Opportunities From: City of Bloomington Volunteer Network

Bloomington Skateboarders!  We need you!

We are seeking volunteers for the 26-27 School Year!

In the Club Skateboard Program, program members in the Club learn all about skateboarding and the basics of safety, equipment, and skills needed to skateboard!

Volunteers support the staff leading the program. Volunteers can contribute knowledge and help members who need a little extra support or a helping hand.

A great volunteer will have basic skateboard or longboard experience. This is a skateboard basics program. You do not have to know any tricks at all.

Skill taught in this program are; Stance, Pushing, Stopping, Carving, Turning, Falling, Drop Down, etc. If you can ride a board on flat ground you have all the skill you need to be an expert in this program! The love of helping others learn to skate is the key to a great experience.

Many youth have an interest in skateboarding but do not have anywhere to learn with help. Often youth try it once without help, fall, then believe they are not capable. This program provides them the step by step instruction that enables them to be successful in learning and falling in love with skating! Skateboarding helps teach youth determination, focus, confidence and that falling is not failing and how to get back up and try again.

You do not need to bring anything. Since this takes place in our gym we only use our gym safe skateboards. We have all the helmets, pads, skateboards, and skate tools the members will use in the program.

You can sign up to come weekly for the program or can choose to come as a guest for a single session first to see what it is all about prior to committing to the full semester. If you come more than once you will go through out volunteer onboarding that includes and application, background check, reference check and online 45 minute safety training.

This program will run for 10 weeks in January - April

We are looking for volunteers for Ferguson Crestmont Club (1111 W 12th St) and Lincoln Street (311 S Lincoln St)

We are recruiting volunteers for the Fall 2026 Semester across multiple Club locations!

This is one of the largest needs and the greatest impact on the youth!

You can make a difference for a child in our community by becoming a Club tutor! Help a child learn and close gaps in Math or Language Arts during the after school hours at our Bloomington, Ellettsville, or Spencer locations. Training and task support provided, background check and an interview required. This is a semester long volunteer opportunity (10 weeks). Training is ongoing.  Every new volunteer starts off with a quick 15 minute phone call where I can explain the program to you, ask a few questions, and give you the opportunity to ask yours before you commit to the tutoring program. 

Applicants should be able to:
Plan tutoring sessions that are engaging to students
Use visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning methods
Tutor in math and/or reading across multiple grade levels
Keep detailed records, monitor student progress, and provide feedback
Write semester progress reports
Manage children K-12 in focused activities in a small group setting
Communicate with other students, parents, other tutors, and staff effectively
Complete training modules successfully

Even if you do not have experience tutoring, that is OK!  We have a great team that can train you and support you through your volunteer service!

We need tutors in Bloomington and Ellettsville!

For questions or additional information contact kbateman@bgcbloomington.org

The First Step to be Onboarded with the Club is the Volunteer Application

We need to know who you are and get you added to our MyClubHub system!

Complete the Volunteer Application through MyClubHub here.  

We are looking for mentors for the 26-27 School Year!

Circle Mentoring is a unique style of Mentoring and is especially appropriate for developing adolescents. A group of mentors provide a broad example of healthy human interaction that allows youth to develop inner resources based on a menu or palette of positive human behaviors. The group’s primary purpose is to create a safe space to develop the competency and character needed to explore and achieve important life goals. Circle mentoring is support. It is not treatment, advice giving, or “fixing.”

Volunteers are paired with a Lead Mentor, and will help to facilitate the circle. They will listen to the teens and affirm the gifts they see. They will give 2 hours a week to attending the circle at a school per week.

This opportunity takes place during the school day in our local High Schools.

A successful person is someone who cares about youth, wants to support youth through listening to them and affirming their abilities.

By showing up as a Circle Mentor, they are empowering youth to reach their full potential!

There are semi regular circle mentor meetings where we learn from each other about what is working/not working, and check-in. Training is required. You will not be in charge of youth or left alone with them.

This opportunity takes place during the school day in our local high schools.  Check with Monique about the specific schedule if you are interested.

