Get Involved: Parks & Recreation

Requirement: Must be 18+ years of age. Background check required (criminal, APS, and CPS).

Average volunteer time: 2.5 hours per club night, based on your availability.

Available locations:

• Easterday Recreation Center (Tuesday night Hi-Times Club, ages 14–21)
• Auld Pavilion (Wednesday night Connections Club, ages 36+; Thursday night Friendship Club, ages 22–35)

Tasks performed:

• Set up and break down chairs, tables, and activities.
• Monitor participants and help ensure a safe environment.
• Greet participants and take attendance.
• Lead games and activities such as Pictionary, Family Feud, bingo, and crafts.
• Decorate the facility for holiday parties.
• Prep and distribute snacks and beverages.
• Participate and have fun alongside club members.

Lincoln Parks and Recreation values inclusion and diversity. Come be a part of making memories and participating in experiences with our social clubs designed for participants with various intellectual or physical disabilities.

Requirement: Must be 19+ years of age. APS/CPS and OneSource background checks required. Confidentiality form required.

Average volunteer time: Flexible based on availability. Day Structure runs Monday–Friday, 7:30am–3:30pm.

Available locations:

• Easterday Recreation Center

Tasks performed:

• Interact with participants; be friendly and get to know them.
• Help participants complete activities; support with writing, reading, physical games, and mobility needs.
• Encourage participants to take part in activities; model what participating looks like.
• Help staff with small tasks such as cleaning, activity prep, and serving lunch.

Volunteers help support participants and staff in our Adult Day Structure Program, which serves adults with mental health diagnoses, physical and/or medical health needs, and those facing the negative effects of isolation.

Requirement: Must be 16+ years of age. Background check required (criminal, APS, and CPS).

Average volunteer time: Flexible based on availability. Camp runs Monday–Friday, 9:00am–2:00pm; volunteer for one day or all six weeks.

Available locations:

• Auld Pavilion

Tasks performed:

• Set up and break down tables and chairs.
• Prep for projects and games.
• Monitor camper safety during programs.
• Engage with campers throughout the day.
• Greet campers and families during drop-off and pick-up.

Our adaptive summer camps provide an inclusive environment where youth with various physical and/or intellectual disabilities can confidently participate. Whether your interests are in art camp, drama camp, or a more traditional summer camp, you can help facilitate summer fun for our campers.

Requirement: No age restriction. Open to individuals or groups (family, business). No background check required. City of Lincoln waiver required.

Average volunteer time: At least once a month preferred. Hours flexible during park open hours.

Available locations:

• The adopted park

Tasks performed:

• Clean up trash in the adopted park, preferably at least once a month.
• Notify the Parks and Recreation office of any issues in the park (broken playground equipment, items needing maintenance, etc.).

Adopt a specified park for a 1- to 2-year period as a single volunteer or a group. Gain a sense of ownership and responsibility for your park space by keeping it clean.

Requirement: No age restriction. Open to individuals or groups (family, business). No background check required. City of Lincoln waiver required.

Average volunteer time: At least once a month preferred. Hours flexible.

Available locations:

• The adopted trail section

Tasks performed:

• Clean up trash along the trail, preferably at least once a month.
• Notify the Parks and Recreation office of any issues along the adopted trail section (items needing maintenance).

Adopt a specified trail section for a 1- to 2-year period as a single volunteer or a group. Gain a sense of ownership along your trail by keeping it clean.

Requirement: Must be at least 16 years old. High school students, college students, and adults welcome. Full background check required.

Average volunteer time: 1–3 hours per week, ideally at least 20 hours total.

Available locations:

• Community Learning Centers and recreation program sites across Lincoln

Tasks performed:

• Encourage student participation, confidence, and positive study habits.
• Build supportive and respectful relationships with youth.
• Assist program staff with academic enrichment activities and small groups.
• Support reading, homework, math, and literacy activities in one-on-one or small-group settings.

Afterschool Tutors support elementary and middle school students by providing encouragement, academic support, and positive mentorship during afterschool programs. Open to community members, college students, retirees, and university service-learning or work-study participants (such as America Reads tutors).

Requirement: 16+ if volunteering alone; youth welcome if supervised. Background check required due to water features and proximity to youth. Annual Volunteer Waiver required.

Average volunteer time: 2 hours per visit, 3 days total commitment, weekly.

Available locations:

• Canopy Yard — Common Ground Plaza

Tasks performed:

• Keep the Common Ground Plaza clean, safe, and free of debris, graffiti, and trash/stickers.
• Promote appropriate usage and provide guidance to neighboring landmarks.
• Spot maintenance issues before they become hazards.
• Share general Canopy Yard excitement and knowledge.

