Town of Chapel Hill, NC

Volunteer with Us ... Make a Difference! 

Overview

We rely on a strong volunteer base to provide programs, activities and services to the residents and visitors of Chapel Hill. Some activities are regular and on-going while others are one-time events where you can volunteer for a few hours. 

Some volunteer positions may require an interview and/or a background check. Volunteers who wish to drive are required to have background and driving history checks.

We provide orientation, training, and recognition. We accept volunteers ages 14 years and above depending on the activity. A volunteer application is not a guarantee of placement in a volunteer task or position unless you have confirmation of acceptance by a Parks & Recreation staff person. 

Want to Volunteer with us ...click here to see a list of volunteer roles.

 Benefits of Volunteering

The success for many of our programs depends on volunteers who share our same passion for people, sports, events, cultural arts, and recreation activities.  We believe volunteers are a vital part of achieving our goals for the community and they bring new perspectives and ideas to our staff team.  See a list of volunteer and community benefits in our Volunteer Handbook.

 Our Mission and Values

The Town builds upon a foundation of 7 key values of R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

• Responsibility
• Equity
• Safety
• Professionalism
• Ethics
• Communication
• Teamwork.

The Town’s mission is “Learning, serving and working together ­­to build a community where people thrive.” 

The Parks and Recreation Department’s mission reflects the values of the Town “To provide exceptional recreational and cultural opportunities in beautiful, sustainable environments.” 

 Types of Volunteers

We have three categories of volunteers within the Parks & Recreation Department. We accept teens (ages 14-17) as well as adults (ages 18 and above).  Click on each to learn more.

Short-Term Community Service Volunteers: Community Service volunteers are individuals who wish to volunteer on a temporary basis for 25 hours or less.  

Longer Term or On-going Temporary Volunteers: Volunteers that choose to volunteer with the Parks & Recreation Department on an on-going basis for more than 25 hours. On-going volunteers may choose a regular schedule on a weekly or monthly basis.

Court-ordered Temporary Volunteers:The Parks & Recreation Department may provide volunteer opportunities for individuals who are required to provide community service hours as ordered by a judge or as a condition of probation.