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Be a Volunteer in Pinellas

Make a difference in your community! Volunteer with Pinellas County to help provide quality service to your fellow citizens. 

It’s easy to become a VIP (Volunteer in Pinellas):

  • Review the positions to select those of interest.
  • Complete a quick, easy volunteer application form.
  • A volunteer site coordinator will contact you by phone or email.

Please check back often since this page is updated regularly.

Opportunities are listed by department in alphabetical order.

VIP logo

Other Opportunities

Animal Services

Our animals and award-winning staff and volunteers need your help at Animal Services. To volunteer, call the Animal Services Volunteer Coordinator at (727) 582-2600, option 7, or fill out the volunteer application form.

Current Positions

  • Dog Enrichment – Adults (18 years and older) are needed to provide enrichment to our shelter dogs. Enrichment includes walking, training, providing comfort items and companionship. Volunteer on weekday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon, with flexibility.
  • Pet Foster Care – Take animals into your home temporarily such as puppies and kittens too young for adoption, those recovering from surgery or illness, or senior pets that need to be out of a shelter environment.

Upcoming Position

  • Teen Program – Teens aged 15 to 18 can volunteer in the fall (September/October) or spring (March/April) to provide exercise and companionship to our shelter dogs and cats as you receive Bright Futures or other program hours toward scholarships. Please designate fall or spring on your application.

Building and Development Review Services

Building Services regulates and enforces compliance with the Florida building code including permits, plan review and inspections. Development Review Services reviews land development applications. Code Enforcement regulates and enforces county ordinances related to buildings and properties. Visit Building and Development Review Services to learn more.

To volunteer, call Volunteer Services at (727) 464-3367, option 2, or fill out the volunteer application form.

Current Positions

  • Clerical Assistant (Building Services) – Greet and assist visitors at 440 Court St., Clearwater, and perform a variety of office tasks.
  • Special Projects/Receptionist (Code Enforcement) – Greet and assist visitors at 631 Chestnut St., Clearwater, and perform office tasks such as answering the phone, filing, data entry, preparing files and helping with special mailings.

Clerk of the Circuit Court

Gain valuable work experience and insight into the court system. See volunteering at the Clerk’s Office.

To volunteer, call Volunteer Services at (727) 464-3367, option 2, or fill out the Clerk volunteer application form.

Current Positions

  • Compliance Assistant – Assist with data entry, reviewing reports and navigating various systems for resolutions. 
  • Jury Services – Assist in clerical areas such as processing questionnaires, data entry and filing. Attention to detail is needed.

Contractor Licensing

Contractor Licensing supports the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board which regulates certain construction and home improvement contractors. Staff help control unlicensed contractor activity and resolve citizen complaints.

To volunteer, call Volunteer Services at (727) 464-3367, option 2, or fill out the volunteer application form.

Current Positions

  • Assistant Clerk – Perform light clerical duties such as filing, copying, mail distribution and indexing at the Largo office.

Convention and Visitors Bureau

Did you know the St. Pete/Clearwater area is the No. 1 tourist destination on the Gulf Coast of the U.S., and tourism is the area’s No. 1 employer? Pinellas County’s official marketing agency is the Convention and Visitors Bureau also known as Visit St. Pete/Clearwater.

To volunteer, call Volunteer Services at (727) 464-3367, option 2, or fill out the volunteer application form.

Current Positions

  • Brand Ambassador – Help promote our destination to visitors at local events and festivals. High-energy and excellent communication skills are needed.

Emergency Management

Emergency Management helps citizens prepare, respond and recover from disasters such as hurricanes by coordinating preparedness and recovery plans, operating the Emergency Operations Center, providing public education programs and more.

To volunteer, call Volunteer Services at (727) 464-3367, option 2, or fill out the volunteer application form for an outreach position or the disaster assignment application form for a disaster position.

Current Positions

  • Amateur Radio Operators – Assist with alternate communications for events, exercises and outreach activities. Training and support are available. Must be a Licensed Amateur Radio Operator.
  • Emergency Management Ambassador – Assist with community outreach on preparing for emergencies and what to do during and after an emergency. Public speaking and good people skills are needed. Bilingual capabilities desired.
  • Also see disaster assignment positions.

Parks & Conservation Resources

We maintain more than 20,000 acres of parks and preserves. Help others enjoy the great outdoors or explore history. Learn more at Volunteer in Parks/Preserves/Heritage Village/Extension.

To volunteer, call Parks & Conservation Resources at (727) 582-2100, option 2, or fill out the volunteer application form.

