Park and Recreation
- Community Parks & Recreation Centers
- Golf Courses
- Mount Hope Cemetery
- Regional Parks and Open Space Parks & Preserves
- Senior Citizen Services
- Therapeutic Recreation Services
- Volunteer Office
Community Parks & Recreation Centers
Contact: Department Volunteer Coordinator
Email: sdvolunteer@sandiego.gov
Phone: (619) 533-4017
Fax: (619) 525-8224
Hours: Vary; weekday afternoons or evenings; weekends.
Minimum Age: 13; Court Referrals: Yes (conditional)
Individual Volunteer Opportunities:
Aquatic Program Assistant
Help to provide recreational opportunities in aquatics. Program areas include: Learn to Swim, Adaptive Aquatics, Youth Swim Team, Youth Water Polo and Water Fitness. Assist staff with classes and/or programs, pool maintenance, and help to conduct special events.
Qualifications: 13 years or older; enjoys children; positive and enthusiastic; interest or experience in aquatics or other recreational activities; dependable; positive role model; must have the ability to pass the American Red Cross Intermediate Swimmer requirements.
Time Commitment: Hours vary.
Grounds Maintenance Assistant
Assist with grounds maintenance and custodial duties at park and recreation centers, including irrigation inspections; trash pick-up; restroom cleaning; planting flowers and shrubs; native plant restoration.
Qualifications: 18 years or older; able to lift and carry items weighing up to 30 lbs.; able to bend/stoop repeatedly; interest in park maintenance and plants.
Time Commitment: Hours vary.
Office Manager Assistant
Assist recreation center office staff in everyday office procedures including answering phones; typing; copying; filing; providing public information; entering computer data.
Qualifications:16 years or older; excellent customer service skills; flexible; able to type. Computer skills desirable.
Time Commitment: 12 hours/week; 3+ months.
Recreation Council/Advisory Council/Board Member (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Member)
Serve on Advisory Board as a member or officer. Attend meetings and assist in development and planning of recreation areas/programs/events, perform duties that relate to respective position on the council/board.
Qualifications: Must be reliable, possess leadership skills, and be committed to your community.
Time Commitment: Attend meetings and special events as needed, may serve on committees. Note: Positions have term limits. Call (619) 533-4017 for more information.
Recreation Program Assistant
Assist Recreation Leaders in planning and implementation of Recreation Programs for elementary and junior high age youth at one of 75 sites throughout City. Includes arts and crafts, athletics, special events.
Qualifications: 13 years or older; enjoys children; positive and enthusiastic attitude; interest or experience in arts, crafts, sports or other recreational activities; dependable; positive role model.
Time Commitment: 3 hours/week; 3 months.
Referee/Umpire/Official/Scorekeeper
Officiate the following sports: flag football; track and field; soccer; softball; basketball; volleyball; swimming; water polo.
Qualifications: Referee/Umpire/Official 18 years or older; Scorekeeper 16 years or older; experience officiating at junior high level; good knowledge of sports and rules.
Time Commitment: Entire season (varies with sport); games are usually late afternoon/early evenings or Saturdays.
Youth Sports Coach
Coach the following sports: flag football; track and field; soccer; softball; basketball; volleyball; swimming; water polo. Teaches skills/rules of game; emphasizes sportsmanship; schedules/conducts practices.
Qualifications: 18 years or older; knowledge of game rules and fundamentals; enjoys working with children; friendly, helpful, enthusiastic attitude; can be firm as needed.
Time Commitment: Entire season (varies with sport); scheduled practice days; meets, games, tournaments.
Group Volunteer Opportunities:
Special Projects/Special Event Group Volunteers. Assist with special projects and special events at recreation centers citywide. Volunteers can provide pre-event assistance as well as assistance on the day of the event and after the event. Group opportunities exist in a variety of areas from designing, painting, and building game booths and Haunted Houses, to timing races at a swim meet. Note: Groups must provide own supervision; groups of children must have adult supervision.
Time Commitment: Discretion of group
Grounds Maintenance Group Volunteers
Assist in cleaning and maintenance of parks, playgrounds and recreation centers citywide.
Qualifications: Desire to help maintain quality of public parks. Groups must provide own supervision; groups of children must have adult supervision.
Time Commitment: Discretion of group; may be on a one-time basis, or "Adopt A Park".
