The RNC is over but, as ever, there are a myriad of ways that you can become more involved in your community! As members of the dynamic, multicultural Twin Cities, there is room for everyone to contribute to bettering our society, whatever your passion. Here’s some ideas on how you can get started!

NEIGHBORHOOD

Rather than taking on the whole city, a good place to start effecting change is in your own backyard! Your neighborhood association, community center and local public school are all good places to look for volunteering opportunities right around the corner from your house. Minneapolis Parks and Recreation is a great place to look to interact with the children of your neighbors. And, as always, there are many different neighborhood cleanup efforts going on around the cities.

WORKER’S RIGHTS/LABOR

Concerned about issues regarding worker’s rights? There are organizations around the Twin Cities that work year round on labor issues. The Worker’s Interfaith Network works on behalf of underrepresented workers and labor violations, and they have information for anyone looking to help out.

THE ENVIRONMENT

Looking to get more involved in the green community in Minneapolis-St. Paul? Do It Green! Minnesota, an organization with a widely-distributed annual guidebook, has an online database with event schedules, articles, and the Minnesota Green Pages directory containing everything from green restaurants, to places to get a more environmentally-friendly printer, to listings of ways to get involved in the green movement of the Twin Cities. Check out www.doitgreen.org/greenpages for the 411.

EDUCATION (KIDS KIDS KIDS)

In the age of No Child Left Behind, the public school system is cutting costs, and with those costs go programs and paid positions. Make an impact by volunteering in the school districts in any number of different ways. The St. Paul public school website has an online volunteer application, and if you enter “volunteer” in the search bar on the Minneapolis public school website, you’ll find a number of listings that have information about volunteer opportunities in public schools across the city.

PUBLIC ART/MEDIA

If art is your calling, then there are lots of ways to express yourself and to help others do the same! Whatever your medium, there are opportunities to be involved. A few examples are:

Phillips Community Television
One Voice Mixed Chorus
Free Arts Minnesota
Intermedia Arts
Project Success (theater arts)

CIVIL RIGHTS

Within the larger populace of the Twin Cities are many smaller disenfranchised populations that are building community and support for their movements. Opportunities for working together to build power are available at many non-profits around Minneapolis and St. Paul. St. Stephen’s Homeless Shelter has a human rights program that works toward recognition of the homeless community and political advocacy and action within the homeless community. They are a central resource linking to many other power-building and emergency help organizations in the cities.

SEXUALITY/GENDER RIGHTS

If you are an ally interested in counteracting homophobia and promoting equality for the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender (GLBT) community, check out the GLBT Pride/Twin Cities website. They’re already beginning to prepare for Twin Cities Pride Festival 2009, which will be held next June. And they are an excellent resource for becoming involved in the equality movement in many different ways! Go to www.tcpride.org for more information.

Looking to become more involved, or just need a referral to an organization that suits your skills or passions? Here are some on-campus resources that can help you make connections.

HECUA

The Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs is an organization that provides intercollegiate off-campus study programs focusing on justice issues on a local, state, national and global level. Their programs are 16-credit, semester-long opportunities to learn about affecting change. Their locally-based programs are Environmental Sustainability, Writing for Social Change, City Arts, Metro Urban Studies Term, and the Civil Rights Movement. Consult www.hecua.org or stop in at the Career and Community Learning Center to see the on-campus HECUA advisor for more information.

Career and Community Learning Center

Located in 345 Fraser Hall, the CCLC has a roomful of volunteer listings and fabulous peer advisors to help you get started in choosing the right opportunity for you! Contac them at (612) 626-2044 or at cclc@class.cla.umn.edu for more information.

Community Engagement Scholars Program

For students who are looking to make volunteerism an integral part of their education at the University of Minnesota, the Community Engagement Scholars Program is a wonderful opportunity. Participants accumulate over 400 hours of volunteer experience in the duration of their education at the University and make lasting connections with organizations in the community. Stop in at the Career and Community Learning center in 345 Fraser Hall or email Coordinator Laura Dammer Hess at cesp@umn.edu for more information.