Current Positions

  • Boat Shop Greeter (Heritage Village) – Use a short script to greet visitors and share exhibits that detail the history and passion for boating in Pinellas County.
  • Caretaker (Heritage Village) – Contribute to the preservation of our buildings and the safety and enjoyment of our visitors by performing light housekeeping tasks around the property.
  • Garden Helper (Heritage Village) – Serve with others to prepare and maintain the Heritage Garden. Activities include soil preparation, planting, watering, weeding, harvesting and sharing information with visitors.
  • General Projects (Multiple Locations) – Duties include planting and maintaining vegetation, researching species and history of the park, giving tours, clerical support and assisting with special events. Great opportunity for groups.
  • Gift Shop (Florida Botanical Gardens Foundation) – Conduct sales transactions, help customers and serve as a “goodwill ambassador.”
  • Gift Shop (Heritage Village) – Meet people and have fun while selling locally sourced arts and crafts. The gift shop is the major fundraiser for the Pinellas County Historical Society.
  • Hike Guides (Weedon Island Preserve) – Lead walking tours to share your love of nature, history and culture.
  • Historic Building Guide (Heritage Village) – Welcome visitors to a historic building and introduce them to part of the history of Pinellas County.
  • Information Desk (Weedon Island Preserve) – Answer general questions about the preserve, exhibits and education center.
  • Invasive Vegetation Removal (Multiple Locations) – Learn to distinguish between native and harmful growth, remove invasive plants and vines. Great opportunity for groups.
  • Maintenance Assistant (Florida Botanical Gardens) – Work outdoors in the Florida Botanical Gardens to install new plants, mulch and weed.
  • Master Gardener (Extension) – Provide outreach education and gardening. First-year master gardeners provide 75 hours annually, second year and beyond provide 35 hours per year.
  • Opening and Closing (Heritage Village) – Prepare for visitors by opening the historic buildings in the morning or closing them at night.
  • Park Maintenance (Fort De Soto) – Duties include vegetation management, light repairs, groundskeeping, cleaning and painting.
  • Park and Trail Maintenance/Litter Patrol (Multiple Locations) – Help maintain safe, clear and clean nature trails at our parks. Great opportunity for groups.
  • Wee-Time Program Leader (Weedon Island Preserve) – Choose a story and activity, then present it to a small group of preschoolers.
  • Welcome Desk (Extension) – Greet visitors, answer basic questions (a list of FAQs will be provided) and track the questions received.
  • Welcome Desk (Heritage Village) – Welcome visitors and provide information as needed.

Public Works

Public Works manages infrastructure and environmental resources for Pinellas County. Services include mowing, urban forestry, mosquito control, traffic control, sidewalks, roads, drainage and bridge maintenance.

To volunteer, call Volunteer Services at (727) 464-3367, option 2, or fill out the volunteer application form.

Current Positions

  • Pollution Prevention & Education – Assist environmental specialists with duties such as storm-drain marking, educational materials drafting and distribution, cleanup activities, restoration planning and implementation, course preparations, translations, site inspections, and community events. Work may involve the Living Shoreline projects, Adopt-a-Pond program, fertilizer ordinance compliance and National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit requirements.
  • Tree Inventory Technician – Help staff measure and record information on trees in the County rights-of-way. Volunteers will learn tree identification, tree measurement techniques, and how to collect tree data using the Field Maps app on an iPad.

Solid Waste and Recycling

Solid Waste manages the Solid Waste Disposal Complex (SWDC), which includes the Waste-to-Energy Facility, Bridgeway Acres Landfill, and the Household Hazardous Waste Center. The SWDC manages over one million tons of garbage each year. Solid Waste operates recycling drop-off centers throughout the County and educates residents on how to recycle and reduce waste. The department’s vision is zero waste to landfill by 2050.

To volunteer, call Solid Waste at (727) 464-7500, or fill out the volunteer application form.

Current Positions

  • Clerical Assistant (remote or onsite in St. Petersburg) – Assist the Business Waste Assessment Section with electronic filing of historic records.
  • Customer Experience Specialist (onsite in St. Petersburg) – Assist staff in labeling and displaying chemicals in the Swap Shop and assist the public in checking out chemicals for reuse. The Swap Shop is a facility where reusable chemicals received at the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Center are offered to our citizens free of charge.
  • Recycling Center Educator (onsite in St. Petersburg) – Work outdoors at a satellite recycling location to greet residents, provide information on recycling and proper disposal, and dispense educational materials.
  • Recycling Research Assistant (onsite in St. Petersburg) – Assist staff in identifying and adding materials to the Where Does it Go? search tool. Research facilities that can reuse, recycle, recover, or dispose of materials. Audit existing facilities to ensure they are still able to accept the materials identified and determine if they have expanded to accept additional materials.
  • Waste Diversion Specialist (onsite in St. Petersburg)- Greet customers, check them in and out, and help with traffic flow at Household Chemical Collection events. These events provide residents with the opportunity to recycle and/or properly dispose of their household chemicals so they are kept out of the trash.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport

The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) is a commercial service airport that serves more than 2 million passengers per year. Primarily serving leisure travelers, PIE offers more than 55 domestic and international nonstop flights. PIE provides an easy going, friendly travel experience in Tampa Bay.

To volunteer, call Volunteer Services at (727) 464-3367, option 2, or fill out the volunteer application form.

Current Positions

  • PIE PUPs – Join the therapy dog team, Project PUP (Pets Uplifting People), to help ease travel stress for passengers waiting to board a flight. All dogs must be screened by Project PUP Coordinators.

8/31/23