Volunteer Project Catalog
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Summary: KYCC’s Clinical Services unit believes everyone deserves help to deal with the stresses of life. Bilingual (Spanish and Korean) mental health counselors are ready to help clients and their family access high-quality, culturally appropriate mental health services. Currently enrolled masters-level clinical interns will provide supervised one-on-one and/or group mental health services. Qualifications and Requirements: • Must be currently enrolled in a 2nd Year MSW or MFT program. • Candidates must be Spanish or Korean bilingual. • Must have general computer skills and strong proficiency in Microsoft Office applications • Must be able to see to inspect written documents or supervise children • Must be able to hear a child calling for help • Must have the ability to communicate with KYCC staff, affiliates, clients and public • Must be able to sit for extended periods of time • Must be able to bend, kneel and reach to retrieve and replace files • Must have dexterity of hands and fingers to operate office equipment • Must be able to lift up 30 lbs We currently have several openings for the 2025-2026 school year. If you have any questions, or to apply (please include your resume) contact volunteer@kyccla.org.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Status: Part-time, unpaid internship or volunteer position Site: Remote, with occasional in-person activities Time commitment: Minimum of 8 hours per week, for at least 3 months. Reports to: Alexa Kim, Communications Editor Duties: The Communications & Development Intern/Volunteer will work closely with Communications Editor to support all KYCC online channels, including social media and website, for agency wide outreach purposes. The intern/volunteer will assist with social media management on KYCC’s platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter), including content creation and scheduling posts for program updates and fundraising campaigns. They will also produce blog posts for KYCC website in support of agency events and support with translation (Korean or Spanish) for program related content. The intern will also support the Development team with upcoming special event related tasks as needed. Requirements: ● A high school diploma or equivalent; some college work; ● General computer skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications; ● Familiarity with Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter; ● Prior event management, graphic design, photography, marketing, and/or professional experience preferred; ● Bilingual Spanish/English or Korean/English preferred, but not required; ● Excellent writing, communication, and organization skills; PLEASE NOTE, THIS POSITION IS CURRENTLY AT CAPACITY. If you have any questions, or to apply or be added to the waitlist, please email your resume and work/portfolio sample to volunteer@kyccla.org and be sure to reference the position you'd like to apply for.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Duties: This internship provides a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience and contribute to the improvement of programs and services designed to assist low-income families in becoming self-sufficient financially, academically, and emotionally. The FamilySource Center intern will assist the Intake Specialist in accomplishing their daily tasks. Key responsibilities include: • Confirming appointments with potential clients via phone • Assists with data entry and documentation support as needed • Assists clients in completing necessary paperwork • Participates in meetings and trainings when appropriate This internship offers a unique chance to blend data management skills with a commitment to community service, making a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals and families served by the FamilySource Center. Location: This is an in-person internship at the KYCC Menlo Office: 1230 S. Menlo Ave. Suite 100 Los Angeles, CA 90006. Time commitment: Minimum of 8 hours per week for at least 3 months. Hours must be completed across 2 to 3 shifts Monday – Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Qualifications and Requirements: • Minimum age of 18 years old due to the sensitive and personal nature of the information being handled • High School graduate or currently enrolled college student • Must have general computer skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications • Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy • Must be able to pass background check • Must submit proof of TB testing from within the past 12 months • Bilingual Spanish/English or Korean/English preferred, but not required PLEASE NOTE, THIS POSITION IS CURRENTLY AT CAPACITY. If you have any questions, or to apply or be added to the waitlist, please email your resume and work/portfolio sample to volunteer@kyccla.org and be sure to reference the position you'd like to apply for.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Join KYCC to beautify our neighborhood and make it more livable for our community members. A well-maintained and graffiti-free environment fosters a sense of pride among residents. People are more likely to feel safer and happier in neighborhoods where efforts are made to remove graffiti promptly. We can't do it alone and need your help! Meeting Location: KYCC Environmental Services Office 3148 W Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019 Street parking only. Carpooling and public transit is always encouraged as parking in this area can be challenging. If you are driving, please arrive early to find parking. Shifts: Tuesday - Saturday with half-day shifts from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. or full-day shifts from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Registration: ALL volunteers must register 48 hours in advance of their shift. Sign up by scrolling to the bottom of this page and clicking "Volunteer" - please note this button will say "Fulfilled" when the shift is full. Volunteers must be at least 18 years or older. Every year, KYCC removes over 1.3 million square feet of graffiti from the community to improve the quality of life for our residents, increase feelings of safety, and to build a better Los Angeles. During graffiti removal, volunteers will head out with our graffiti removal teams in our trucks to beautify our communities. All tools and supplies are provided. Please note, each shift we only host 4 volunteers and each volunteer may go in a different vehicle as we have several teams covering our community, so if you were hoping to volunteer alongside a friend during your shift we unfortunately cannot promise that. Impact: Did you know? • Neighborhood beautification builds community pride and ownership and can improve the quality of life of the residents. When a person has a good quality of life, they are happier and relieved of many stressors related to their safety and well-being. • Neighborhood beautification can help attract new business, providing convenient local shopping and services, jobs to neighborhood residents, and contributing to street life and economic development. • Overall, community beautification is important because it makes a statement: someone cares about this place. *Please be sure to wear comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting a little dirty, long pants and close-toed shoes are MANDATORY, bring sun protection and a water bottle and be ready to make some change!* **For any court mandated community service, please contact Rudy Fortiz (213) 365-7400 Ext. 5400 or rfortiz@kyccla.org before signing up for a shift. All court mandated volunteers MUST come through a referral agency.**
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
From our small business programs, financial coaching services, preschool and K-12 programs, KYCC has a variety of opportunities for interested individuals and groups to lend their talents to our community. Previous partnerships have included workshops in film, artificial intelligence, college essays, kimchi and a variety of career presentations from professional golfers to cinematographers and everything in between! If you are passionate about your career or have a particular skill you'd like to share with our community and programs then we'd love to hear from you! These opportunities may range from one-time workshops to month-long series or more. Although we do our best to make a match every time, please note that all activities must be aligned with our curriculum and programming, as well as match the interests of those we serve. To learn more and explore a potential partnership please feel free to contact us at (213) 365-7400 Ext. 5239 or volunteer@kyccla.org. We're looking forward to hearing from you!
