As a non-profit, we thrive because of the generosity of our community. One way to contribute is by volunteering your time. Our volunteers are artists, professionals, students and retirees who assist in class registration, event coordination, reception, marketing, wellness services and preparation of the Open Center catalog. Interested? We ask for four hours of your time each week for a minimum of 4-6 months. In return, you are invited to be a classroom assistant, with tuition waived, in classes, workshops and lectures (subject to availability, after your first 20 hours). You will also be invited to attend special events and community mixers with members and staff. We also offer internships for college credit for applicable institutions. Interns dedicate 8 to 20 hours of their time a week for a minimum of three months. Interns receive discounts in our bookstore and on bodywork sessions, and are also entitled to enroll in classes without charge.
Volunteer Application Process
- Please read the manual before filling out an application.
- In addition to the completed application form, we will need one letter of recommendation from a professional or academic contact. It can also be helpful to email your resume to us.
- Please have your reference email your recommendation to volunteers@opencenter.org.
- Once your application and recommendation have been received and if we have an opening that matches your interest and availability, you will hear from Volunteer Services in two to four weeks.
- Because volunteers are such a vital part of the center’s community, the Open Center looks for a consistent four hours per week and a minimum commitment of four months from prospective volunteers. Please be certain that this is a good time for you to make such a commitment.
- We sometimes cannot place a prospective volunteer right away, even if s/he is a great candidate. Because of this, we keep applications on file for six months in case a volunteer position becomes available. Please contact us if your schedule changes.
If you have any questions, please email Volunteer Services at volunteers@opencenter.org. Thanks so much for your interest in the Open Center! We couldn’t do what we do here without our wonderful volunteer community. Click here to fill out the online volunteer application
“I arrived in New York; I didn’t know anyone. Luckily, I found the Open Center and became a volunteer. The community couldn’t have been more welcoming and I have made some great new friends.” — Jeff
“Since the day I set foot in the center I instantly felt at home with the wonderful people here, all of whom have something different to bring to the table. The opportunity to stretch my horizons by interacting with such a great group of people and by taking a wide breadth of classes has been amazing.” — Lesley B.