Become a Champion at Canopy Yard by promoting the Common Ground Plaza with the community.

Requirement: 16+ if volunteering alone; youth welcome if supervised. No background check required. Annual Volunteer Waiver required.

Average volunteer time: 2 hours per visit, 3 days total commitment, weekly.

Available locations:

• Canopy Yard — Dog Park

Tasks performed:

• Keep the Dog Park clean, safe, and free of debris, graffiti, and trash/stickers.
• Promote appropriate usage and provide guidance to neighboring landmarks.
• Spot maintenance issues before they become hazards.
• Share general Canopy Yard excitement and knowledge.

Become a Champion at Canopy Yard by sharing your enjoyment of the Dog Park with the community.

Requirement: 16+ if volunteering alone; youth welcome if supervised. No background check required. Annual Volunteer Waiver required. Tree maintenance requires a licensed arborist.

Average volunteer time: 2 hours per visit, 3 days total commitment, weekly.

Available locations:

• Canopy Yard — landscape and garden areas

Tasks performed:

• Keep landscape and garden areas cultivated, free of trash and debris, and looking nice.
• Promote appropriate usage and provide guidance to neighboring landmarks.
• Spot maintenance issues before they become hazards.
• Share general Canopy Yard excitement and knowledge.

Become a Champion at Canopy Yard by sharing your passion for Landscapes and Gardens with the community.

Requirement: 16+ if volunteering alone; youth welcome if supervised. No background check required. Annual Volunteer Waiver and guidelines/agreement required.

Average volunteer time: 2 hours per visit, 3 days total commitment, weekly.

Available locations:

• Canopy Yard

Tasks performed:

• Keep paths and trails clean, safe, and free of debris, graffiti, and trash/stickers.
• Promote appropriate usage and provide guidance to neighboring landmarks.
• Spot maintenance issues before they become hazards.
• Share general Canopy Yard excitement and knowledge.

Become a Champion at Canopy Yard by sharing your passion for the paths and trails that connect us in the community.

Requirement: 16+ if volunteering alone; youth welcome if supervised. Background check required due to various ages of users in the Playground and Pump Track areas. Annual Volunteer Waiver required.

Average volunteer time: 2 hours per visit, 3 days total commitment, weekly.

Available locations:

• Canopy Yard — Playground and Pump Track

Tasks performed:

• Keep the Playground and Pump Track clean, safe, and free of debris, graffiti, and trash/stickers.
• Promote appropriate usage and provide guidance to neighboring landmarks.
• Spot maintenance issues before they become hazards.
• Share general Canopy Yard excitement and knowledge.

Become a Champion at Canopy Yard by sharing your enjoyment of the Playground and Pump Track with the community.

Requirement: 16+ if volunteering alone; youth welcome if supervised. Background check required due to various ages of users in the skatepark. Annual Volunteer Waiver required.

Average volunteer time: 2 hours per visit, 3 days total commitment, weekly.

Available locations:

• Canopy Yard — Skatepark

Tasks performed:

• Keep the Skatepark clean, safe, and free of debris, graffiti, and trash/stickers.
• Promote appropriate usage and provide guidance to neighboring landmarks.
• Spot maintenance issues before they become hazards.
• Share general Canopy Yard excitement and knowledge.

Become a Champion at Canopy Yard by sharing your passion for the Skatepark with the community.

Requirement: No age restriction. Full background check required for ongoing roles; not needed for one-day events. Background check required for any roles involving minors.

Average volunteer time: 2–4 hours per shift, daily/weekly/monthly based on availability.

Available locations:

• Airpark Recreation Center
• Irving Recreation Center
• Belmont Recreation Center
• Calvert Recreation Center
• F Street Recreation Center
• Easterday Recreation Center

Tasks performed:

• Clean and maintain common areas such as meeting rooms, hallways, restrooms, and entryways.
• Sweep, mop, dust, and sanitize surfaces as needed.
• Assist with trash removal and recycling.
• Help keep outdoor areas tidy, including entrances, walkways, and shared spaces.

The Cleaning Support Volunteer plays a key role in creating a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for everyone who uses the community center.

Requirement: Must be 18+ years of age. Full background check required. Interview required. Lesson plans approved by supervisor.

Average volunteer time: 1.5 hours per session, weekly for 6–8 week sessions.

Available locations:

• City Recreation and Community Centers

Tasks performed:

• Lead 8–12 students in academic, hobby, artistic, or athletic activities.
• Teach, excite, and inspire Kindergarten through 5th-grade students.

Lead weekly hour-long afterschool clubs for elementary students. Help children develop knowledge, abilities, and skills that support success in school and in life.

