The UCSF Volunteers program helps organize manager-led team volunteering activities designed for employees to contribute their time to the community. Please review the information for managers and guidelines prior to organizing your volunteer activity.
Students are able to organize their own team volunteering events through the Graduate & Professional Student Association. Faculty should reach out to the Academic Senate to organize a volunteer activity. Staff, bring this website to your manager for review.
Manager Checklist
Managers, please check out Manager Tips & Tricks for ideas on how to create a successful team volunteer experience.
Please review these guidelines closely when planning a volunteer activity,
Required Waiver
Waivers are required for activities performed off site during work hours. Please click here to find the required waiver forms. Managers are responsible for retaining the waiver documents for one year.
General Guidelines:
- We encourage managers to be inclusive when planning a volunteer activity and encourage all team members to participate. Volunteering is optional, and no one can be required to participate in a volunteer activity.
- Managers should keep all ability levels in mind when choosing a non-profit. If appropriate, discuss accessibility with the non-profit organization and make sure a variety of activities are available for volunteers.
- Some volunteer sites may involve slightly strenuous activities. Please note that standing for long periods of time, or repeatedly moving in the same motion for a prolonged amount of time may increase the risk of injury. Take measures to reduce the risk of injury, and discuss with the non-profit organization.
Volunteer Time
Managers may use their discretion to determine whether work time can be used for a team volunteer activity. UCSF Volunteers is intended to be a manager-led, team-based volunteer activity where colleagues volunteer together in the community for 4-8 hours per year.
Managers should consider coverage needs, including backup coverage, when planning a volunteer activity during work time. In some cases, there may need to be multiple staggered volunteer activities in order for all interested staff to attend.
Transportation
It is not recommended to travel to volunteer sites via personal cars during work hours. Instead, we suggest traveling to your non-profit via our UCSF shuttle system, walking, or using public transportation. Please contact our Transportation department to discuss offerings to and from volunteer sites at Transportation@ucsf.edu.
PRIDE Values
UCSF Values of Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity, and Excellence should always be represented when out in the community. UCSF teams are representing the university while volunteering and should adhere to UCSF policies.
Already Volunteered?
Managers please take our survey here after the volunteer activity.
All UCSF volunteers are welcome to leave us additional feedback. Please email us at ucsfvolunteers@ucsf.edu. Please let us know what went well and what, if anything, did not.
And if you’d like to be added to our email list, please sign up here!
FAQs
What is UCSF Volunteers?
The UCSF volunteers program helps to organize manager-led team volunteering activities, in which teams of UCSF colleagues volunteer together within the community.
Is UCSF Volunteers free?
Yes, it is free though you may have to pay a nominal fee to be matched with a non-profit organization if you use a service such as Save the Bay or Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley. Additionally, UCSF Volunteers does not provide transportation or supplies, of which could be a cost to the volunteering group.
Who Can Participate?
The UCSF Volunteers program is available to all UCSF staff who wants to volunteer together in a group. If you are a student and would like more resources, please contact the Graduate & Professional Student Association. If you are a faculty member and want more information about the faculty volunteer program, contact the Alison Cleaver in the Academic Senate.
Can represented staff volunteer too?
Managers are responsible for determining whether paid time can be used for team volunteer activities, including for represented staff.
What if I want to volunteer somewhere that is not listed on UCSF Volunteers?
Please email us at ucsfvolunteers@ucsf.edu to submit an idea for a new non-profit organization. We will review your request and get back to you as soon as we can!
What if one of my staff members gets injured while volunteering?
Please contact the UCSF Disability office. If your team is volunteering during work hours and are on salary, your staff is covered by workers compensation. If your staff is injured en route to/from work to the volunteer location, they will be covered as well. However, if they are traveling from home/elsewhere to the volunteer location, they are not covered.
I’m having problems with the website, who do I contact to fix it?
If you are experiencing issues with the site, please describe in detail the problem and send an email to ucsfvolunteers@ucsf.edu.
Can I list my volunteer openings on your site?
Yes, just email us at ucsfvolunteers@ucsf.edu and we will get the process started.
I volunteer regularly on my own time. Can I start volunteering during work time?
UCSF Volunteers is intended to be a once-a-year team volunteer experience, led and planned by managers so please work with your manager to organize your activity.
