Volunteer Opportunities

Jump to:  
Children's Programs   Shelter Tutors/Advocates   Third Street Activity Leaders   Cooks/Meal Planners   Suited for Success   
Employment and Training   Translators/Interpreters   Racial Justice

The YWCA believes everyone has something to contribute and receive from participation within the YWCA community.  Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the YWCA Madison. All volunteer positions within the agency are currently filled. If you would like to be considered for a future opening, please fill out a volunteer application and we will contact you as positions become available. Apply to Volunteer The first step in becoming a volunteer is to complete a volunteer application.  You can complete the online volunteer application (preferred).  If you do not wish to complete the volunteer application online you can: Download a paper copy of the volunteer application or Pick up an application at 101 E. Mifflin Street.

If you choose to use the paper version of the application, please sign and return it to:

Samantha River - Volunteer Coordinator
YWCA Madison
101 E. Mifflin Street, Suite 100
Madison, WI 53703

Spanish volunteer applications are also available.

After we receive your application, we will contact you to schedule a time to talk about your volunteer interests.If you have any questions or would like further information please contact: Samantha River at 608.257.1436, option 3.  Samantha's hours are: Tuesday - Thursday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM.

Volunteer Positions

Children's Program Volunteers

A variety of programs are offered to children in our Third Street, homeless shelter, and family housing programs. Volunteers facilitate activities and supervise children ages three and older in the activities listed below. There is also a special program for babies and toddlers.

Mondays: "Cooking" — 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Tuesdays: "Reading Time" — 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Wednesdays: "Arts & Crafts" — 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Thursdays: "Fun With Science" — 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Fridays: "Games Night" — 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Saturdays: "Saturday Out" — 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Sundays: "Sunday Funday" — 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Special Monthly Parties — Times Vary

YWCA Homeless Shelter

The YWCA provides emergency shelter to homeless families with children and homeless teenage girls. The YWCA houses up to 40 people in private shelter rooms, with shared kitchens. A YWCA case manager works with each family to help them find housing and to prevent future homelessness.

Shelter Resident Tutors and Advocates
You can volunteer with adults in the YWCA Homeless Shelter, too. You can volunteer to work by: 

• Tutoring homeless residents preparing for their GED
• Helping homeless residents fill out applications for permanent housing.

Third Street Housing Program

Third Street is a neighborhood located on the third and fourth floors at the downtown YWCA. The program serves single moms with one child, birth to four years old by providing safe affordable apartments with support services. Third Street strives to end the cycles of homelessness and abuse by providing a place for young families to thrive and work toward becoming economically self-sufficient.

Cook and Meal Planner
Every Tuesday, the residents of Third Street have dinner together. You can help by planning, shopping, cooking, or cleaning up after a meal.

Suited for Success

Suited for Success provides professional-styled clothing, shoes, and accessories to women who need appropriate wardrobes in order to return to work or for job interviews. Volunteers work in the boutique Wednesday afternoons or Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Suited for Success volunteers:

• Work as “Fashion Consultants” helping women choose appropriate clothing
• Sort, select, and hang donations

Volunteers can also help with the YWCA Second Saturday Sale. Once a month, Suited for Success hosts a sale of the items donated to the boutique which are not professional clothes. 

Volunteers can help:

• Set up for the sale with the sale every second Friday anytime between 1:00 and 6:00 p.m.
• Assist with the sale on the second Saturday anytime between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

YWCA Empowerment Center

YWCA Empowerment Center is located at 3101 Latham off Fish Hatchery Road. Empowerment Center volunteers work with people to help them become full participants in the economy of our community through job training, and support for finding, changing or maintaining a job.

Volunteers can:

• Tutor adults in reading and math skills
• Tutor adults in basic computer skills
• Assist with staffing the front desk
• Help create resumes

Translators/Interpreters

Many of the YWCA's program participants speak a language other than English. The most common of these is Spanish. Volunteers help:

• Spanish-speaking children,
• Translate documents
• YWCA Staff in interacting with their clients

Racial Justice

You can volunteer to become a Racial Justice Facilitator, a position in which you will lead racial justice dialogues. Facilitators should be comfortable with conversations about race and guiding small group discussions in both public and private forums. Facilitators are trained to do this work and must be able to facilitate at least two dialogues. A minimum commitment should be at least one year.