Golf Courses
Contact: Torrey Pines Golf Course, (858) 581-7171
Location: 11480 N. Torrey Pines Rd., San Diego, CA. 92037
Minimum Age: 18 years or older; Court Referrals: No
Contact: Balboa Golf Course, (619) 235-1184
Location: 2600 Golf Course Dr., San Diego, CA. 92102
Minimum Age: 18 years or older; Court Referrals: Yes
Individual Volunteer Opportunities:
Golf Course Marshal Volunteer
Assist Golf Course Operations staff at Balboa or Torrey Pines Golf Courses in providing enjoyable golfing opportunities for the public by maintaining speed of play and high level course conditions.
Qualifications: 18 years or older; reliable; knowledge of golf rules.
Time Commitment: Days/times vary; 12 months.
Group Volunteer Opportunities:
Grounds Maintenance Volunteers
Assist in cleaning and maintenance of City golf courses.
Qualifications: Desire to help maintain quality of golf courses. Groups must provide own supervision; groups of children must have adult supervision.
Time Commitment: One-time basis, or "Adopt A Course."
Mount Hope Cemetery
Contact: (619)-527-3400
Location: 3751 Market Street, San Diego, CA 92102
Hours: M-F, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Minimum Age: 18 years or older; Court Referrals: Yes
Individual Volunteer Opportunities:
Grounds Maintenance Assistant
Assist grounds maintenance staff in general cemetery maintenance, including trimming around memorial markers/monuments, picking up flowers/litter, setting up for grave site services.
Qualifications: G18 years or older; Good physical condition; able to perform strenuous tasks and lift up to 25 lbs.; some experience with gas-powered trimmers.
Office Assistant
Assist office staff with recording and verifying burial records, historical research, data input into new computer mapping program, and various office activities.
Qualifications: 18 years or older; General office experience; speaks and writes well; basic computer skills; knowledge of Word, Word Perfect, Excel a plus.
Time Commitment: Flexible; 5 days/week; 4-8 hours/day.
Group Volunteer Opportunities:
Grounds Maintenance Volunteers
Assist in cleaning and maintenance of Mt. Hope Cemetery.
Qualifications: Groups must provide own supervision; groups of children must have adult supervision.
Time Commitment: One-time basis.
Regional Parks and Open Space Parks & Preserves
Individual Volunteer Opportunities:
Botanical Volunteer
Balboa Park-Assist park staff working at the nursery or Botanical Building.
Qualifications: 18 years or older; Interest in or experience with plants; training provided.
Time Commitment: Monday-Friday (no weekends); flexible.
Grounds Maintenance Volunteers
Assist in cleaning and maintenance of coastal parks and beaches from Torrey Pines Beach to Sunset Cliffs Park.
Qualifications: Desire to help maintain quality of beaches and coastal parks. Groups must provide own supervision; groups of children must have adult supervision.
Time Commitment: One-time basis, or "Adopt A Park" (clean every 3 months).
Habitat Restoration Volunteers
Work with park ranger staff in removal of non-native plants, transplanting natives, and fencing of sensitive areas.
Qualifications: 16 years or older; good physical condition; able to perform strenuous physical tasks; enjoys working as a team.
Time Commitment: 4 hours/day; mostly weekends, available to large groups.
Interpretive Volunteer Tour
Guide works with Park Ranger staff, volunteers, and gardeners in learning the rich history and horticulture of Balboa Park. Off shoot tour guides provide interpretive guided tours of the park's history and horticulture every Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m.
Qualifications: 18 years or older; knowledge of the basics of interpretation; good verbal and written communication skills; able to work independently.
Time Commitment: one year commitment.
Trail Crew
Work with park ranger staff in building and maintaining trails and installing fencing, signage, water bars, and steps.
Qualifications: 18 years or older; good physical condition; able to perform strenuous tasks; enjoys working in a team.
Time Commitment: 1 day/month; 4 hours/day; mostly weekends.
Visitor Center Assistant Librarian
Assist in the organization and cataloging of library reference material; assist public with research; help with book sales and with promotion of library in community.
Qualifications: 16 years or older; enjoys working with public and assisting people; is familiar with library organization and research.
Time Commitment: 8+ hours/month; 12 months.
Visitor Center Volunteer
Assist park ranger staff in providing information to visitors and operating center, including answering phones; running audio visual system; operating gift shop; assisting groups in center.
Qualifications: 16 years or older in Visitor Center, 18 years or older in Gift Shop; enjoys working with public; interest in natural and/or cultural resources of region; interest in educating public on park purposes.
Time Commitment: 8+ hours/month; 12 months.
