Volunteer service stressed at fair
By Elyse Medlin
Daily Forty-Niner
Nonprofit agencies and organizations met
with Cal State Long Beach students at a service fair Wednesday afternoon
to discuss volunteer opportunities within the community.
"Students are really anxious [to volunteer]
and they want to give back to the community," said Nichole Maclin, a counselor
in training at the Career Development Center.
The service fair was part of Six Days of
Service, a weeklong series of events hosted by the Career Development Center.
Participation in the event was free of
charge to nonprofit organizations. The fair was unsuccessful two years
ago when the center charged organizations a fee for participating.
Representatives from the Long Beach Aquarium
of the Pacific talked to CSULB students interested in volunteering for
educational positions.
"It's a resume-builder," said Amy Coppenger,
partnerships manager of the Aquarium. "[Volunteering] separates you from
other people in a competitive market," she said.
Coppenger reassured all majors that their
talents could be put to use at the Aquarium.
"We're looking for people who care about
the environment," Coppenger said. "We give them the tools to translate
scientific information so that anybody can understand it."
The Women's Shelter of Long Beach appealed
to students committed to changing the lives of domestic violence victims,
including children.
"We need students with a sincere heart
in social work and a drive for change," said Women's Shelter volunteer
Kathleen Pitts.
Volunteers from the shelter arrive on the
scene of domestic violence disputes and work with authorities to accommodate
displaced victims.
Volunteers work one-on-one with victims
finding them transportation to the shelter and helping in their search
for employment.
Students from every educational background
may donate their time and energy to the shelter.
"We train anyone who wants to make a difference
in the world," Pitts said. "We even train judges and police officers."
Volunteers for a tobacco control program
located on campus visit local schools to warn young students of the dangers
of tobacco use. Volunteers also become advocates for smoke-free Long Beach
recreation parks.
Students who donate their time will learn
a variety of skills through participation in the program.
"They will learn presentation skills, documentation
skills and how to address key leaders in the community to get their point
across," said project coordinator Natalie Whitehouse. |
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