The UUCSJ Volunteer Program is designed to be a powerful opportunity for individuals who are willing to lend their time, compassion, and skills to leave a meaningful impact with one of our partner organizations; however, this volunteer program also provides a framework to help volunteers deepen their understanding of systems of injustice and reflecting on one’s personal connection to justice work.

How UUCSJ understands volunteering:

  • We strive to place the needs of our partners first
  • We strive to move at the speed of trust
  • We strive to constantly reflect on and dismantle the saviorism often inherent in cross-cultural volunteer work

Click the button below to read UUCSJ’s grounding framework: The Volunteer Journey: Lighting the Way to Right Relationship [PDF]

The Volunteer Journey: Lighting the Way to Right Relationship

Interested in volunteering? Check out the opportunities below

Please note: UUCSJ is currently NOT organizing any in-person or virtual volunteer cohorts. To volunteer, you must reach out to the organizations directly.

Al Otro Lado

Volunteer with Al Otro Lado here: https://alotrolado.org/volunteer 

Al Otro Lado (AOL) is a bi-national, U.S. and Mexico, organization offering direct legal services to underserved deportees, migrants, and refugees. They welcome volunteer attorneys, accredited representatives, paralegals, law students, health care workers, social workers, interpreters, translators, and other individuals who are passionate about immigrant rights! Some of their projects include:

  • Border Rights Project – Tijuana
  • Otay Mesa Detention Center Release Project – San Diego
  • Deportee Program – Tijuana + Los Angeles
  • Family Reunification Project
  • Remote Legal Team

Annunciation House

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY IN EL PASO! Shelters are beyond capacity and hundreds of individuals are being dropped in the streets of El Paso. Volunteers are needed to staff temporary and current shelters. On September 12, 2022 over 900 refugees were released. About 300 were released into the street. Recent releases have been between 600-900 per day. 

If you have time and resources to get to and stay in El Paso, please support! Spanish fluency is not required. Annunciation House prefers volunteers who can stay for a minimum of two weeks, and longer is great! 

Contact Annunciation House at volunteercoordinator@annunciationhouse.org to sign up! 

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Heather Vickery is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with UU congregations, State Action Networks, past UU College of Social Justice (UUCSJ) program participants, and regional staff in order to expand engagement in UUSC and UUCSJ’s work. As the Coordinator for Congregational Activism, she manages the workshop offerings and group visits to the UUSC/UUCSJ office and assists with communications for the Activism and Justice Education Team. Heather is an active member of the Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network and a dedicated dog-mom to her rescue puppy Nova.

Heather may be contacted at hvickery@uucsj.org and 617-301-4303