If you are interested please contact Monique at mphilpot@bgcbloomington.org

You will have a discussion with our Circle Mentor Lead to determine the fit of this opportunity and if it is a match you will then be provided with the steps to get started.

Adventure Club will focus on personal growth through outdoors education and survival skills.

Adventure Club trips will include hiking, rock climbing, a canoeing day on Sugar Creek at Turkey Run State Park, an overnight camping trip at Lake Lemon, a Backcountry Cooking competition, and other outdoor games, projects and workshops.

Participants will be eligible to apply for a trip to the boundary water in Minnesota at the end of the summer with BGC staff and donors.

The trip will be a week of camping, boating and fishing in the wilderness. This program will not start until after Spring Break 2026!

Smart Girls, Strong Women is a marquee fundraiser to help support programming for the girls of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington.

This program will showcase how to help young women reach their full potential in today’s challenging world. This unique and heart-felt event attempts to raise the necessary funds to enable our continuous effort to provide world-class programming to our young Club girls. This year's Smart Girls Strong Women event is on April 30 at the Ferguson Crestmont Club.

 Volunteers for this opportunity would be assisting in running our event. There will be opportunities to help with parking, food, seating guests, and general assistance to the Events Director, as well as assistance with tear-down of the event.

Volunteers with good discernment, seeing what needs to be done, is a big plus. Direction will be provided, but being proactive and looking for ways to help is always appreciated.

How does your time help the mission?

By helping us run a smooth event for our attendees, you help us succeed in our goal of raising the necessary funds to support the girls in our community that need us most.

What does a volunteer need to bring?

You will be provided with the supplies you need to be successful. You will also be invited to enjoy the provided meal for attendees.

Smart Girls, Strong Women is a marquee fundraiser to help support programming for the girls of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington.

This program will showcase how to help young women reach their full potential in today’s challenging world. This unique and heart-felt event attempts to raise the necessary funds to enable our continuous effort to provide world-class programming to our young Club girls.This year's Smart Girls Strong Women event is on April 30 at the Ferguson Crestmont Club.

What you will be doing: Set-up volunteers will help with decorating our gym and check-in space. Directions and supplies will be provided!

What makes a great volunteer for this opportunity: We're looking for any individuals that are willing to help with setup. Bonus points if you're creative, but there will be examples of how things should look.

How your volunteering supports the mission: By helping us create a beautiful event for our attendees, you help us succeed in our goal of raising the necessary funds to support the girls in our community that need us most.

What you need to bring: We will have all the necessary supplies, as well as water bottles and a small snack.

We Need You!!!

The look of the Club impacts our youth each and every day they enter the Club!  Help us keep the experience and environment excellent!

We will be cleaning up all of the debris and trash from around the Club from winter and have everything fresh and ready to go for the nice weather ahead. 

Volunteers will assist with things like mulching, trimming, weeding, and making the garden beds beautiful and ready to grow!  We will also clean up any trash, leaves, or other debris that has collected over the cold months.

We want our members to take pride in their clubs. We want them to see the building and be excited to be there and take part.

Dress for the weather!  Work/Garden Gloves are a plus!

The Club will provide the bags and tools to assist with clean up.

Many hands make lite work!  With a great group of volunteers this could take an hour or less.

If there is an obstacle signing up on Bloomington Volunteer Network you can simply email cpayne@bgcbloomington.org with the event that you would like to attend and we can do that for you.  Or you can text or call 812-322-5254.

Edison Robots Volunteer Opportunity

Help spark curiosity and creativity by volunteering with our Robotics program! Volunteers will support kids as they learn the basics of coding, problem-solving, and teamwork using the Edison robots and legos. No prior robotics or coding experience is required—just a willingness to encourage, guide, and cheer students on as they experiment, troubleshoot, and celebrate their successes.

Your support helps make STEM learning fun, hands-on, and accessible while inspiring confidence and critical thinking in young learners.

We are looking for volunteers interested in participating once a week for the full 10 weeks of the program.  Signing up for this opportunity will get you in touch with our program lead to discuss the details, the schedule, and any other questions you may have to determine if this is the perfect fit for you.

