I Serve LA--Make It Count

You’ve already been putting in the volunteer hours. Now let’s keep track.

I Serve LA logo

 
 

 

Cal State LA wants to know about the good work you do in the community. Help the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good track the number of hours that faculty, staff and students spend volunteering each year.

 

HOW IT WORKS

Report your hours by filling out the I Serve LA Tracker. Submit any time spent volunteering on and off campus during the 2019-20 academic year. For your convenience, this form is also accessible through Cal State LA’s GETmobile app.

Save the email receipt to keep a record of hours submitted.
Use the #IServeLA hashtag to contribute to our collection of stories on social media.If you lose track, contact the Center for Engagement,
Service, and the Public Good at (323) 343-3380
for a report.

 

WHAT SERVICE COUNTS?

Cal State LA bases its service hours on the definition of community service established by the federal government’s Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS):

Community service activities may include but are not limited to: service-learning, volunteer activities, work-study community service and paid community service internships. Community service includes both direct service to citizens (e.g., serving food at a soup kitchen) and indirect service (e.g., assessing community nutrition needs or managing a food bank).

 

Here are some examples of what counts as service:

  • Participating in Cal State LA Gives Back days
  • Coaching Little League or serving as a Girl Scout Troop leader
  • Serving on the board of a nonprofit
  • Volunteering at a nonprofit or similar organization (e.g., nursing home, school)
  • Organizing and preparing for a service project
  • Organizing or participating in a charity fundraiser
  • Pro-bono professional and/or medical services provided to a nonprofit organization
  • Service-learning activities that take place outside the classroom
  • Internships with nonprofit groups that serve the community
  • Donating blood
  • Service-related federal work-study hours coordinated through the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good and the Career Development Center (e.g., DC Reads, Jumpstart, AmeriCorps, PeaceCorps, Human Rights Watch)

 

WHAT DOESN'T COUNT?

Unfortunately, not all volunteer opportunities meet the service challenge guidelines. The following examples do not count as community service:

  • Paid employment (e.g., babysitting, service-related work tied to current employment)
  • Any activity related to the proselytizing of a religion or campaigning for an elected candidate or policy
  • Internships with companies or organizations that do not provide a direct service to the community (e.g., issue advocacy group, government or congressional office)
  • Participation in non-service university-related events (e.g., working at commencement)
  • Board service for which you are paid

 

WHY SHOULD I PARTICIPATE?

Community service participation is meaningful and valuable on its own. But there are other benefits to logging volunteer hours in the I Serve LA Tracker. We’ve created levels to help make tracking more fun:

Bronze Level – 50 hours per academic year
Silver Level – 200 hours per academic year
Gold Level – 350 hours per academic year

Participants who reach the Bronze Level or higher can earn additional perks, like listing their community service status on résumés or applications for scholarships, internships and graduate school; receiving acknowledgement on the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good’s website; and recognition at the Center’s annual luncheon.