Join the Adventure: Become a City Kids Program Volunteer!
Are you passionate about outdoor adventures and excited to share your love for nature with youth? As a City Kids Program Volunteer, you’ll help participants discover new experiences, build valuable skills, and most importantly—have FUN!
Why Volunteer with City Kids?
City Kids organizes day and overnight trips throughout the school year for 6th-12th grade participants. These trips aren’t just about hiking or camping; they’re about creating memories, developing leadership, and fostering a love for the outdoors that lasts a lifetime.
As a volunteer, you’ll be a mentor and guide, supporting youth in trying new things and stepping outside their comfort zones. You’ll work alongside our dedicated staff to lead trips, help manage groups, and make sure every participant has an unforgettable experience.
What’s Involved?
- A commitment to 3-4 in-person trips each year
- Engaging with youth and helping them develop new skills
- Assisting lead staff with group management and ensuring safety
Ready to Join Us?
If you’re excited to get started, apply now! If you have questions, check out our FAQ section below or reach out to as at volunteers@citykidsdc.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Interested Volunteers
Can City Kids alumni become Program Volunteers and join trips?
Yes! Alumni make some of the best volunteers given their experience and familiarity with the program. This is a wonderful way to give back to the City Kids community if you’d like to stay connected and engaged.
When do new volunteers start? When is your next orientation?
City Kids hosts new volunteer orientations at least once per quarter. Orientations are scheduled on a rolling basis, and we send invitations to people that have completed the application process.
What is the Advisory Board?
The City Kids Advisory Board is made up of some of the strongest ambassadors of the organization. They are often our most experienced volunteers, summer flight chaperones, and support with local fundraising events and campaigns. Advisory Board members do a lot to help spread the word about the City Kids program with their networks and potential partners or supporters in the outdoor industry. Contact neha@citykidsdc.org if you are interested in joining the Advisory Board.
What is required to be a CK volunteer?
While we don’t expect Program Volunteers to have expert technical skill in the outdoors, some level of adventure experience and a high level of comfort and joy in the outdoors is important. That experience could include, for example, climbing, hiking, backpacking, biking, and so on, especially in the DC region. You must also be able to pass a criminal and SSN background check that includes being fingerprinted.
Can I pick what kinds of activities I do?
Generally, yes! Cleared Program Volunteers are asked about their interest and availability before each season of programming, and the team uses this information to schedule volunteers as needed. If you have more experience with a specific activity, we encourage you to sign up for those trips. If your profile doesn’t already describe that experience, we appreciate a reminder of your skills.
Can I pick what ages of youth I want to volunteer with?
Generally, yes! In fact, there are some real advantages to sticking with a certain age group for the year – they get to know you, and you get to know them. Building authentic lasting relationships takes time, so spending that time with the same set of youth can pay real dividends for you and them. Some of our Program Volunteers choose to follow a specific cohort of youth as they move through the program – this can also support strong relationships.
Do I need to have technical outdoor skills?
While we do sometimes prioritize Program Volunteers who have a specific technical skill and welcome your contributions in the field, we don’t require it. Some level of technical skill is helpful, simply because your attention should be on the youth and their experience rather than yours. We expect that Program Volunteers have some amount of technical skill or experience in at least one or two of the activities we run, but it wouldn’t be feasible to expect experience in all of them at once. Much more important than technical skill is your ability to interact with, enjoy time with, and develop healthy relationships with young people. Enthusiasm for the outdoors is helpful, but admitting when you’re a little out of your element (and enjoying the challenge of it!) sets a positive example for youth.
If you do have a specialized technical skill, please be sure to mention it in your volunteer profile – that way we can prioritize you when those opportunities arise.
I’m great at [Salesforce/marketing/underwater basketweaving/organizing/IT/dancing/applying to colleges/etc] – can I contribute that skill?
It’s possible! As a nimble nonprofit, we know that occasionally a skilled person can support us in ways that our employees cannot. The most common way to contribute a skill like that is to share your knowledge and career experience with our JETs – high school students who sometimes attend programs relating to career or education pathways.
Please understand that managing one-off or specialized volunteer projects may not be possible for a number of reasons (capacity is the biggest reason), and that we are always grateful for an offer of skilled support even if we can’t take advantage of it in that moment. We often engage with professional volunteers through the platform Catchafire, and strongly encourage professionals to join that program to support nonprofits all around the country. You may also consider joining as a volunteer with Compass Pro Bono – an exceptional consulting firm that utilizes skilled volunteers to deliver amazing projects to nonprofits.
What’s the time commitment expected of volunteers?
Program Volunteers are asked to join 3-4 programs per year (usually between September and May) – these could be as short as an afternoon or as long as an overnight backpacking trip. This number will always vary a little because our programs vary, our needs vary, and the availability and skillset of our volunteers also varies.
Can I bring my friends to volunteer on a trip with me?
Youth programs can only accept fully cleared volunteers, so generally no friends are allowed. If you are joining a gear cleanup or other event, friends are often allowed and welcomed, provided you let us know in advance.
Active Volunteers
When do I sign up for trips?
Program signup will occur 6-8 weeks before a season begins, depending on the time of year and other circumstances. That means we’ll typically send the signup tool in August (for Fall trips) and December (for Spring trips) of each year.
When can I expect to know if I’m going on a trip?
We open our trip sign-up for DC twice a year, in late August for Fall programs and in late December for Spring programs. Those sign-up sheets are open for a period of about 10 days to two weeks, and we send reminders during the period to ask volunteers to sign up. Once sign-up is closed, our Program Managers will arrange their schedules and reach out within another two to four weeks (by the end of September for Fall or the end of January for Spring) to confirm trip participation.
Do I have to have a car to volunteer?
We ask volunteers to be able to get to our office at 2437 15th St NW on their own, and sometimes at very early or late hours; a car is usually not necessary, but it may be helpful for some programs. Youth never drive in personal vehicles – only City Kids vehicles or charter buses – but sometimes a volunteer will choose to drive themselves to a location.
I’m going on an upcoming trip. Who should I ask about what to bring, where to go, etc?
We try to get you in contact with the Program Manager for your trip as quickly as possible, since they are your contact for all trip details including what to bring or wear, where to go, who to call, and what to expect. If for any reason you are having trouble communicating with your Program Manager, we’ll direct you to the Program Director to get things sorted out.
Who is my point of contact at City Kids?
You will have different contacts through different stages of your volunteer journey. During the paperwork and background check process you’ll work with the Operations team. Once cleared, your primary program team contact will be our Program Director. When you’ve been scheduled for a trip, your Program Manager will be your contact.
At any time you’re welcome to send a message to volunteers@citykidsdc.org – this is a shared inbox, and a staff member will assign your question to the appropriate person on our team.