how you can help
Step Up utilizes the talents of our members to best serve women and girls. From weekly volunteer opportunities with our teen empowerment programs and member events, to more specific project-based roles, we leverage the time, resources and relationships of our members to make a meaningful impact in the community.
Ongoing volunteer roles with the Step Up committees in Teen Empowerment, and Membership/Social Networking are described below. Individual volunteer opportunities are advertised on the Step Up calendar and in the monthly member newsletter. Please take a moment to discover the
numerous avenues for your involvement in a city near you:
Read what Step Up volunteers are saying about the rewards of their experience:
Sloane Berrent
Overall, the volunteer experience at The Wellness Project was more than I could have hoped for. I walked away feeling empowered. While I was volunteering for the girls, I learned so much about myself, and about the power of women. I felt like the luckiest person in the world the days I left the workshop with the girls. I am infinitely impressed to have found this amazing circle of women in Los Angeles.
Stephanie Sakkab
At the time I joined Step Up I was going through a change in my career, and I was also fairly new to the world of volunteer work. I was happy to get involved by offering my graphic design services. Now, I continue to juggle both my career and my volunteer work, and I feel great knowing that I can offer my expertise to Step Up and help make a difference.
Teen Programs
Volunteer Fitness Instructors for the Wellness Project needed to teach teen girls activities such as:
- Dance (Hip Hop, African, Modern, Break, Salsa, Punta, Bellydance)
- Yoga (preferably an instructor with experience teaching teenagers)
- Kickboxing
- Boxing
- Circuit Training
- Hula Hooping
- Pilates
- Karate/Self-Defense
- Jump Roping
- Weight Training
Volunteer Project Leaders for College Prep, Filmmaking, Photography, and The Wellness Project needed (New York and Los Angeles). Must meet the following criteria:
- Have a strong passion for the program and the girls.
- Attend a minimum of two classes (see the calendar for class dates, times and locations).
- Send weekly emails to volunteer registrants.
- Recruit a minimum of 1 Step Up member to volunteer for a class.
- Support the planning efforts for the respective program’s showcase event (i.e. movie screening, gallery event).
- Serve as the guest speaker liaison.
- Commit to the role for the duration of the semester.
- Attend at least one Step Up social networking event to talk to other members about the class.
- Time commitment: Approximately 2-4 hours per week
Additional Teen Volunteer Needs
One-on-one SAT tutor (Los Angeles)
Help a high school girl achieve her dream of being the first in her family to go to college! We are looking for highly qualified volunteers with strong SAT scores and SAT tutoring experience to meet one-on-one with a student.
Time commitment: Approximately 4 hours per week for a minimum of 2 months.
College resource coordination (Los Angeles)
Outreach to a variety of local and out-of-state colleges to collect brochures and applications for our new college resource library.
Time commitment: Approximately 5 hours per month
Spanish translation (Los Angeles and Chicago)
Assist with written translation of documents to be sent to Step Up participants’ parents, and oral Spanish translation to convey information to parents.
Time commitment: Approximately 5 hours per month, often at short notice
Photographer (All chapters)
Take pictures of our various programs for Step Up marketing tools.
Time commitment: Approximately 5 total hours per month
Videographer (All chapters)
Take video footage of our various programs for Step Up marketing tools.
Time commitment: Approximately 5 total hours
Editor (New York and Los Angeles)
Assist teen girls in editing their short films.
In-kind donations coordinator (All chapters)
Help us secure donations of needed program supplies.
Time commitment: Approximately 10 hours per month
Membership/Social Networking
Membership Outreach Volunteer (New York and Los Angeles)
Manage a strategic outreach system to recruit new members at Step Up events, as well as other community gatherings and events. This role helps staff a membership table at all Step Up events to inform non-members about Step Up and encourage them to join. Training will be offered and a staff member will always be on hand for support. This role is critical in building the Step Up membership and is a great networking tool. Ideal candidates will be friendly and outgoing, organized and detail oriented.
Time Commitment: 2-5 hours per week
Event Hospitality Volunteer (New York and Los Angeles)
Events are a key way for Step Up members to connect. This critical volunteer role helps facilitate introductions and conversation among guests to ensure that members enjoy their Step Up experience. This is a fun role that allows you to meet numerous women within the organization, while helping fulfill the Step Up mission to unite members. Ideal candidates will be extremely friendly and outgoing, as well as skilled at conversing with a wide range of personalities.
Time Commitment: 75% attendance at Step Up member events during a six month period
Regional Networking Group Volunteers (Los Angeles)
Regional networking groups are monthly member-led initiatives aimed at connecting members through casual networking events like hiking outings, reading groups, and coffee meet ups. Volunteers are needed to help coordinate and staff the events. This role is critical in involving members in meaningful networking opportunities, and facilitating relationship building among the membership. Ideal candidates will be strong leaders with event planning experience. They should also be friendly and outgoing, as well as organized and detail oriented.
Time Commitment: 5 hours per month
Welcome-Call Volunteers (Los Angeles and Chicago):
Help welcome and thank new and renewed members with a friendly phone call. Welcome Callers are ambassadors of the organization and help introduce members to the many ways to become involved in the organization. This role allows you to connect with numerous women while staying on the pulse of Step Up events and initiatives. Ideal candidates will be friendly and outgoing, as well as skilled at conversing with a wide range of personalities. This role allows you to network with a number of women and can be done on your own schedule.
Time Commitment: 2-3 hour call period, once/month for six months
Committees
Women’s Health (Chicago and New York):
Step Up is dedicated to empowering women with knowledge and opportunities to support women’s health initiatives. Help us locate and assemble donated items for the Step Up signature Wellness Bags and engage in women’s health activities.
Teen Empowerment Programs (All chapters)
Working with underserved girls, Step Up leverages the skills and talents of its members to execute unique programs. Help us create and execute programs for teen girls in the community by joining the Teen Empowerment Programs Committee.
Professional Mentorship & Development (Chicago and New York)
With members from a variety of industries in our network, Step Up provides an amazing forum for helping women sharpen their business acumen through a number of professional programs. Help us organize Professional Development events and our Professional Mentorship Program for our members.
Membership (All chapters)
Step Up’s Membership Committee is dedicated to attracting and retaining Step Up members. The committee will strategize ways to effectively drive membership, which is truly the heart and soul of our organization.
