History & Mission
Mission Statement
Our mission is to inspire the more than 500,000 members of the extended UCLA family, as well as the community at large, to create social change through lifelong participation in volunteer programs and civic engagement.
Land Acknowledgement
As a land grant institution, the UCLA Volunteer Center acknowledges the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (Los Angeles basin, So. Channel Islands).
About the UCLA Volunteer Center
The UCLA Volunteer Center coordinates service activities on campus and throughout Greater Los Angeles to inspire members of the extended UCLA family to give of their time and talent. As part of the Student Affairs division and Residential Life, the Center strives to make a positive impact upon UCLA and the Greater Los Angeles community.
At UCLA, there are many ways to give back to the community. Through the Volunteer Center, students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members can participate in ongoing and annual service opportunities, suggest volunteer site locations, and lead service projects. The Volunteer Center also maintains an online listing of campus-wide service groups, and a volunteer database of community service opportunities.
Our History
The Center was launched by its first project: UCLA Volunteer Day on September 22, 2009, which has become the nation’s largest service project for new university students. A project that began with 4,000 participants with eight service projects has grown to involve more than 8,000 UCLA community members at sites that reach every major community in the city.
The Volunteer Center has expanded to organize more than seven other unique annual programs and events that involve the greater Bruin community in civic engagement. And though its website and use of social media, the Center also serves as a hub for community planning material, how-to guides, recognition of community leadership, opportunities for volunteers to share their experience and connect with others, and access to an interactive database of volunteer opportunities in Los Angeles.
The Volunteer Center also serves as a model for the planning, design, implementation, and management of large-scale community projects that can be replicated by other universities, companies, and organizations.
Service at UCLA
The Volunteer Center is proud to partner with many campus organizations throughout the year to build momentum around civic engagement. Over 200 UCLA student organizations undertake community projects on a regular basis, enthusiastically demonstrating the True Bruin Value of Service. For more information on some of our key campus collaborators, visit the websites for the Center for Community Engagement, Community Programs Office, SOLE,and the Community Service Commission.
In addition, the UCLA Health System has one of the largest, most active volunteer programs in the world. Whether you are planning on attending medical or nursing school, trying to obtain a healthcare administrative internship, or simply community-service minded, you can find an opportunity through UCLA Health. Visit their website or contact them directly for more information on their many programs which help prepare you for a career in health and offer you enriching opportunities to give back to the community.
Impact Report
The UCLA Volunteer Center coordinates service activities on campus and throughout Greater Los Angeles to inspire members of the extended UCLA family to give of their time and talent. As part of the Student Affairs division, the Center strives to make a positive impact upon UCLA and the Greater Los Angeles community. With the support of UCLA volunteers, the Impact Report details how the Volunteer Center is able to fulfill our mission to inspire the more than 500,000 members of the extended UCLA family, as well as the community at large, to create social change through lifelong participation in volunteer programs and civic engagement.
Impact Report 2021-2022
Impact Report 2020-2021
Impact Report 2019-2020
Impact Report 2018-2019
Impact Report 2017-2018
Impact Report 2016-2017
Impact Report 2015-2016
Impact Report 2014-2015
Impact Report 2013-2014
Impact Report 2012-2013
