Volunteer with YSI

There are many ways to help. Whether you are an individual looking to spend quality time with a vulnerable preschooler or teen, a company interested in doing a service project, or a professional thinking about organizing a workplace drive, we have a great opportunity for you!

*Due to COVID-19 we are unable to host volunteers at this time. Please contact volunteering@ysiphila.org if you are interested in being added to our volunteer email list to be notified when we resume hosting volunteers. Thanks for your understanding.

Individual Volunteers

For a complete list of available volunteer opportunities for you please fill out our Volunteer Application, and email any related questions to volunteering@ysiphila.org.

Is your group/company interested in doing a service project?

If you are interested in organizing a group volunteer project for your company at YSI, fill out our Group Volunteer Application here and email any related questions to volunteering@ysiphila.org.

Steps to becoming a Youth Service, Inc. volunteer:

Download our Volunteer Application and review the different opportunities available and complete the application.
Download and complete the required volunteer clearances paperwork (clearances must be less than one (1) year old)
All Youth Service Volunteers who are who are age 18 or older are required to complete:
- Pennsylvania Criminal Record Clearance. FREE for Volunteers. Be sure to click on “New Record Check (Volunteers Only)”.
- Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance. FREE for Volunteers, as long as a volunteer hasn’t requested one in the past 57 months. See attached document for more details about obtaining this clearance.
- Volunteers who have NOT lived outside of Pennsylvania in the past ten (10) years, will need to sign a waiver to affirm their status.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Fingerprint Clearance. Volunteers who HAVE lived outside of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the past ten (10) years, need to get an FBI fingerprint background check. There is a cost for this clearance (approximately $22.60). IDEMIA uses service codes when identifying the authorized purpose for why an applicant is being fingerprinted. This ensures applicants are processed for the correct purpose and agency. See the attached document for more details about obtaining this clearance.
- In addition to the clearances above, if you will be volunteering at YSI’s Crisis Nursery, you will also need get a National Sex Offender Registration (NSOR) clearance by completing the NSOR form which will be forwarded to you by YSI’s Marketing Manager once you submit the volunteer application and clearances above; this clearance is obtained free of charge.
- In addition to the clearances above, if you will be in direct contact with our clients, you will also need to submit a health assessment, which includes results of a TB test or chest x-ray. The assessment needs to be less than one (1) year old from the time of starting to volunteer; an updated assessment is required every two (2) years. The information that needs to be included on the assessment will be forwarded to you by YSI’s Marketing Manager once you submit the volunteer application and clearances above.
Completed volunteer applications and clearances paperwork (Must be the original clearances results paperwork) can be submitted in three ways:
- Drop off or mail to our Main Office located at 410 N. 34th Street Philadelphia, PA 19104. Please print clearly when filling out the application.
- Fill out the application online and email it back to volunteering@ysiphila.org.
- Fax it to 215-222-2352 and email volunteering@ysiphila.org or call 215-222-3262 to let the Marketing Manager know that you sent an application.
If you have any questions during this process, please call 215-222-3262 or email volunteering@ysiphila.org.

Volunteer Testimonials

“As I have been blessed with opportunity in life, I feel it is important to give back to the community. Through my volunteer experience at Baring House, I have connected with many inspiring individuals and grown personally. Watching and aiding in the development of the infants and children over the last 6 months has been more than I could’ve asked for.”- Caroline Quindlen, volunteer at Baring House Crisis Nursery.

“I believe that it is important to get involved in volunteering and donating your time to a cause that you believe in. If you have been fortunate in life, it is your duty as member of society to help those in need in any way you can, whether it be through volunteering or making a donation to a charity.”- Kien Nguyen volunteer at Youth Emergency Service.

“While volunteering at Baring House, I have learned so much about being able to provide the best care to children as possible. I love being able to understand the children’s needs and make their experience at Baring house that much better by reading to them and teaching them new things.”-Seherzada Softic volunteer at Baring House Crisis Nursery.

“Through volunteering we are able to build connections and give back to the communities that we live in, given the privileged positions that we often hold as volunteers. At YSI specifically, volunteering provides me with the tangible opportunity to witness the beautiful, transformative journey that youth take when provided with the opportunity and resources to flourish and grow.”- Maria Priyma volunteer at Baring House Crisis Nursery.