There are so many different ways to volunteer with Special Olympics North Carolina!
Current Volunteer Opportunities
Year-round Volunteer Opportunities
Special Olympics holds events throughout the state year-round.
Get involved in your community!
Volunteers are the backbone of Special Olympics North Carolina. We could not exist without the dedication of thousands of you. In North Carolina, we count on over 40,000 volunteers across the state. The time, energy and enthusiasm of volunteers fuel our movement and make our athletes’ dreams a reality.
At Special Olympics North Carolina, there is a place for everyone. Sports-minded individuals can find a place coaching or assisting at practice or events. Local business people can utilize their talents as part of our Games Management Team. Students can devote their passion to a competition and retirees can support in a multitude of roles out in the field or in the office. At the end of the day, all volunteers have one thing in common, pride in knowing they are making a difference in the lives of Special Olympics athletes.
Volunteers are needed throughout the state to serve on the day of events as well as event planners, coaches and committee members. View our high priority needs on our Idealist page. Limited remote technical support and data entry positions are available as well. You can learn more about Special Olympics NC and ask any questions that you may have at our virtual Meet the Athletes or Coaches Open House meetings. Those can be found on our calendar.
Being familiar with your job as a volunteer will make you more effective, ensure a quality event for the athletes and make your experience more enjoyable and rewarding. We appreciate your taking the time to review the provided materials.
- Volunteer General Orientation
- Volunteer Handbook
- Watch the athletes tell you how to best work with them!
Volunteer Job Descriptions
- Equestrian Tournament
- Fall Tournament (bocce, golf, roller skating, soccer skills, soccer team, softball skills, softball team, tennis)
- Summer Games (athletics, basketball skill, basketball team, bowling, gymnastics, powerlifting, swimming, volleyball)
Training Videos
DAY-OF EVENT VOLUNTEERS
- Day of event volunteers are people who assist participate at Special Olympics North Carolina events and games, but are not necessarily in contact with athletes on a regular basis.
- No application is required, but day of event volunteers must provide a photo ID upon check-in.
- The minimum age to volunteer is 14 years old.
Examples: power team, score-keeping, timing, staging of athletes and event assistants
ORGANIZATIONS/GROUPS
Looking for a way to get your organization or group involved in the community? Join Special Olympics North Carolina at our office during our monthly lunch and learn! Taking place the first Wednesday of each month, your group will volunteer, meet Special Olympics athletes, assist with office projects and enjoy a complimentary lunch! See more.
CLASS A VOLUNTEERS
Class A volunteers are volunteers serving in a leadership role with Special Olympics. This is any position of authority in Special Olympics including games management team members, coaches, chaperones, committee members and anyone handling money on behalf of the organization. Medical volunteers should be certified health care professionals, such as doctors, PAs, nurses, EMT/Fire personnel, athletic trainers. Students training in a health care profession may volunteer alongside a certified professional.
Class A volunteers must:
- complete the 15 minute online Protective Behaviors Training
- fill out a Volunteer Screening Form granting SONC permission to run a background check on them. If you are serving in a Class A volunteer role, please reach out to your local coordinator to get the Volunteer Screening Form!
We care about your privacy! Please read the SONC Volunteer Privacy Statement to see what we are doing to protect your vital information.
