Student Organization Service Information
Volunteer UWF! is here to help student organizations find and make the most out of opportunities to serve.
Volunteer UWF! can assist you with…
• Tracking and recording your organization and member’s service hours
• Planning your service events
• Team-building and organizational activities
• Reflection activities on your service experiences
If you are a group of UWF students (a registered student organization, athletic team, sport club, academic group, departmental student group, etc.) and you are already doing community service or you want to get started contact us! Volunteer UWF! can help your student group identify community-defined needs that fit your group's interests.
You should make sure to register any service hours completed by your organization and its members with Volunteer UWF! so that individuals in your group can receive recognition.
Also, when your group registers service hours with Volunteer UWF! you work towards the President's Volunteer Service Award, a National Service Award signed by the President of the United States, which Volunteer UWF! awards to eligible groups every spring. We keep historical file on all groups as well, so you can schedule an appointment to view what your group has done in the past to help plan for the future!
Before you start volunteering…
Remember that volunteering is determined and driven by community needs, it is population focused and a means for a social change and it is a tool to give back and develop your organization andits members both personally and professionally. Take the Service Interest Inventory and Reflection is Key Handout to explore what type of volunteering opportunity is best suited for your organization and its members!
To ensure that each of your Organization ’s hours is accounted for, please consult Career Services
Key tenets of volunteerism (which will help determine if your hours are technically "volunteer hours")
You cannot get paid for any service hours that you complete… All hours must be voluntary/non-paid experiences. You must work with a non-profit agency to complete your hours. You may not work with a for-profit entity.
What are some of the Benefits of Student Organization Service
Student Organization Service can be…
• A tool to grow, build, and bond your student organization
• A fun way to interact with friends
• A great way to build contacts and experiences within your organization’s interest areas
• A way to become more civically engaged and community minded citizens
• An opportunity for members to explore majors and careers, build their resume and portfolio, gain valuate work experience, learn new skills, and increase transferrable skills
How can I find a place for my organization to volunteer?
There are many different agencies to volunteer with throughout the Pensacola and surrounding areas! The best way to find out the different agencies that are available is to view them through our online database JasonQuest, or schedule a personal appointment with a Volunteer UWF! representative to discuss your specific interests. If there are a large number of individuals from your organization interested in volunteering, you can set up an appointment with a Volunteer UWF! team member and we can assist you in selecting an organization to serve and working out the logistics of the event. Remember too, that you can request a Volunteer UWF! team member to come and speak at one of your organization’s meetings, and we will address all of your questions and concerns. Just give us call and make the request for a specific day and time.
Volunteering options other than on JasonQuest do exist!
As long as it is a legitimate non-profit organization, governmental agency, faith-based agency, K-20 Institution, Health Care Establishment, or if it has been cleared beforehand with a Volunteer UWF! representative, you will be able to have your service hours count. If you are unsure if the organization you are considering volunteering with is a legitimate non-profit or other acceptable organization, just contact Volunteer UWF! and we will let you know. We do not want to limit anyone from volunteering at certain places, we just want to make sure that your volunteer work will count and that you will be safe wherever you choose to go!
What if the person assigned to be our volunteer liaison left our organization?
The best way for your organization to stay connected with Volunteer UWF! is to have a Community Service Representative for your organization. That way he/she can stay updated on service opportunities as well as meeting deadlines for paperwork. If your organization’s liaison has vacated his/her position, simply elect a new person to that position and make sure to notify Volunteer UWF! so we can stay in contact with the individual. If a new representative is elected, make sure that he/she schedules an appointment with Volunteer UWF! to get acquainted with our office.
When is latest I can turn in the Event Registration form?
We request that all Event Registration forms be submitted at least 7 days prior to your event. However, we recognize that in some cases service opportunities arise that do not allow a seven day notice to Volunteer UWF! If that is the case, submit your Event Registration form as soon as you are aware of the opportunity so we can ensure it is a valid service opportunity in which your organization can receive credit. If your Event Registration Form is already late, contact Volunteer UWF! for approval to submit late.
How do we Register our Student Organization events with Volunteer UWF!?
When Hosting or Participating in Service Events…
1. Fill out an Organization Pre-Event Registration Form completely and turn it in to Volunteer UWF! seven (7) days PRIOR to the service event.
Student Organizations are required to have a corresponding Pre-Event Registration Form for each Event, or Volunteer UWF! reserves the right to refuse to record the hours for transcript benefit.