This program runs on Tuesdays for grades 3-5 from 5:15-6:00 PM at the Ellettsville Club.

This runs starting the week of February 9th through April 16th (we will not be having sessions  during the week of spring break)

Reading Buddies at the Clubs serve such a key role.  

They provide educational support for youth to improve their reading and reading comprehension.  They provide a quieter program option for those youth who need a calmer experience.  They provide quality time with amazing adult mentors who care about them and their success.Spring

Reading Buddies at the Ellettsville Club can sign up for either Tuesdays, Thursdays, or both days each week for 10 weeks from 3:10-4:10 PM.

Reading Buddies starts February 2026 and runs through April.

The Club has a library full of books for you to read with the youth of all ages.  You can always bring a book or donate books as well.

Sometimes volunteers read the books to the members.  Other times the member reads the book and the volunteer can support with more challenging words or celebrate the members growth in ability of reading.If you are interested in becoming a Reading Buddy sign up and we will reach out to get you scheduled and ready to serve.

Photography Club

Photography helps to capture life's moments, celebrate experiences and tell a story.  Understanding how to take a great photo is a wonderful life skill.  In Photography Club members will learn the basics of photography and the camera itself. They will build their skills and present a final photography project to share with the whole club.

A volunteer who would like to be a community partner to help take ownership of this program would be fantastic!  We are also open to volunteers who just want to help out.

Ideally volunteers can commit to an hour a week for the 10 weeks of programming.

This program takes place on Fridays from 4:15-5:15 PM from February 9th through April 6th.  The program does not run on March 20th or March 27th due to Spring Break.

Signing up for this opportunity will get you in touch with our Club staff to learn more and see if this is the right fit for you!

Photography Club

Photography helps to capture life's moments, celebrate experiences and tell a story.  Understanding how to take a great photo is a wonderful life skill.  In Photography Club members will learn the basics of photography and the camera itself. They will build their skills and present a final photography project to share with the whole club.

A volunteer who would like to be a community partner to help take ownership of this program would be fantastic!  We are also open to volunteers who just want to help out.

Ideally volunteers can commit to an hour a week for the 10 weeks of programming.

This program will take place on Mondays from 5:15-6:00 PM. 

Signing up for this opportunity will get you in touch with our Club staff to learn more and see if this is the right fit for you!

Karate Volunteer

In Karate Club kids build strength, focus, and confidence while learning the fundamentals of martial arts. This program teaches discipline, respect, and self-control, all in a safe and supportive environment. Plus, children have a blast staying active and mastering new skills!

Some experience in karate or as a karate or martial arts instructor is a plus, but not required to volunteer.

We are seeking volunteers that can commit to once a week for the 10 weeks of the program in the Spring semester.

The program runs on Thursdays from 4:15-5:15 PM for our Kindergarten through 2nd grade group.

The program runs from the week of February 9th through the week of April 6th.  The program will not run on March 19th due to Spring Break.

Ideally we have someone who can commit to the majority of the weeks of this program.  Signing up for this event will simply connect you to the Club lead to learn more and help determine if this opportunity is a great fit for you.  If so, we will help you take the next steps to get started.

Garden Club engages youth with gardening!

Get ready to grow with Gardening Club! Members will help take care of our Club Garden and enjoy an awesome harvest this fall. From flowers to vegetables, we are growing it all, and learning along the way, too.

Gardening provides children with numerous benefits, including increased physical activity, improved nutrition, and enhanced mental well-being. It also fosters crucial life skills like patience, responsibility, and problem-solving, while boosting academic performance in science, math, and critical thinking. Additionally, gardening connects children with nature and increases their awareness of environmental concepts. From tower gardens to the outdoor gardens kids at the Clubs learn how to care for plants and gardens all the way through harvesting and using the harvests!

We are looking for volunteers who would like to join in the Garden Club session(s) with our members.  Knowing about gardening is a plus but not required.

This program runs on Wednesdays from the week of February 9th through the week of April 6th.  The program will not run on March 19th due to Spring Break.