Requirement: No age restriction. Full background check required for ongoing roles; not needed for one-day events.

Average volunteer time: 2–4 hours per shift. From a single shift up to 5 days per week during peak periods.

Available locations:

• City Recreation and Community Centers

Tasks performed:

• Assemble meals.
• Sign in participants.
• Serve food in various settings.
• Distribute food bags.
• Clean and reset food service areas.

Serve meals, distribute food bags, and serve food in various community settings. Help ensure individuals and families are fed.

Requirement: Must be 18+ years of age (minors welcome with guardian). No background check required. City of Lincoln waiver required.

Average volunteer time: 1–2 hours per event, one-day commitment per event.

Available locations:

• Sunken Gardens
• Cascade Fountain (Teacher's Fountain)
• Hamann Rose Garden
• Strolling Garden
• Citywide

Tasks performed:

• Plant and establish annuals in gardens.
• Weed gardens as needed.
• Water gardens as needed.

Volunteers participate in events during the yearly growing season, supporting Public Gardens staff with the upkeep of Sunken Gardens, Hamann Rose Garden, Teacher's Fountain/Cascades, and the Strolling Garden.

Requirement: Must be 18+ years of age (minors welcome with guardian). No background check required. City of Lincoln waiver required. Must complete the Garden and Landscape Helper role first.

Average volunteer time: 1–2 hours per visit, bi-weekly.

Available locations:

• Citywide (assigned garden or display bed)

Tasks performed:

• Plant and establish annuals in gardens.
• Weed gardens as needed.
• Water gardens as needed.
• Responsible for the health of an assigned garden display or landscape.

Stewards are responsible for the ongoing care and maintenance of a garden or display bed, including weeding, mulching, and watering as needed. This role requires an annual commitment and prior Garden and Landscape Helper experience.

Requirement: Must be 18+ years of age (minors welcome with guardian). Background check required. City of Lincoln waiver required. Public Gardens staff approval required.

Average volunteer time: 1–2 hours per visit, 1–2 times per week.

Available locations:

• Sunken Gardens
• Hamann Rose Garden
• Rotary Strolling Garden

Tasks performed:

• Provide information to visitors.
• Lead guided tours through the public gardens.

Garden Docents share Lincoln's iconic public gardens with the community. Volunteers provide information to visitors and lead guided tours through Sunken Gardens, Hamann Rose Garden, and the Rotary Strolling Garden, typically June through October. Docent training is available.

Requirement: Must be 18+ years of age. Full background check required. Valid driver's license required (for golf cart use). Citywide liability waiver required.

Average volunteer time: 4–6 hours per shift, weekly or monthly based on availability.

Available locations:

• Lincoln's 18-hole City golf courses

Tasks performed:

• Assist with starting golfers on the course.
• Remind golfers of rules and etiquette.
• Monitor pace of play to ensure smooth flow around the course.
• Provide help with directions, lost balls, or any issues during play.
• Monitor golf cart use.
• Respond to golfers' questions or concerns on busy summer days.

Course Ambassadors help keep the desired pace of play on Lincoln's golf courses by acting as starters on the first tee, monitoring cart use, and responding to golfer questions on busy days. The goal: 18 holes in under 5 hours.

Requirement: No age restriction. Designed for high school or college students completing class volunteer-hour requirements. Minors require parent/guardian waiver signature. No background check required. City of Lincoln waiver required.

Average volunteer time: Any — dictated by class requirements.

Available locations:

• Any City of Lincoln park or trail location

Tasks performed:

• Clean up trash at various park or trail locations to satisfy volunteer hours required.
• Keep track of how much trash is collected.
• Log each date, location, and number of hours spent cleaning up.

Help meet your school's volunteer hour requirements while caring for Lincoln's parks and trails. Earn community service hours by cleaning up green spaces across the City.

Requirement: Must be 18+ years of age. Full background check required. Experience working with youth, public education, or environmental topics preferred.

Average volunteer time: 2–3 hours per shift, as needed.

Available locations:

• Pioneers Park Nature Center

Tasks performed:

• Assist staff in leading school-age field trips and sparking curiosity in children who visit the Nature Center.
• Assist staff in presenting environmental education through hands-on activities and outreach materials.
• Support special events, Twilight Treks, Moth Night, Great Backyard Bird Count, and Nature Camp.
• Help with exhibit development and design.
• Support community outreach.

The Nature Center serves over 60,000 visitors annually through programs, field trips, preschool, and exhibits. Volunteers help expand the reach of the Nature Center and increase opportunities for the community to engage with the natural world.

