Volunteers

Youth volunteers between ages 11 – 13 may volunteer with a parent or adult guardian. Teen volunteers between ages 14 – 17 may volunteer in select roles. Sky’s the limit for folks that are 18+!

We love volunteer groups! If you are new to our program:

• Step 1: Have an adult create an account
• Step 2: Once created, email volunteer@sowa.org with the following:
  • Name listed on the account
  • City of residence
  • First name, last name, email (if applicable), and birthdays (if between 11-17) of your group members
  • Preferred event, date, and shift
• Do you have a larger group of 10 or more?  Please contact us at volunteer@sowa.org so that we can find the perfect fit for your group!

Class A volunteers are typically in close contact with athletes and/or handle money merchandise, fundraisers. These types of roles require background check as well as additional training. Class B volunteers do not require a background check, with some requiring additional training.

Yes! Feel free to send any verification forms to volunteer@sowa.org and/or reach out to us if you need help.

The portal is where all athletes and volunteers create an account and register to participate with Special Olympics Washington. Once an account is created, volunteers will be able to view opportunities to get involved.

Check out the Volunteer Greats section above for more information on matching volunteer hours!

For the safety and security of our athletes, families, fellow volunteers, and staff, all must be registered prior to participating. In addition to supporting the need to run background checks for select volunteer roles, confirming volunteer hours, and having contact information handy in the case of emergency, this registrat6ion information allows Special Olympics Washington to plan for and report accurate volunteer numbers when event planning as well as applying for grants.

We appreciate you taking the time and willingness to share this information with us!

Yes, however, you will be required to register on-site. Depending on pre-registrations, available volunteer roles may be limited.

We take data security very seriously. Your data is encrypted and stored securely. For more details, please refer to our Privacy Policy https://www.specialolympics.org/privacy-and-data-security-policy

Yes, you will be able to use your cell phone, laptop, iPad or computer to create your account and sign in.

Your email address is needed for account verification, password resets, and to communicate important
information regarding your registration process.

No, each email address can only be associated with one account to ensure each user has a unique identity. If you already created an account with an email, you might just need to sign in instead of creating a new one.

We appreciate your registration efforts and apologize for any issues you are having! Please reach out to us at volunteer@sowa.org for assistance. If you prefer to talk on the phone, feel free to share your preferred phone number and best day/time to call.

• The minimum age to volunteer is 11 – ages 11-14 may volunteer with an adult. If new to our program:
  
  • Step 1: Have an adult create an account
  • Step 2: Once created, email volunteer@sowa.org with the following:
    • Name listed on the account
    • City of residence
    • First name, last name, email (if applicable), and birthdays (if between 11-17) of your group members
    • Preferred event, date, and shift

Let us know about your interests, skills, and talents under My Checklist > Add Your Skills so program staff can help match you

• Email us at volunteer@sowa.org or submit a request: bit.ly/SOWA-PortalSupport.