Get Involved!

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with FACETS! We have many opportunities available for individuals, groups and students, so please take a look to see what might best fit your interests, skills, and availability. If you’re not sure where to start, click on "Unsure where to start?" above, and there are some questions to help guide you through the different types of opportunities.

If you have any questions or are interested in any of the opportunities listed below, please contact us with by e-mail at volunteer@FacetsCares.org or by phone at 703-352-5090.

Thanks for you interest in FACETS!

Immediate Needs

• Front Desk Volunteers - We are currently looking for individuals who are able to commit to one or more afternoons each week to help at our front desk by answering phones and greeting people as they come into the FACETS office. Volunteers can also help with additional administrative tasks depending on interests and skills. Our current needs are as follows:
  • Wednesday afternoon, 1 to 5 pm
  • Friday afternoon, 1 to 5 pm
    
• Volunteers to Assist with Data Entry - Volunteers are needed to help our office staff with data entry, including projects such as tracking volunteer hours, client participation in programs, etc. Volunteers are needed about 5 hours per week, and hours are flexible.
  
• Spring Program Volunteers - Our Spring program season is set to begin in January, and we need volunteers to help lead and support a wide range of programs at each of our three community centers. Programs are held for youth, such as Homework Help, Relate, and Positive Action, and for adults, such as Computer Training, ESOL and more! Read below in the Ongoing Opportunities section for more details!
  
• Hypothermia Program Support Volunteers - Volunteers are needed to offer additional support to staff and volunteers at the hosting venue to best meet the needs of guests during the first several hours of each evening. Duties may include welcoming guests, helping with guest and volunteer sign-in, assisting guests with locating spots to sleep, transitions to and from dinner and other activities. The Hypothermia Program is running from November 23, 2008 - March 15, 2009, and volunteers are most needed in the evenings from 5:30pm-9:30pm. Contact us if you would like more information or have questions about the program or scheduling.
  

Ongoing Opportunities

FACETS has ongoing opportunities through many of our programs, as well as general opportunities at our office. Opportunities listed with a bullet point are immediate needs, but we can always use help in any of the areas listed below! For more information about any of these listings, please contact us!

Mentoring
Mentors are needed to meet weekly with a youth or adult to provide support, guidance, and encouragement to succeed at home, in school, or in the workplace. Mentors must commit to at least one year, and be at least 21 years of age.

Tutoring
Tutors are needed to meet weekly with a youth to assist with improving educational performance, work on homework or projects, and improve study habits. A one year commitment is required for tutors.

Educational and Enrichment Programs
Volunteers are needed to work with children, youth and adults in a variety of programs, including Homework Help, Computer Lab, Exploring the Arts, Reading Club, Girl Power!, and Boys Group. Programs generally start and end following a school year calendar - Fall, Spring and Summer - and volunteers must be able to make a commitment of one hour a week for two to six months, depending on the length of the program. Programs are run at centers located in Fairfax City (near GMU), Fairfax (near Fair Oaks Mall), and Centreville (near Centreville Library); the centers are Robinson Square (RS), Ragan Oaks (RO), and Barros Circle (BC), respectively.

• Spring Programs will be starting up at all three community centers in mid January.
• Schedule of programs: Spring Programs.
• Programs for this spring will include:
  • Homework Help - assist children and youth with daily homework assignments, projects and test preparations.
  • Boys Group / Girl Power - work with either elementary/middle school aged boys, or female middle school aged youth through a variety of programs and field trips. The goals of the program are to enhance self-confidence, improve problem solving skills, allow youth to explore their interests, and improve participants’ awareness and ability to avoid risky behaviors.
  • Relate (Safe Dating Program) - work with youth 13 to 19, to prevent teen dating abuse by changing dating violence norms, gender stereotyping and improving conflict-management skills and help-seeking behaviors. Facets will be collaborating with other community groups, and activities include a poster contest and a theatrical production.
  • Positive Action (Anti-Tobacco Program) - engage older elementary and middle school youth in a program to prevent tobacco use. The program will run in accordance with the Positive Action Model, which is rooted in the philosophy that positive thoughts are linked to positive feelings and actions.
  • Mommy and Me - encourages positive interaction between parents and their preschool age children through developmental games, art projects, and use of music, books, and puzzles.
  • Women's Group - support group for women, to discuss issues such as parenting, relationships, job-related issues, budgeting, stress relief and relaxation techniques, and communication.
  • Computer Training - basic computer skills classes for adults or youth, covering topics such as the Windows application, navigating the internet, and typing skills.
  • ESOL - assist with activities to promote literacy, comprehension, and spoken English language skills for adults.
  • Circle of Neighbors - monthly programs designed to reflect residents' current interests, foster a sense of community, reduce isolation, and act as a forum for discussions and community service.

