The Pride Center of NJ is 100% run by volunteers at all levels. We could not serve the LGBTQ+ community without the generous support from people like you!
We offer many opportunities for you to give back to the PCNJ community. Click through the roles below to learn more about each opportunity. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at volunteer@pridecenter.org.
Have some questions before you volunteer? Check out the answers below.
Time commitment varies a little bit depending on the volunteer position, but is generally flexible and dependent on how much you want to get involved. You can volunteer for as little as a couple hours a month to a few hours a week. In general, as long as you communicate your preferences, we can find opporunities that align with your schedule!
Most of our volunteer opportunities are geared towards individuals or small groups of people. If you are a business looking to find opportunities for large groups of people for particular days, please contact us at volunteer@pridecenter.org and we can see if we have any opportunities that align with your interests.
Generally, we require volunteers to be at least 18 years old. That being said, we do operate a complete Youth Program for anyone under the age of 18. The Youth Program primarily offers a space for youth to socialize, but they often do manage independent civic initiatives. For more information on the Youth Program, check out this page.
Within approximately 24 hours, you should receive email correspondence with next steps. Each volunteer role requires a different level of training and followup, so keep an eye on your inbox for explicit instructions. If you haven't received an email within a few days of submitting your application, reach out to us at volunteer@pridecenter.org.
That's totally fine! Just make sure to communicate your time constraints on the front end and we can make sure match you with opportunities that meet your needs.
Still have some questions? Reach out to us at volunteer@pridecenter.org.
We are always looking for new people to oversee the Center and liaise with the community on a day-to-day basis. Liaisons primarily open/close the Center, welcome guests, and respond to messages from the community. Shifts are primarily in the evenings during the week with a few shifts sporadically scattered throughout the weekends depending on group activities.
PCNJ is proud to be able to offer a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth! The Youth Program is a space for youth to drop by, hang out, and simply be themselves. During these sessions, the only people allowed in the Center are the youth and a handful of Youth Advisors. The advisors are primarily there to ensure the youth are safe and to guide them with whatever initiatives they work on, but the youth are encouraged to take the reins during these blocks of time. The Youth Program runs on alternating Friday and Saturday afternoons.
The Pride Center of New Jersey hosts and participates in many events throughout the year. This can range from our annual fundraising Gala to various events at NJ Pride. Often times we need additional support in order to make these events happen. Event volunteers help us set up/clean up decorations, collect tickets or donations at the door, and generally help make each event a success! Shifts are largely dependent on the date and time of the event, but we do out best to communicate need well in advance.
We rely on all visitors to respect and maintain the space whenever they visit the Center. Front Desk Liaisons tidy up before and after shifts, and Group Leaders make sure they leave the space in good condition following their meetings, but because we do not have dedicated cleaning services, we require support to make sure that the Center is properly cleaned and maintained throughout the year. At a minimum we look for monthly cleanings while the Center is otherwise unused.
The Pride Center of NJ is 100% run by volunteers at all levels and, although we like to be responsive to the community's needs, we simply do not have the capacity or expertise to provide all types of support, so we rely on community partnerships and individual volunteers to help us supplement our programming. Are you looking to get involved (either individually or through your work)? Do you have an idea that you think would benefit the community and you want to lead? Did you find a relevant grant application that you'd like to help us pursue? Reach out to us directly and let us know!