Requirement: Must be 18+ years of age. Full background check required. Gardening experience preferred.

Average volunteer time: 2–3 hours per shift, weekly during the growing season (April–October). Out-of-season hours available but limited.

Available locations:

• Pioneers Park Nature Center

Tasks performed:

• Tend to plants in garden areas, including watering and pruning.
• Assist in plant propagation and planting.
• Weed and mulch landscaped areas.

Tend the gardens at Pioneers Park Nature Center, including the Louise Evans Doole Herb Garden, the George and Irene Alexander Bird Garden, the Children’s Garden, the Legacy Prairie Garden, and the Pollinator Butterfly Garden. The Nature Center connects people with nature through education, conservation, and meaningful experiences.

Requirement: Group of 5 or more people. Must be 18+ years of age. No background check needed for one-day events.

Average volunteer time: 2–5 hours, one-time. Peak opportunities April–October; group projects available year-round.

Available locations:

• Pioneers Park Nature Center

Tasks performed (assigned based on group skill and Nature Center need):

• Trail maintenance and landscaping.
• Invasive species removal.
• Litter clean-up.
• Event support (set-up, parking attendants, etc.).

Group volunteer projects are a great way for your organization to connect with the outdoors, give back to the community, and have fun. Staff will work with you to match your group’s interest with available projects at the Nature Center.

Requirement: Must be 18+ years of age. Full background check required. Interest in nature, outdoors, and the environment.

Average volunteer time: 2–5 hours per shift. Flexible based on need.

Available locations:

• Pioneers Park Nature Center

Tasks performed (assigned based on need and skill):

• Trail maintenance and landscaping.
• Gardening.
• Environmental education.
• Customer service.
• Invasive species removal.
• Litter clean-up.
• Event support (set-up, parking attendants, etc.).

The Pioneers Park Nature Center offers opportunities for individuals to volunteer in many capacities. Volunteering is a great way to connect with the outdoors, give back to the community, and have fun.

Requirement: No age restriction. Designed for individuals completing community service hour requirements (court-ordered, probation, etc.). Minors require guardian signature. No background check required. City of Lincoln waiver required.

Average volunteer time: Any — dictated by community service requirements.

Available locations:

• Any City of Lincoln park or trail location

Tasks performed:

• Clean up trash at various park or trail locations.
• Keep track of how much trash is collected.
• Log each date, location, and number of hours spent.

Complete required community service hours while caring for Lincoln's parks and trails. Self-scheduled during park open hours.

Requirement: No age restriction. Background check not required for one-day events; required for ongoing roles or roles involving minors.

Average volunteer time: Event hours — one-time, varies by event.

Available locations:

• Airpark Recreation Center
• Irving Recreation Center
• Belmont Recreation Center
• Calvert Recreation Center
• F Street Recreation Center
• Easterday Recreation Center

Tasks performed:

• Assist with event setup and breakdown (decorations, tables, signage, materials).
• Welcome and direct guests, providing information as needed.
• Support event activities, games, or workshops.
• Help manage registration or check-in areas.
• Ensure event spaces remain clean, safe, and organized.
• Work collaboratively with staff and other volunteers.
• Provide general assistance wherever needed during the event.

Support the execution of special events at Lincoln community centers. Ideal for individuals who enjoy working with people, contributing to their community, and helping create positive, engaging experiences for attendees of all ages.

Requirement: No age restriction. Full background check required for ongoing roles; not needed for one-day events.

Average volunteer time: 2–4 hours per shift, one-time or periodic.

Available locations:

• City Recreation and Community Centers

Tasks performed:

• Help with booths, activities, food, and other event needs.

Play an important role in special events that add connection, learning, and fun to our community. Help individuals and families come together for memorable shared experiences.

Requirement: No age restriction. Full background check required for ongoing roles; required for any role involving minors. Not needed for one-day events.

Average volunteer time: 2–4 hours per shift, daily/weekly/monthly based on availability.

Available locations:

• Airpark Recreation Center
• Irving Recreation Center
• Belmont Recreation Center
• Calvert Recreation Center
• F Street Recreation Center
• Easterday Recreation Center

Tasks performed:

• Engage with children through games, arts and crafts, sports, and other activities.
• Foster a welcoming and respectful environment for all participants.
• Supervise children during programs to ensure safety and positive behavior.
• Assist staff with activity setup and cleanup.
• Encourage teamwork, creativity, and confidence among participants.
• Communicate any concerns or incidents to staff.

The Youth Engagement Volunteer helps create a fun, safe, and supportive environment for children at the community center. By leading activities and encouraging positive interactions, this role supports social development, creativity, and a strong sense of belonging.