Mission:

High school students are expected to gain volunteering hours by giving back to nonprofits and organizations in their community. Whether this be for their school’s National Honor Society, Key Club, or their own motivation, students find themselves in a position where they are looking for nonprofits or volunteering events outside of their school. Youth volunteers can face difficulty trying to find opportunities for people aged 13 - 18. Searching for these events can be a confusing process and may discourage teenagers from helping their community.

 

NOVA Volunteers is a platform dedicated to assisting middle school and high school students in their search for volunteering opportunities. The purpose of this organization is to connect teenagers to nonprofit organizations and fundraisers. Once on the website, students can choose from a variety of community service categories including health, environment, hunger, education, and fundraising in the Northern Virginia Region. Then, they will have the opportunity to choose from multiple nonprofits that allow and encourage teenagers to volunteer. Each nonprofit page will have a summary, photos, contact information, and application if the organization has one. 

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Students can also view upcoming events near their location. This choice would be suited for those who do not have preference for where they volunteer. The event calendar would be updated regularly, with each event’s summary, volunteer coordinator email, location, and time. If students would like to participate in group volunteering activities, they can become a NOVA Volunteer. Members would attend at least 1 group organized volunteering event every 3 months. This could include a group food sorting event or an organized project to improve the mental health of hospital patients.

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Whether students become regular volunteers at a nonprofit or they volunteer a few times at different organizations, this free platform would allow students to become more involved in their community. Although the target audience is 13 - 18, everyone is encouraged to explore the website to discover organizations they can help. The objective of NOVA Volunteers is to inspire a passion of giving back in teenagers while assisting local nonprofits in Northern Virginia.