There are many charity volunteer organizations for college students that have offices and/or chapters nationwide, making them accessible to students at most American universities. Major organizations like these, such as AmeriCorp, the Peace Corps and Student Volunteers in the Federal Government usually have a fairly structured organizational plan in terms of student volunteering and what roles are available for college students who wish to volunteer. In some cases, students may even be able to earn credit for their involvement with these organizations.
There are endless volunteer options for college students who wish to volunteer on their own campus within a school organization. Think about your school and its specific needs; is there a fundraising campaign that needs volunteers? Are there any special interest groups that need volunteer promoters? Every school requires freshmen orientation leaders and other volunteers to lead activities throughout the year for new students. Volunteering on campus gives college students the opportunity to meet other students outside of their immediate social circle.
If your goal is to volunteer with a charitable organization that reaches beyond the scope of your college campus, community organizations are a great place to start. Research youth groups, outreach programs or church groups that need volunteers for things that match your interests or ambitions. The Corporation for National and Community Service makes this exceedingly easy by matching students with a volunteer opportunity in their area of the country and area of interest.
For the more adventurous college student, countless opportunities to volunteer for charity organizations abroad exist. While your college probably has a student life office that can offer you information about these types of volunteering opportunities, you can look into them yourself as well. Most volunteer opportunities that exist abroad involve humanitarian work of some kind, such as building homes or schools, installing clean water systems or doing public outreach work involving health care. If this is the volunteering route you choose, make sure you are prepared for the demands of volunteering abroad, as they can be both emotionally and physically taxing.