2. Complete an Organization Event Time Sheet and turn it in within seven (7) days after the service event. Make sure to take the time sheet to the actual event so that it can be signed by the agency/event supervisor. The supervisor who signs the time sheet must have been present at the actual event and should be a representative of the community agency that you were working with. Please also note that regular organization meetings do not count as service events.
Also, your supervisor should not be an officer or member of your organization, unless Volunteer UWF! pre-approves it BEFORE the event. The supervisor should be with the community agency where you completed your service.
(See the Forms section Below form complete information)
Can more than one club sign up on the same volunteer sheets?
Yes, but in order to do this, you have to have the specific timesheet: Special & One-Time Event Group Service Project Time Sheet. This Timesheet allows more than one organization to track hours on the same form, but still recognizes each unique organization. To get a copy of this form, click HERE.
When are Event Timesheets due?
Due to verification purposes with agencies, Student Organization Timesheets are due 7 days after the event to Volunteer UWF! You can submit your timesheet through fax at (850-473-7255), mail, in person to Volunteer UWF! in Career Services (Building 19), or scan it and e-mail it to volunteer@uwf.edu. If your Event Timesheet is already late, contact Volunteer UWF! for approval to submit late.
Can I turn in event timesheets late?
While we prefer to have all timesheets submitted within 7 days after the event, the deadline for getting an organization’s hours posted for the semester in which the service occurred is the Monday PRIOR to Final Exam Week during the semester. If a timesheet is submitted after the semester deadline, the service hours will be reported the following semester.
What happens if the organization I belong to doesn't turn in the volunteer sheets?
It is always important to remember to contact Volunteer UWF! to schedule an appointment to discuss any special circumstances or questions. (850)474-2254 or volunteer@uwf.edu.
If the Community Service Representative or Student Organization as a whole does not turn in the timesheets then the organization itself nor the members will receive any service hours recognition for the service hours completed. However, if an organization does not turn in the hours, but the individual still wants service hours recognition for hours completed, the individual needs to turn in an Individual Volunteer Timesheet recording the activities with a supervisor’s signature by the semester deadline to get the hours reported on JasonQuest.
Where can I find the necessary Student Organization forms?
Forms can be accessed through Volunteer UWF’s! website at http://uwf.edu/volunteer. Student Organization Timesheets and other forms will be available on the website for you to download and print out. Hard copies of the timesheets and forms are always available to pick-up in the Volunteer UWF!/Career Services office in Building 19. You can also email volunteer@uwf.edu or career@uwf.edu to request a copy of the forms to be emailed directly to you.
Does it matter if not everyone in the club has a JasonQuest account?
Yes, it does matter. It is important that every individual in your organization has a JasonQuest account because that is the only way their service hours will be reported and tracked through the university. If a student does not have a JasonQuest account the individual won’t get credit for the hours served nor will the student organization receive credit. It is the organizations responsibility to notify Volunteer UWF! when a student has registered in JasonQuest so we can record their service hours.
Is there any way I can look up my member’s JasonQuest accounts for them?
Unfortunately, no. For security reasons, JasonQuest accounts are private and password protected. However, an organization’s Community Service Representative or President can e-mail a copy of the organization’s roster to volunteer@uwf.edu and we can let you know which members have JasonQuest accounts and those that still need to be registered.
How many people from my organization have to participate in an event for it to count towards the student organization/group’s total volunteer hours?
In order for an event to be counted and reflected toward a Student Organization’s/Group’s cumulative total hours, the event must be registered though Volunteer UWF!, and then at least 2 members need to participate and volunteer for the event. However, we encourage at least 3-5 people participate in an event
Please note there is a new Student Organization Time sheet: the Student Organization Special & One Time Event Service Project Event Sign In Sheet & Timesheet- If there are multiple organizations participating in one service event together, then everyone (no matter what organization) can sign up on just ONE SHEET! Please remember to identify your organization name by your members’ names.
Thanks and we look forward to volunteering with you! Please let us know how we can help support your service efforts!
If for any reason you are unsure of how to proceed correctly, please contact Volunteer UWF! in Career Services 850-474-2254 or volunteer@uwf.edu.
**Please note that any timesheet received after the current semester deadline will be reflected the following semester.**
If you have any questions, please contact Volunteer UWF! in Career Services at
850-474-2254 or email volunteer@uwf.edu.