofit organization where they strengthen their community by working in areas such as youth development, community development, public health, and economic development.
Student Conservation Corps - Offers college students, as well as other adults, extraordinary opportunities to serve our nation’s most prized public treasures: its natural and cultural resources.
Teach for America - Recruits the most outstanding graduating college seniors and recent college graduates to teach in low-income communities across the country. Teach for America participants will be the future leaders in fields such as business, medicine, politics, law, journalism, education, and social policy.
Corporation for National and Community Service - The Corporation is the nation’s largest grantmaker supporting service and volunteering. Through our Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, we provide opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to express their patriotism while addressing critical community needs.