We love our volunteers! Special Olympics Washington would not exist today, nor be as successful as it is, without the thousands of volunteers who dedicate their time, talents, energy and especially their enthusiasm to making the world a more inclusive and accepting place.
Not sure where to start? Visit our SO Portal to peruse opportunities or email us at volunteer@sowa.org.
Event Volunteer Roles
- Description: Provide day-of support for Special Olympics Washington’s events, competitions, and programs.
- Examples: Event setup at an athletics competition, scorekeeping at a basketball competition, check-in table at a health event, data entry at a Unified Robotics championship
- Commitment: Day-of
- Next Step: Sign up for an upcoming opportunity by creating a profile and registering for an event within the SO Portal: https://portals.specialolympics.org/
Volunteer Leadership Roles
- Description: Work directly with our athletes and staff to execute Special Olympics Washington’s signature events, competitions, and programs.
- Examples: Coach, Program Coordinator, Games Management Team, Sports Resource Team, Athlete Leadership Council Advisor, etc.
- Commitment: Variable
- Next Step:
- Review the Become a Volunteer Leader page and apply for other volunteer roles under Do More with Special Olympics (find more specifics of when and where under Sign Up for An Event)
- Currently recruiting for Winter Season (Nov 2025 – March 2026): https://portals.specialolympics.org/event-details/?id=e691f9fb-de72-f011-bec3-000d3a30b017
- Questions or need support? Email us at volunteer@sowa.org or submit a request: bit.ly/SOWA-PortalSupport.
Health Volunteer Roles
- Description: Support Special Olympics Washington’s health programs and Healthy Athletes screening events.
- Examples: Physical Therapists, Dentists, Audiologists, Optometrists, Podiatrists, Psychiatrists, Medical Doctors, Nurses, Dietitians, Health Care and Medical Students
- Commitment: Variable
- Next Step: Sign up for an upcoming opportunity by creating a profile and applying for a health role within the SO Portal: https://portals.specialolympics.org/
Specialty Volunteer Roles (varies)
- Description: Lend your talents and expertise to a specialty service for a Special Olympics Washington event, competition, program, or major initiative. Examples:
- Examples: Security or medical volunteer at an event, special project volunteer in technology, project management, etc.
- Commitment: Variable
- Next Step: Let us know your skills and preferences by creating a profile and updating your profile within the SO Portal: https://portals.specialolympics.org/