Greenheart Club for Work and Travel Participants

How to Find a Volunteer Opportunity: Finding a volunteer opportunity with a community organization in your host community can be a challenging task, but it can be done. The best way to find an organization is to:

1. Ask your local community contacts including friends, your employer or anyone you know in the community if they have recommendations on a nonprofit or other type of organization that is doing good in your community. Tell them your interests whether they are working with kids, the environment or another cause. Once they give you ideas, call or email the organizations to set up a meeting to start volunteering. It is important that you explain who you are and your special exchange experience to the organization. Review our list of volunteer organizations across the U.S., to find a volunteer opportunity in your town. 
2. If you do not receive any recommendations, you can also do Google searches with your host community name + "volunteer". You will likely find some organizations that you can contact by researching online.
3. If you cannot find a place through your community contacts or online, we can also do research to help you.  Email greenheart@cci-exchange.org and we will help you locate a volunteer opportunity.

What happens if you cannot find a volunteer organization? You can organize a volunteer activity on your own! Some ideas for individual volunteer activities include: picking up trash around city hall, doing a river or stream clean-up, planting trees in your community, or developing a community garden. You have the freedom to choose any activity you see needed in your host community.

How many hours: Dependent on the number of volunteer hours you complete.

Type of skill: The CCI participants who are not afraid to take initiative and contact local organizations to find volunteer opportunities will be the most successful.

 

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Greenheart Project: Plan an Environmental or Socially Conscious Event in your Host Community 

Plan it at your business, a local organization, or outdoors in nature. Invite one local environmental or social expert to speak about an issue facing your community. Examples can include pollution, homelessness, and other social issues. Send a two page summary about your project, along with five photos of the event to Greenheart.

 

How many hours: Worth 5 volunteer hours.

Type of skill: If you are in an area where it is difficult to find a volunteer opportunity or you just want to plan your own event, this is the contest for you. You can contact local organizations to find a speaker, talk to your friends and get them to come to the event, and you can raise awareness about a cause in your community.

 

Greenheart Project: Essay, Photo or Painting Theme 

For this contest, you have a few options. You can either write an essay, submit a photo collage, or create a painting project. You must send in the final project to Greenheart. The project should answer one of the two prompts: Share your experience interacting with Americans whether its your coworkers, community members, or new friends. Or share what Greenheart means to you.How many hours: Worth 5 volunteer hours.

Type of skill: This project is ideal for creative minds. If you are an artist or a writer, take advantage of these skills to earn some volunteer hours! 
Check out an example of an Essay and  Photo Collage.

• Greenheart Project: Analyze your Host Community with a Report

   
In this contest, you are asked to write a report about your host community and how they could be more environmentally responsible. You will need to write 3-5 pages about your host community's water, transportation, energy usage and waste management from an environmental perspective. You first write a summary about where they get their drinking water; what is the main source of transportation; is their energy powered by nuclear or coal or other; and what happens to their trash, is there recycling? Then underneath each category, you can write suggestions for being more green. Look to examples around the world of cities or villages that are doing innovative green practices like wind farms, solar power, public transportation, etc... Use real life examples to back up your green suggestions.

How many hours: Worth 5 volunteer hours.

Type of skill: This contest is for people who are interested in researching and writing. 

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• CCI Video Contest

   
Create a video that captures the essence of your Work or Volunteer Abroad experience!! How did  CCI's work abroad experience affect you? Show us the people and places that made your work abroad experience unforgettable! The video should be no longer than 3 minutes. The video must be submitted as YouTube link.How many hours: Worth 5 volunteer hours.

Type of skill: Do you like working with computers, taking photos and capturing video? If so, enter this contest to win prizes and show off your talents. Remember, be artistic. Use music, photos and videos to tell us about your experience in the U.S. 

  *For all Greenheart Projects: students are allowed one submission per project category. Final hour approval is up to CCI's discretion.

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How do you log volunteer and project hours in the database? 

Step 1: Enter your Username and Password in your CCI online account.
Step 2: Click on "Volunteer Hours" under the Greenheart Club icon (you must first join the Greenheart Club before you can log hours).
Step 3: Fill out the information on the screen and click "save".

• If you are volunteering with an organization: fill out all the information as it appears on the screen.
• If you are volunteering on your own, that is, for every volunteer activity that you complete which does not involve an organization, you still must fill out every section in the box where you log your hours. Instead of writing the organization, input the location your volunteered at, and for the supervisor information, input a friend or co-work that can verify you did the volunteer hours on your own (you will need to include their name, phone and email).
• If you are doing a project, email us the report or photos, as requested by each Greenheart Project (see details above) and we will input the hours for you.

Questions? 

Email greenheart@cci-exchange.org.