Volunteer Park Patrol
Assist park rangers in informing public about park rules and regulations; assist with nature programs; provide public assistance (first aid, CPR); etc. Patrol parks on foot, or on bicycle or horseback (must provide own).
Qualifications: 18 years or older; good physical condition; possess or obtain valid Red Cross First Aid and CPR certificate; good public relations skills.
Time Commitment: Varies; contact individual parks; generally 8 hours/month; 12+months.
Contact the Park Ranger:
Balboa Park/Florida Canyon: (619) 235-1123
Black Mtn/Crest Canyon/San Pasqual Valley: (858) 538-8082
Canyons and Parkland Program: (619) 235-5262
Kumeyaay Campground: (619) 668-2748
Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve: (858) 538-8066
Mission Bay Park: (858) 581-7602
Mission Trails Regional Park: (619) 668-3276; (619) 668-3278
Mission Valley Preserve/Tecolote Nature Center: (858) 581-9961
Otay Valley Regional Park: (619) 235-5262
Presidio Park: (619) 235-5935
Shoreline Parks: (619) 235-5932
Tri-Canyon Parks (Tecolote Canyon/Rose Canyon/Marian Bear Memorial Park/Mission Valley Preserve): (858) 581-9952; (858) 581-9961
Locations: Vary
Hours: Weekdays or weekends
Minimum Age: 18 years or older, or younger with adult supervision
Court Referrals: Tri-Canyon Parks/Mission Valley Preserve and the Tecolote Nature Center (858) 581-9961
Canyons and Parkland Program: (619) 235-5262
Group Volunteer Opportunities:
Nature Lovers
If your group is interested in volunteering at a Park or Preserve please Contact the Park Ranger at the locations listed above.
Beach Combers
If your group is interested in volunteering for a Beach Clean-Up please contact staff at (619) 235-5929.
Senior Citizen Services
Contact: (619) 236-6905
Locations: 202 C Street, 1st floor, San Diego, CA 92101
Minimum Age: 18 years or older; Court Referrals: No
Individual Volunteer Opportunities:
Senior Services Office Assistant
Assist Senior Services staff with various office functions, including information and referral, answering phones, assisting public at counter, updating lists.
Qualifications: Excellent public relations skills, ability to work as part of a team.
Time Commitment: 1x per week (4 hour shift). Office is open M-F, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Senior Services Dance Assistant
Greet event participants, assist with event set-up and clean-up (decorating, kitchen assistance) and serve refreshments.
Qualifications: Must be friendly and courteous, ability to work as part of a team.
Time Commitment: 1-2x per month. Dances are held in Balboa Park on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month, volunteers are needed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Senior Services Balboa Park Lounge Assistant
Greet guests, share Lounge resources, assist with setting-up and cleaning Senior Lounge.
Qualifications: Must be friendly and courteous, ability to work as part of a team.
Time Commitment: 1x per week (4 hour shift). Senior Lounge is open 7 days a week, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Therapeutic Recreation Services
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator, (619) 525-8247
Location: War Memorial Building, 3325 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
Minimum Age: 13 years or older; Court Referrals: Yes (conditional)
Individual Volunteer Opportunities:
Therapeutic Recreation Services Activities Assistant - Assist Therapeutic Recreation Services staff in conducting successful recreational experiences for persons with disabilities, including program set-up and hands-on assistance.
Qualifications: 13 years or older; Enjoys working with people; able to interact with persons with various disabilities and special needs; patient and understanding; able to work as part of a team.
Time Commitment: 2 programs/month; 2-6 hours/program.
Group Volunteer Opportunities include:
Special Projects/Special Event Group Volunteers
Assist with Therapeutic Recreation Services special projects and special events. Note: Groups must provide own supervision; groups of children must have adult supervision.
Time Commitment: Discretion of group.
Volunteer Office
Contact: Department Volunteer Coordinator, (619) 533-4017;
Location: 2130 Pan American Way, San Diego, CA 92101
Minimum Age: 13 years or older; Court Referrals: No
Special Event Assistant
Assist staff with special projects, organization of training materials, creating and formatting documents, creating PowerPoint presentations and conducting administrative/office duties including copying, filing, and faxing. Assist with special event/program budget tracking, volunteer application processing/ referrals, and volunteer recruitment fairs.
Qualifications: 13 years or older; Computer skills: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, database development (Access) and internet search knowledge. Ability to follow directions, perform detailed work accurately, work as a team and independently; possess excellent interpersonal and organizational skills; be creative and dependable.
Time Commitment: 1-3 days/week; 2-4 hours/day for 3-6 months. Hours: M-F, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.