Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) needs more voices for animals! At HSSV, kids and teens can develop responsibility and compassion for animals in need through our many education-focused volunteering programs.

Stay Tuned For More Updates on Opportunities for Teens in Spring 2022!

New programs will focus on hands-on volunteering, offering support for our behavior and medical teams, community service projects, and animal welfare. They will also highlight the development of professional and technical skills. Students will be able to progress through introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels of volunteering and can expect to volunteer once a week.

We will be posting updates about our new program opportunities on this page as they develop, so check back regularly!

Compassion In Action (CIA) – all sessions are currently suspended

CIA is a three-month long program for students who have a passion for helping animals. Students will volunteer directly with dogs and cats, learn about trending animal welfare topics and work on critical community service projects to help the animals in our care.

Read testimonials from past students and read our FAQs section for more information.

For Ages: 14 – 17 years old

Cost: $100.00 for entire program

Testimonials

“My interest in animals has increased and I’m not nervous around cats anymore!” —Nallely N.

“I think that doing CIA made me realize how many homeless dogs there are, and I see the importance of doing something to change that.” —Jordan A.

“I have been in this program for about a year. I really enjoy socializing the animals, and I feel very trusted.” —Jessica H.

“After CIA I think I have better people skills than I originally thought.” —Natalie S.

“I have had such an amazing experience. There’s so much I can share now, with my friends and family and I hope all the animals I have come to love at HSSV will find a loving home.” —Katrina S.

“Overall, everything I learned gave me more of an understanding of why pets do the things they do.” —Gabriella Z

“I became a lot more interested in dogs. The program also allowed me to see what life is like for animals in shelters. I made a few good friends and the program was definitely a good experience.” —Emma R.

FAQs

Where does the CIA program take place?

How does the schedule work?

Can my child stay at HSSV after the CIA program is over?

No. The safety of youth participating in education programs is a priority for us. To ensure your child is safe and not left at our facility unattended, please pick your child up no later than 15 minutes after the CIA class has ended. If you are later than this time, we will charge $1.00 per minute, past the 15-minute grace period. We also ask that your child remain in the classroom until he/she is safely picked up. If your child drives him/herself to the program, please let us know and your child will be exempted from the pick-up requirement.

What should CIA students wear and bring with them?

What is the cell phone policy during CIA?

What if I have to cancel?

Can I still volunteer after CIA is over?

Who should I contact if I have questions?

Summer Camp Counselors

We are not currently recruiting for summer camp counselors.

Here Are Some Things You’ll Want To Consider Before Applying:

Are you 14 – 18 years old?
Are you mature, self-motivated, and dependable?
Do you love working with animals and kids?
Can you come to a 2-hour group interview at the shelter?
Can you volunteer in at least one camp session and attend one camp counselor training?

Want To Be A Camp Counselor?

Watch the video to see what it’s all about!

Animal Starz – All sessions are currently suspended

Students are trained to work directly with the animals in our care and get community service hours while they’re at it! They’ll also learn about important and trending topics in animal welfare and do projects around the shelter.

For Ages: 10–13 years old

Cost: $75.00 per session (2 hours each week, for 4 weeks)