We have lots of opportunities for students and families to volunteer with Save The Bay! This page will answer some common questions about youth volunteering.
How old do you have to be to volunteer for Save The Bay?
Each volunteer opportunity has its own age requirements. In general:
- Volunteers must be age 16+ to volunteer independently (without a parent or legal guardian).
- Volunteers under 16 must volunteer accompanied by their parent or legal guardian (not a teacher or group leader)
- Aquarium volunteering and internships are open to ages 16+.
- Cleanups are recommended for ages 8+.
- All minors must have a waiver signed by a parent or guardian in order to participate.
Does my child need their own volunteer account?
It depends!
If you are bringing your children with you to volunteer for a family-friendly event like a cleanup, it is fine to register yourself for the event (you can even sign up as a team and reserve anonymous spots for your family) and then sign a paper family waiver for your children at the event at the check in table - no need for the children to create their own accounts.
Any minor volunteer who is volunteering independently - such as a 16+ cleanup volunteer attending on their own, or an aquarium volunteer - must create their own account with their own unique email address, and have an e-waiver completed by a parent or guardian. Note that you cannot use the same email address to create multiple accounts.
Youth who are volunteering with their parent/guardian may still wish to create their own account with their own email if they would like to track their volunteer hours in the volunteer portal.
I am a minor. How do I create my volunteer account and complete my waiver?
Minors who create their own accounts will do so with their own email. Later in the process, they will be asked to enter a parent/guardian's name and email as well. Then the minor will initial and sign their waiver, and submit. Then the parent will receive an email asking them to sign the waiver too. The volunteer will only be able to sign up for projects once the parent signs. So tell your parent to check their email and their spam folder! Click here to create a new account. Click here for a walkthrough video. IMPORTANT NOTE: Minors under the age of 13 need parental consent to be able to create an account on our volunteer portal. Begin the process of creating an account and ask your parent to check their email so they can consent to your creating an account.
I would like to sign up a team with volunteers who are under 18 - can I do that?
Yes you can, provided that the following conditions are met:
- All volunteers under 16 are volunteering with a parent or legal guardian.
- All volunteers who are 16 & 17 and volunteering without a parent have a waiver pre-signed by a parent or legal guardian. Contact volunteer@savebay.org for more information.
In general, youth groups are better served by booking a Save The Bay education program. Our educators are experts at managing youth activities, providing supervision, and ensuring a great educational experience!