Office Help
Assist with a variety of tasks, including receptionist coverage, data entry, translation assistance, food pantry sorting or filing.

Translator
Assist with translation needs in our office for client phone calls or meetings. Written translation help is also needed.

Driver
Help transport clients to meetings and appointments. Both on-call and scheduled drivers are needed.

Fundraising/Development
Assist with fundraisers such as our Annual Auction or Breakfast, or join the Ambassador Corps to build relationships with donors.

Volunteer Cultivation
Help our Volunteer Management team with tasks such as recruitment, planning for volunteer orientations, tracking volunteer information, planning recognition events, or coordinating the donations calendar.

Special Events

Assist with event planning or help the day of each event! There are many large and small events each year, including the Holiday Drive, School Supply Drive, mailings, etc. Current special events are detailed below!

Holiday Drives
(ongoing this winter)
Adopt a family this holiday season for assistance with December food or December gifts! We match you directly with a family to sponsor, so this is a great opportunity for the whole family!

Group Opportunities

Monthly Drives
FACETS is putting together a donations calendar for non-perishable food items, hygiene items, household supplies and baby items. If you have a group that would like to sponsor a month to provide one of these groups of items, please contact us, or let us know if you would like any more information about the project! Click on the Donations Calendar to view which months are still available to sponsor. For more information about donations we are in need of, please take a look at our donations guide. We can always except donations of non-perishable food, hygiene items, household supplies and baby care products!

Other ideas?
We encourage group volunteers to contact us to discuss project ideas. Groups can “adopt” a program or drive. A program adoption would entail a group providing volunteers for a specific program, such as “Homework Hotspots” at our Ragan Oaks facility for one night a week for at least one season (generally, six months). A drive adoption would entail a group adopting a month of the year to collect specific items, such as diapers, for the FACETS on-site pantry. We can also work with group volunteers to design special projects to benefit our clients who are on wait-lists for shelters, such as taking families out to eat or planning a movie night for our youth. We also encourage group volunteers to consider assisting with FACETS’ special events, such as our annual breakfast in the spring, back to school drives over the summer, and annual auction in November. Please let us know if you'd like to get involved!

Student Opportunities

Ideas?
If you are a current college student looking for a site for a service learning class or an internship, please contact us. Students majoring in social work, human services, education, psychology, or early childhood development, for example, can have many opportunities to apply their knowledge from coursework through working with FACETS. We are also open to other majors, so please contact us for details.

We can also work with Girl Scout Gold award projects, Boy Scout Eagle award projects or students pursuing other types of volunteer projects. Please contact us for details or if you have ideas you would like to discuss!

Unsure Where to Start?

• Not a lot of time, but you still would like to help? Consider holding a DRIVE for needed goods.
• Have time to volunteer but not on a regular basis? Consider one of our SPECIAL EVENTS.
• Interested in volunteering on a regular basis for 6 months or longer assisting youth and/or adults? Consider our ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES.
• Interested in volunteering in an office setting helping with tasks ranging from receptionist coverage to assisting with our on-site pantry? Consider our OFFICE OPPORTUNITIES.
• Part of a group that is interested in volunteering together for FACETS? Consider some GROUP PROJECTS.
• Current college student looking for a site for a service learning class, internship, or a summer opportunity? We have many STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES.