Anyone who wants to volunteer time at Free Geek and can make it to our facility is welcome. No computer experience is required. Our facility is mostly accessible, and we welcome people with different abilities. Whether you want to volunteer here to learn new skills, perform community service, get credit for school, or just support the cause(s), we have room for you! Free Geek volunteers are our greatest assets.
A volunteer disassembles a printer.
Our Programs
We have two main programs for volunteers. Some people want a computer as soon as possible while others are more interested in learning about building computers. Choose the program that fits your interests best, but know that you are welcome to continue volunteering after you finish that program!
Computer Adoption
If you are looking to get a computer quickly from Free Geek Adoption is the program for you. Adoption volunteers generally help us with tasks like computer disassembly, keyboard and mice testing, data entry and processing donations. Volunteers are welcome to continue volunteering after they complete their 24 hours. Learn more about the Adoption Program here.
Build Program
Build Program volunteers build the computers that we give to volunteers and non-profit organizations, as well as the computers we sell in our Thrift Store. You don’t have to have any prior knowledge to join the Build Program, just a willingness to learn. Graduates of the Build Program take home the sixth computer they build, and often go on to become Build Assistants or Teachers. Learn more about this program here.
Committees
What’s an organization like ours without committees? Everything from policy decisions (Council) to class planning (Knowledge Bees) to system administration (Administrators of Systems and Security) is handled by groups of dedicated volunteers and staff. Our Grants committee coordinates hardware grants to local non-profits. These groups are open to anyone interested in participating. To find out about current projects, email lists and meeting times please fill out this form.
Interns
If you’re interested in volunteering on a set schedule for at least 10 weeks, are looking to beef up your resumé, and/or need a longer-term internship for a school requirement, these job descriptions may interest you. These are unpaid, challenging, and highly appreciated positions.
Other
For those good at striking out on their own, there are a bazillion other things you can do here. Others may want to concern themselves with construction projects or making sure our testing systems work consistently. From time to time we have work parties; you can ask the staff if there is one coming up. There are lots of options for volunteering here and you’ll likely find one that suits you. Come on down for a tour (offered Tuesday - Saturday at noon and 5:00 pm) and talk to a staff member about getting started.
If you’d like to volunteer, but you’re not sure what you’d like to do at Free Geek, fill out this form and someone will get back to you soon.
How do I start?
Come down for a tour! Tours double as a volunteer orientation and are an excellent place to ask questions about volunteering. We offer 30-45 minute tours at noon and 5:00 pm every day we’re open (Tuesday - Saturday).
If you are in a program that will require verification of your hours or other paperwork, please let us know. All volunteers should be in our database and record hours, even if you’re not working toward a computer. Please introduce yourself to staff members (especially our volunteer coordinator) and let them know what your needs are.
Restrictions
Volunteers under the age of 16 must have an adult with them at all times when they volunteer.
Volunteers who violate our general conduct guidelines will be asked not to return. This includes theft.
Benefits
Free Geek is a community. This is one of the big rewards people get for working here. You can meet all kinds of interesting people here. You can take part in decisions at Free Geek from the most basic to the most wide-reaching and abstract. There are worlds of information that with dogged research, patience and the right questions to the right people can become clear.
Volunteers are welcome to use the terminals in the classroom any time there’s not a class going on to check their email or do research on the web.
Volunteers are eligible to take most Free Geek classes for free. Also, our volunteers are eligible for membership at First Tech Credit Union. In addition, active volunteers are eligible for a discount on most equipment in the Free Geek Thrift Store.
Have more questions about volunteering? Check out our FAQ for all sorts of answers!
