IU Indianapolis is one of the nation’s most engaged campuses. You have many options for connecting with students, faculty, and staff to host a service project, for example. We can help you reach potential volunteers and interns. You can consult with the Institute for Engaged Learning staff. We’re here for you throughout the process to help you find the best people for your organization and to ensure a good experience for everyone.
How we can help
Post a volunteer opportunity
Organizations can post volunteer opportunities directly to Handshake, a campus-wide student-focused platform where students actively search for jobs, internships, and events. You can also use Handshake to post paid internships or jobs with your organization.
Volunteer opportunities posted to Handshake must comply with our posting guidelines. Paid job and internship postings must comply with the IU Indianapolis employer recruiting rights and responsibilities.
Have questions or need help with Handshake? View this getting started guide, or email commserv@iu.edu.
Guidelines for posting volunteer opportunities
The Institute for Engaged Learning (IEL) gives priority to requests from community organizations in the Central Indiana area.
Individuals recruited through our site voluntarily participate in and assume and accept full responsibility for the known and unknown risks of activities. Indiana University and the IEL do not assume responsibility for or ensure participants’ safety or eliminate any of these risks.
Requests must be agency-based. The IEL will not post requests for individual needs in the home, such as caretakers and drivers. The IEL works to build long-term partnerships for sustained engagement in the local community and for student learning and development, and therefore does not accept requests from individuals.
Only the following types of organizations may post volunteer opportunities:
- Nonprofit organizations must be registered 501(c)(3)
- Educational institutions (including schools, colleges, and universities)
- Government agencies
- Community-based organizations with a clear social or civic mission
Each posting must:
- Be unpaid and clearly labeled as a volunteer role
- Include a clear description of duties, skills required, time commitment, and location (or remote status)
- Community Organizations are responsible for preparing students for the submitted opportunities, including orientations or training as necessary, and ensuring volunteers are aware of the organization's risk management and emergency procedures.
- Avoid tasks that primarily benefit a for-profit business.
Opportunities must not:
- Involve political campaigning, lobbying, or partisan activity
- Require participation in religious practices
- Contain misleading or exaggerated claims
- All postings are subject to review by the platform administrator or The Institute for Engaged Learning
- Organizations may be required to submit proof of nonprofit status or official affiliation
- Repeated violations of the guidelines may result in suspension of posting privileges
Organizations should:
- Provide a valid point of contact (name, email, phone number)
- Be willing to respond to student questions and follow up on participation
- We suggest that someone at the organization be prepared to verify the students’ volunteer hours. Many of our students are seeking hours to satisfy a course or program requirement.