Frequently Asked Questions

General

Does it cost me anything to volunteer with HandsOn Santa Clarita?

No, volunteers are not asked to pay a fee. But did you know that there is a monetary cost to connecting volunteers to meaningful service opportunities? Some of our most committed volunteers are also our biggest individual donors. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support volunteerism and help make HandsOn Santa Clarita even stronger.

How much time do I have to commit each month?

It's entirely up to you. Our goal is to make volunteering easy for everyone to fit into their busy schedules, so we offer projects with varying commitment levels. You can volunteer as much or as little as you like based on your availability and interests.

What kind of tools and resources will I have access to as a volunteer?

• You can quickly and easily sign up for volunteer opportunities that need your time, skills, talents, and enthusiasm.
• Opportunity details (including directions) are emailed to you immediately once you sign up for a project.
• You will receive a reminder email before the project date.
• You can easily remove yourself from opportunities you are no longer able to attend.
• You can view and modify your personal information including contact information, skills and interests.
• You can easily view your volunteer history.

How old do I have to be to volunteer?

Because the online privacy of children is important to us, you must be at least 13 years old to register as a volunteer on our website. Although children 12 or younger cannot create an account, several volunteer opportunities are open to youth in this age group. We offer projects that accommodate volunteers as young as 5. All volunteers under the age of 18 must bring a youth waiver form signed by their parent or guardian with them to the project.

Each volunteer opportunity is different, so be sure to check the age listing in each project's description.

How do I become a HandsOn Santa Clarita volunteer?

Becoming a HandsOn Santa Clarita volunteer is easy! Simply register yourself by creating a HandsOnSantaClarita.org account. It does not cost anything and your information will be kept private and secure.

I thought I already had a HandsOnSantaClarita.org account, but am unable to login to the system. Now what?

If you input your log-in (email address) and click "Forgot Password" and nothing happens, call or email the HOSC office. We'll look you up so that you don't create a duplicate account.

I tried to create an account, but the system says my email address is already in use. What should I do?

If during registration you receive a message that your email address is already in use, then click on the LOGIN link at the top right of the page, and enter your email address. If you do not know the password for your account, then click "Forgot Password" and password reset instructions will be emailed to you.

I forgot my username. How do I retrieve that information?

Your username is the email address you used when you created your account. If your email address does not work at login, please contact us at office@handsonscv.org and a HOSC representative should be in contact with you within two to three business days. Please provide us with your name, email address, and your preferred phone number.

I forgot my password. How do I retrieve that information?

Click the green "LOGIN" button on the top right of the website. Enter your username and click "Forgot password?" An email with a temporary password will be sent to you. Return to our website, click the green “LOGIN” button, and enter your username and your temporary password. The system will prompt you to change your password. PLEASE NOTE: Passwords must be at least eight characters.

Do I need to have an email address to volunteer with HOSC?

Yes. Our website uses your email address to identify you and send you important information about any volunteer opportunities you sign up for. If you do not have an email account, you can get one free of charge from Yahoo or Google. Free Internet access is also available from most public libraries.

I am a youth volunteer. How do I get started? How old do I have to be to register on this site?

Please visit our Group Volunteering page for information about volunteer opportunities for youth-only projects. You must be 13 years old to register as a volunteer on our website. Although children 12 or younger cannot create an account on this site, several of HOSC's volunteer opportunities are open to youth in this age group.

Can I keep track of my volunteer service through HandsOn Santa Clarita?

Yes. Once you create a volunteer account, your record of volunteer service is tracked and can be accessed at any time. Attendance at HOSC-managed opportunities is logged by the Volunteer Leader, allowing for an accurate volunteer record to be maintained for every registered volunteer. For opportunities managed by our Nonprofit Partners (Express Interest, or To-Be-Scheduled opportunities), our processes do not currently track these service hours.

To access your volunteer history:

- Log in to your volunteer account.
- Click on My Profile, and toward the middle of the page, you can see how many hours that you have logged so far.

I have a question that is not answered on this page.

Please email us at office@handsonscv.org.

Questions about creating an account with HOSC

What if I have questions about a volunteer opportunity and want them answered before I sign up?

At the bottom of every volunteer opportunity page, there is a link to email the Opportunity Leader. By clicking on this link, you can email your questions directly to the Opportunity Leader. If you do not hear back within two to three days, please email office@handsonscv.org.

I would like to volunteer with a group of friends/family/co-workers. How do I create and manage a volunteer team?

Please visit our Group Volunteering page for information about how to create and manage a team.

I have been waitlisted for a project. Now what?

When (and if) a space opens up, you will be notified via email. Open spaces will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you are still available and interested for the volunteer opportunity, make sure you login, return to the sign-in page and claim one of the open spaces. PLEASE DO NOT JUST SHOW UP FOR THE PROJECT.

Nonprofit Partner FAQs

How do I post volunteer opportunities on HandsOn Santa Clarita's website?

Our Nonprofit Partners can post their own volunteer opportunities on our website once they have completed the Partner Training. To get more information on upcoming training dates, please contact Seema Shah at office@handsonscv.org

I just submitted my volunteer opportunity. Why isn't it visible on the website yet?

HandsOn Santa Clarita staff members review all volunteer opportunities before approving them to appear on our website. The approval process generally takes less than 48 hours. You will receive an e-mail notification once the project has been approved and posted. If your project does not appear on the website within three business days, please contact us.

How will volunteers express interest in my opportunity?

The HandsOn Santa Clarita website functions as a search engine for volunteer opportunities. Volunteers can search for opportunities based on location, interest and skills. When a volunteer expresses interest in a project, both the project contact and the volunteer will receive each other's contact information. We highly recommend that the Nonprofit Partner organization's staff contact the volunteer within 3-5 business days. HandsOn Santa Clarita tracks volunteer feedback to ensure that the process works smoothly.

I have received a notice that my organization's project(s) are expiring. What should I do?

The e-mail will include a prompt to update your opportunity. However, you will also receive this notice about projects when your organization's partnership is expiring.

Need us to answer a question that's not included on this page?

Email us at office@handsonscv.org

CRCS Volunteers

I am a court-ordered volunteer. How do I get started?

Please visit our Court Referral Service page.