FOR VOLUNTEERS:

There’s a good chance you’re here because you care about being a volunteer – kudos to you! Now that more organizations are opening to the public, the need for volunteers is great. Read along for some tips and features in the VH portal to help you help the community.

Download the Mobile App

The CauseConnect mobile app is available on iOS and Android and syncs with your web-based VH Portal account. Once you’ve downloaded the app simply log in with the same username and password you use to log in to the VH portal website. After you log in, you’ll automatically be connected to the same volunteer opportunities you see on the website.

The CauseConnect mobile app is available on iOS and Android and syncs with your web-based VH Portal account.

Browse VH Initiatives

If you have an interest in some different areas, check out our initiatives. Initiatives allow different organizations working towards the same goal to categorize their volunteerism efforts in one place for ease of use by volunteers. Take a closer look at them today!

• Refugee Support
• COVID-19 Response
• Donation Drives
• Environment
• Food Insecurity

Filter By Interest

There are a plethora of volunteer opportunities available – maybe you’re interested in looking for something that hits a specific hobby or personal interest of yours. Volunteer opportunities can be related to Arts & Culture, Advocacy, Education, Remote, Marketing, Medical, and so much more.

Utilizing the filters will allow you to find volunteer opportunities that suit your interests and needs. You’ll find your perfect match.

Other Filters: Date, Age, Location

Maybe you’re only free on a certain day of the month or you’re looking to volunteer on your day off. Filtering by date will show you the opportunities available on that date so you can make your volunteer plans.

Looking to bring your youngest out with you to volunteer? Don’t forget to filter by the age of your youngest volunteer! Some opportunities may not be available to all ages – this is a good way to make sure the volunteer opportunity is suitable for the whole family.

Wanting to volunteer in your area? Filter by distance to find opportunities near your zip code! Simply type in the zip code you’re looking to volunteer near, add the distance, and click “search.” You can find opportunities in your community.

Tracking Hours – and get a Volunteer Resume

Once you’ve completed some volunteer hours, start tracking your volunteer efforts. When you utilize the VH portal to track your volunteer hours, you can generate a Volunteer Resume which downloads as a PDF that you can upload and share with your LinkedIn profile, scholarship applications, job applications, and even to apply for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award!

Click to watch the following videos to see how to track your hours in the VH portal and download your volunteer resume. You can watch these videos and more at our Portal Tutorial Library.

FOR AGENCIES:

Volunteers are looking for opportunities to be involved now more than ever! Follow along with these tips to make sure volunteers are seeing your needs in the portal.

Need Duration – Avoid Ongoing Needs

Many volunteers filter opportunities in the portal by date. Folks will often search for a day they know they are available to volunteer. We recommend utilizing any need type aside from Ongoing needs – as there are no dates associated with those needs, they do not come up when volunteers filter by date.

Assigning Initiatives

If you have a volunteer opportunity that falls under a specific initiative, such as COVID-19 Response, Refugee Support, Environment, or Food Insecurity, assigning your need to that initiative will make your opportunities much more visible to volunteers.

Allow Teams to Register for Group Opportunities

If you have an opportunity that is open to groups, make sure you mark that you are open to teams registering. This will allow groups to sign up for multiple slots without everyone having to have a portal account.

Questions? Check out the Portal Tutorial Library!

Still have questions? Not quite sure how to best utilize the VH portal? No worries – we’ve created a Portal Tutorial Library just for you! Watch along to learn about best practices in the portal and to get a refresher.

We’re so glad you’re here to volunteer with us – happy volunteering and feel free to reach out to us at info@volunteerhouston.org if you have any questions.