Who we serve
YouthVolunteer works with four groups: students who volunteer, the parents and guardians who support them, the organizations that host them, and the schools, colleges and scholarship committees that review their records.
Students
Most students volunteer in several places over the years: a food bank one summer, a library program the next, tutoring at school. YouthVolunteer brings those hours into one verified record that stays with you through graduation.
What you get
- A free account. There are no fees or memberships.
- One record that stays with you when you change schools.
- Recognition at 50, 200 and 500 cumulative hours.
- A registry ID you can cite on college, scholarship and job applications.
What you do
- Submit a certification for each organization where you served.
- Give your supervisor's name, title and email address.
- Upload a signed form, a letter on the organization's letterhead, or a signed portal log.
Parents and guardians
If your child is under 18, their account stays inactive until you approve it. You decide whether the account is used, and you can ask what we hold at any time.
- When your child registers, we email you a consent request. No hours can be submitted before you approve.
- We collect only the information certification needs. We do not sell or share it with third parties.
- You can ask us to access, correct or delete your child's data at any time.
- There is no cost to you or your child at any grade.
Starting early
Hours count toward every award from the day your child starts. The 500-hour Youth Service Leader Award works out to about 71 hours a year over seven years, or under 1.5 hours a week. Keeping each signed form or letter as you go makes every submission faster.
Host organizations and supervisors
If a student volunteered with your organization, you may receive a verification request from us. It takes about five minutes, and you do not need an account.
- The email lists the dates, hours and duties the student submitted.
- A secure link opens a page where you review the details, correct them if needed, and sign digitally. You can upload a signed PDF instead.
- The link stays valid for 60 days.
- The person who signs must hold an official role at the organization, such as volunteer coordinator, program supervisor, teacher or club advisor. Parents and relatives cannot certify.
- We may follow up by email or phone, or ask for more proof of the work.
Organizations that can certify hours
Registered nonprofits, schools, libraries, hospitals and government agencies that run volunteer programs, and faith-based institutions for non-religious service such as food drives and tutoring.
Schools, colleges and scholarship committees
Every entry in a YouthVolunteer record can be traced to the organization and the adult supervisor who confirmed it.
- Each entry names the organization, the dates and hours served, and the supervisor who verified them.
- Our staff review each verified submission before it is approved.
- The record is independent of any school, so it continues when a student transfers.
- Students who reach 200 hours (the Youth Service Excellence Award) are listed on our public registry.
- A student can ask us to share their record with a college or organization of their choice.
Questions about a specific record? Email info@youthvolunteer.org.
Start your record
Create a free account in a few minutes, then submit your first certification.