Volunteer

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.

Special Olympics Washington volunteers are fundamental to every program and event across the state. Volunteer opportunities range from coaching and program management positions to event volunteers. There is a place for everyone!

Depending on the role, volunteers in some of the ongoing roles may be required to go through training and a background check process – this will be indicated in the service description and application.

To volunteer at events, register using the event applications located on the Volunteer at Events page. 

Volunteer Updates & Announcements

• March 18, 2022:  Are you currently a coach looking to update your requirements for the upcoming season?  Please visit the coaching pages of our website  for the links to the online background check, quizzes, etc.
• March 18, 2022:  Volunteer registration links to upcoming Spring Season competitions are now open.  Some pages are still under construction as we finalize details but be sure to check back in a few days.  Click here to see the full event schedule.
• March 18, 2022:  Special Olympics Washington has a new ongoing volunteer role!  We are currently recruiting volunteers in several areas of the state that have a health and/or fitness background to become a Fitness Coach for the spring season. The Fitness Coach plays an essential role in implementing fitness and wellness programming with local teams. Fitness Coaches will facilitate our Fit 5 program with athletes and Unified partners at in-person practices over the course of 8-weeks. They may be matched to a team OR to a group of individual participants. Experience in a health or fitness field preferred. Must commit to full 8-week program. If you live in South King County, Pierce County, or in the Capitol or Northeast areas of the state (as identified by Special Olympics Washington) and would like to see more about this role, click here.  If you are interested in this role, please register at https://sowavolunteers.my-trs.com/

• Youth volunteers between ages 11 – 13 may volunteer with a parent or adult guardian.
• Youth volunteers between ages 14 – 17 may volunteer in select roles.
• Does your school require you to volunteer a certain number of hours?  We’d be happy to verify your hours upon completion or sign paperwork provided to us.

Adult Volunteers

Volunteer as an individual, or better yet, volunteer with a friend, neighbor or family member.  Large groups are also welcome so recruit your co-workers, faith community or members of your organization!  Please email volunteer@sowa.org for more information on volunteer opportunities for your group and instructions on how to register.

Volunteer Grants

Did you know that your volunteer hours can lead to a donation to Special Olympics Washington? Many companies will match the hours you volunteer with a financial contribution to an organization. To see if your organization participates and for more information, click here!

Class A Volunteers

Class A volunteers work more closely with our athletes and teams in roles such as Chaperones, Assistant Coaches and Head Coaches.  Or in their role as an Administrative Volunteer, they may handle confidential/sensitive paperwork.  These volunteers will be required to complete a background check, and in some cases, a Protective Behaviors online session and quiz.  Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through the requirements.