Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers enhance and extend the County of Santa Barbara's ability to provide services. Our volunteers invest energy, skills, and talent to make Santa Barbara County a better place to live. Curious about what you could volunteer to do to help the County better serve the community? Please check out these opportunities.
Animal Services (Public Health)
Our Animal Services volunteers are invaluable! They help to keep our animals safe, clean, and adoptable.
- Assist in resolving citizens disputes with private businesses as a volunteer mediator
- Obtain a first hand look at the inner workings of the District Attorney's office, as well as attending many different court proceedings as a volunteer Attorney Intern
- Assist a team of dedicated professionals in establishing and enforcing support for Santa Barbara's children
Grand Jury
Grand Jurors provide civil government oversight and investigate citizen complaints.
Parks Volunteer Opportunities
Help the Parks Department generate funds preserve, protect and enhance county parks and open spaces...or participate in coastal resource cleanup programs.
Probation Department
Community volunteers are a valuable asset to Juvenile Hall, the Camps and in assisting Probation Officers in their daily duties. Opportunities are available working with adults or juveniles. Please visit the
Probation Volunteer Opportunities page for more information.
Project Clean Water (Public Works)
From storm drain stenciling to riparian and wetland maintenance, there are many ways to participate in Project Clean Water.
Public Defender
The Public Defender Office is part of an important humanitarian, non-profit effort to assure justice for the least fortunate and most vulnerable members of our society. There are many opportunities for community members to contribute to this cause.
Sheriff
The Sheriff Department has many exciting volunteer opportunities including
Search and Rescue,
Chaplains Program,
Citizens Academy,
Aero Squadron,
Sheriff's Volunteer Team,
Explorer Post and more.
Workforce Investment Board (WIB)
The Santa Barbara County Workforce Investment Board (WIB) has a community volunteer opportunity. The Workforce Investment Board is dedicated to ensuring the long term economic success of Santa Barbara County by supporting the needs of employers and pairing that need to find qualified workers with job seekers career opportunities. The WIB is a public/private partnership created by the Federal Workforce Investment Act legislation. This volunteer would be located at our Santa Barbara Administrative WIB office only. If you would like more information please contact Clarissa Morris at
c.morris@sbcsocialserv.org for further details related to the position.
HELP LOCAL VETERANS Become a volunteer shuttle driver and help transport Veterans to and from the Santa Barbara VA Clinic. M-F, 9am – 3pm. Call Voluntary Services 805-354-6004.
CaliforniaVolunteers is the state office that manages programs and initiatives aimed at increasing the number of Californians engaged in service and volunteering.
AmeriCorps is a network of three programs—AmeriCorps*State and National, AmeriCorps*VISTA, and AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC)— that each year support the engagement of nearly 75,000 Americans in service to meet critical needs in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security, and other areas.
Santa Barbara County AmeriCorps Partnership for Veterans & People Experiencing Homelessness
Join AmeriCorps to help veterans and people experiencing homelessness. Full and part-time positions are available throughout Santa Barbara County. Much more than just a job, AmeriCorps members get things done as part of our nation's domestic Peace Corps. Volunteers receive a cash living allowance while serving and qualify for an education award upon completion of the term. Full-time volunteers are also eligible for medical benefits. Go to
www.sbcamericorps.org to apply and for more information.