Participating in community service is an effective way of contributing to your local area and helping the residents of your community. There are numerous ways to get involved with community service but a good place to start is to think about what you are passionate about and what interests you. This could be things like animal welfare, helping sick kids, encouraging reading and writing, providing assistance at a homeless shelter, cooking or social media.

We have put together a list of community service project ideas that covers all these areas, and more. These community service project ideas have been categorized as those that are suitable for students in middle school, high school and college. Plus, we have included lots of ideas for adults too! 

Why participate in Community Service Projects?

Participating in community service activities and projects is a great way to contribute to improving the lives of those in your community. It is an opportunity to help the elderly, the environment, the underprivileged, to help reduce crime and improve amenities within the community. 

Community service is a valuable inclusion on your resume as it demonstrates to potential employers that you have a range of transferable skills such as team work, time management and communication.

Another benefit of participating in community service is that it can enhance your college applications. The University of South Florida reports that a survey of 264 admissions officers at US colleges found that 58% of respondents agreed that “a student’s community service experience has a positive impact on his or her acceptance to our higher education institution”. Importantly, 53% of respondents said participation in community service can be the deciding factor when there is a choice between two otherwise equally qualified students. 

Community service ideas for Middle School Student

1. Take out and bring in an elderly neighbour’s bin

2. Collect toys and games from friends, family and classmates and donate these to shelters

3. Donate clothes you have outgrown to shelters and charities

4. Collect books and donate them to shelters or little libraries in your community

5. Join a surf lifesaving juniors’ program to learn how to keep beach swimmers safe

6. Collect school supplies and donate them to students who wouldn’t otherwise have access to them

7. Grow flowers and vegetables at home to share with your neighbours

8. Collect bottles for recycling and donate the funds to charity

9. Write letters to residents of an aged care home

10. Pick up litter from a local beach, park or playground

11. Sing or act in a performance at an aged care home

12. Collect items to sell at a school fair

13. Set tables at a soup kitchen

14. Write thank you cards to emergency service personnel 

Community service project ideas for High School Students

15. Organize a car wash and donate the profits to charity

16. Create and distribute posters for an animal shelter adoption program

17. Get creative in the kitchen and bake for a school bake sale

18. Collect and donate blankets for a homeless shelter

19. Teach elderly friends and neighbours how to download e-books

20. Collect grocery coupons and donate them to a local food bank

21. Walk an elderly or busy neighbour’s dog

22. Learn how to knit and make blankets for animal shelters

23. Help clean up a neighbour’s yard after a storm

24. Establish a pen pal program at your school

25. Bake treats for an aged care home

26. Establish a school recycling program 

Community service ideas for Students

27. Join a language exchange group to help people practice English

28. Volunteer with a political party whose policies align with your values

29. Clean cages at an animal shelter

30. Coach a youth sports team

31. Volunteer at a thrift or charity shop

32. Organise a park or beach clean up 

33. Collect and donate unused cosmetics, toiletries and sanitary items to women’s shelters

34. Volunteer to buddy new students at your college

35. Organise and host a book club

36. Setup and manage social media accounts for a charity or non-profit

37. Tutor high school students in subjects you are good at

38. Host a study group

39. Volunteer as an usher at a community theatre group

40. Organize a fashion/ clothes swap event

41. Host a used book sale and donate the funds to charity

42. Volunteer at a college student club that is aligned with your interests

43. Contribute to a community radio segment

44. Volunteer at a summer camp

45. Paint over graffiti around campus and the community

46. Host free reading groups at a library

47. Organise a cosmetics container collection, sort and return the products for recycling

48. Create petitions and collect signatures for causes close to your heart

Community service project ideas for Adults 

49. Participate in community garden busy bees

50. Join in a local school’s clean-up day

51. Volunteer with a church to help with maintenance

52. Sew or knit blankets for sick babies in hospital

53. Volunteer as a referee for a sports competition

54. Arrange a blood donation drive at your workplace

55. Participate in a charity fun run

56. Volunteer at a soup kitchen

57. Sort donations for disaster appeals

58. Organize a charity fundraising morning tea

59. Foster an animal from the animal shelter

60. Make a bee hotel or bird feeder for your street

61. Volunteer at community tree planting event

62. Start a free little library in your front yard

63. Donate your time and skills at a repair cafe

64. Deliver for meals on wheels

65. Mentor a student or recent graduate interested in your career trajectory

66. Start a neighbourhood welcome committee

67. Teach a class at a community centre

68. Volunteer in a school canteen

69. Train and care for a service dog, guide dog or support dog

70. Host dress and attire workshops for job seekers

71. Help an elderly neighbour with gardening and lawn mowing

72. Volunteer as a town or city guide to provide tourists with information about your region

73. Start a neighbourhood watch program in your area

74. Arrange a collection of essential items for people impacted by a natural disaster

75. Drive senior citizens to appointments

76. Donate gifts to holiday appeals

77. Contribute goods and time to a school fete

78. Sew outfits for a school or community theatre production

79. Donate unused electronic devices and computers to refugee centres

80. Volunteer on a non-profit board

81. Host an Earth Day event

82. Collect pet food for an animal shelter

83. Volunteer at a hospital greeting patients and visitors

84. Host free resume writing workshops for job seekers

85. Cook food for emergency service workers

86. Learn first aid and register as a community first responder

87. Volunteer at a wildlife rescue centre helping to care for sick and injured animals 

88. Advocate for a cause you care about

89. Donate food to a food bank or food pantry

90. Host guided walks in your community

91. Volunteer to be part of community focus groups to share your opinions on various issues

92. Teach people how to register to vote

93. Bath and groom animals at an animal shelter

94. Volunteer at a toy library to mend and repair damaged toys

95. Host a holiday meal for people in your workplace that don’t have family nearby

96. Give a gardening seminar or workshop at a community garden

97. Volunteer as a crisis counsellor

98. Sponsor an animal in a local zoo or wildlife park

99. Volunteer at a park run event, guiding participants on the course

How to get started in a Community Service Project

Now that you have considered the list of community service project ideas, it is time to get involved. Contact relevant charities, non-profits and other organizations in your area to register your interest with them. Highlight any notable skills you have that would be of benefit to the role and the organization. For example, if you are an HR professional wanting to run a resume writing workshop for job seekers, be sure to let the organization know that you have experience in that field. 

If you are wanting to support your neighbours, you could let them know you are available to help by putting flyers in their letterboxes. Be sure to include on the flyer your contact details and the types of assistance you can offer.

You could also check The Kos Foundation community groups and shopping center notice boards for upcoming community events and organizations that are looking to recruit volunteers. 

If you’d like to participate in an activity or event that isn’t available in your community, you could set up a program and run it. This article will guide you through the nine steps of starting a volunteer program. 

There are many types of community service project ideas to get involved with. These can be formal activities such as volunteering with a registered charity or non-profit, or something more informal like helping an elderly neighbour with everyday tasks. 

With so many community service projects out there, you can find one that is perfectly aligned with your passions, skill and interests. Whether it be languages, craft, baking, marketing, gardening, helping in a homeless shelter, or anything in between, there is a community service project out there for you