Kindergarten through 2nd Grade - 4:15-5:15 PM

3rd through 5th Grades - 5:15-6:15 PM

Ideally we have someone who can commit to the majority of the weeks of this program.  Signing up for this event will simply connect you to the Club lead to learn more and help determine if this opportunity is a great fit for you.  If so, we will help you take the next steps to get started.

The First Tee program introduces youth to golf while helping them develop important life skills.

Participants learn not only the fundamentals of golf, but also the core values the sport embodies; integrity, respect, perseverance, and more. Through hands-on practice and supportive coaching, members build confidence on and off the course.

A volunteer who would like to be a community partner and take ownership of this program would be fantastic! We also welcome volunteers who simply want to help out.

This program takes place on Wednesdays from 5:15–6:45 PM.

Signing up for this opportunity will connect you with our Club staff to learn more and see if this is the right fit for you!

Crochet/Knitting Club

Help youth create!  Knitting and crocheting offer a wide range of mental, physical, and emotional benefits, primarily due to their repetitive, rhythmic motions and the satisfaction of creating tangible items.

Members will learn the basics of knitting, crochet, as well as finger crochet. 

We are looking for someone with crochet and knitting knowledge to come once a week and teach members how to knit/crochet!

This program will take place on Thursdays.  There are two back to back sessions for two different age groups from 4:15-5:15 and 5:15-6:15 PM.  We would love a volunteer that can do both sessions but we are open to a volunteer that can only do one of the sessions as well.  

The program runs from February 9th through April 6th.  The program will not run on March 19th due to Spring Break.

Ideally we have someone who can commit to the majority of the weeks of this program.  Signing up for this event will simply connect you to the Club lead to learn more and help determine if this opportunity is a great fit for you.  If so, we will help you take the next steps to get you started.

Bloomington Skateboarders!  We need you!

In the Club Riders Program, program members in the Club learn all about bike riding and the basics of safety, etiquette, and skills needed to ride your bike!

Volunteers support the staff leading the program. Volunteers can contribute knowledge and help members who need a little extra support or a helping hand.

A great volunteer will have basic biking experience. This is a biking basics program. You do not have to know any special bicycle education at all.

Many youth have an interest in biking, but do not have anywhere to learn with help. Often youth try it once without help, fall, then believe they are not capable. This program provides them the step by step instruction that enables them to be successful in learning and falling in love with biking! Bicycling helps teach youth determination, focus, confidence and that falling is not failing and how to get back up and try again.

Bikes and helmets are provided!

We are looking for volunteers for our 3rd, 4th, 5th grades, and teen club rider groups at the Lincoln Street Club on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:15 to 6:45 PM. 

If you are interested in volunteering on Tuesdays with the Teen group, please contact Remi Wigginton (cwigginton@bgcbloomington.org)

If you are interested in volunteering on Thursdays with the 3rd through 5th grade group, please contact Andi Alvarez (aalvarez@bgcbloomington.org)

Women of Owen County!

Are you a successful woman working in leadership or male-dominated field? This is an opportunity for career women to come talk to our members about what your success journey looks like. Our club strives to help every member learn to be a successful adult, this is an opportunity to encourage and embolden girls specifically. If you want to come inspire girls to pursue their dreams, please sign up to give a Career Presentation! One hour of your time could inspire our members for a lifetime.

If you have any questions please reach out to jpatterson@bgcbloomington.org or cpayne@bgcbloomington.org. We want to work with you to make this happen!

WHY DONATE? Empower young people at all of our locations. 

WHO WILL BENEFIT? Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington has four different units: Lincoln Street, Ferguson Crestmont, Ellettsville and Owen County.  Donations will benefit youth at all locations!

DONATION DELIVERY ADDRESS: 803 N. Monroe St. Bloomington, IN 47402

CONTACT: Rachel Dobias - rdobias@bgcbloomington.org

CLUB PROGRAM WISH LIST: Please Click Here to View*

CLUB PROGRAM WISH LIST (AMAZON): Please Click Here