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
In addition to all the services KYCC delivers in our community, we also know it's important to provide goods to ensure the day-to-day stability of our most vulnerable neighbors. If you'd like to join us in providing items directly to our community, we welcome you to lead your own item drive on behalf of KYCC and our families. As a note, we'd like to add that we generally prefer not to distribute used items, unless they are very gently used. Our needs may vary, but generally speaking we accept the following year-round: 1. Arts and craft supplies: Art materials and craft supplies for creative activities for our youth participants. 2. Toys: New or gently used toys and games for children of all ages 3. Raffle prizes: Donations of new, unused items suitable as prizes for fundraising raffles and events. 4. Outreach event giveaway items: Small gifts or promotional items to distribute at community outreach events and programs. 5. Hygiene items: Personal care products including toiletries, hygiene kits, and feminine hygiene products 6. Clothing: New or unworn clothing items for individuals of all ages for our housing program residents. 7. Household items: Essential household items such as kitchenware, appliances, furniture 8. Food and Snacks: Non-perishable food items, snacks, and beverages for food drives and programs. 9. School supplies: Backpacks, notebooks, rulers, etc. 10: Misc Items: We are open to donations pending appropriate use for KYCC programs and clients. Please contact us to see if we can accept your items. *KYCC accepts in-kind donations if they provide added benefit to the organization’s work and those we serve. We cannot accept all donations and have limited storage. KYCC reserves the right to decline items we cannot immediately distribute to our families. Items we are not accepting at this time: Books, masks, hand sanitizer.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Join KYCC to clean up our neighborhood and make it more livable for our community members. We can't do it alone and need your help! Event Location: Each event will meet at a different location. Please check your shift to find the meeting address for the event you have signed up for. As we are constantly scouting locations, some addresses will be updated closer to the date of the shift. All K-town Beautiful events will be held in the Koreatown or Westlake neighborhoods. Parking: Street parking only. As always, public transit and carpooling is always encouraged. Registration: ALL volunteers must register in advance, regardless of age. Any volunteers under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a supervising adult for the duration of the event. Sign up by scrolling to the bottom of this page and clicking "Volunteer" - please note this button will say "Fulfilled" when the event is full. Every year, KYCC removes thousands of bags of trash from our neighborhood to improve the quality of life for our residents, keeping trash out of our oceans and building a better Los Angeles. At this event, volunteers will work in small teams to beautify a designated part of our community. All tools and supplies are provided. Impact: Did you know? • Neighborhood beautification builds community pride and ownership and can improve the quality of life of the residents. When a person has a good quality of life, they are happier and relieved of many stressors related to their safety and well-being. • Neighborhood beautification can help attract new business, providing convenient local shopping and services, jobs to neighborhood residents, and contributing to street life and economic development. • Overall, community beautification is important because it makes a statement: someone cares about this place. Please be sure to wear comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting a little dirty, close-toed shoes, bring sun protection and a water bottle and be ready to make some change!
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
As part of KYCC's K-Town Beautiful campaign to spruce up the neighborhood, we're launching a new way for our community members to pitch in - by leading your own event! You provide the date, time, location and volunteer and we'll make sure you have all the tools and supplies you need to make our community sparkle. We can't do it alone and need your help! As an event leader, you will be the point of contact on behalf of your group with KYCC. KYCC will work with you to schedule a cleanup event and provide you with all the tools (we'll need them back afterwards though!) to beautify our community, and we'll also pick up your full trash bags at the end of the event. Event leaders must be at least 18 years of age and your event must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance. In order to start the planning process, please follow the steps below: 1. Signing Up: You can sign up to request tools and supplies here (https://bit.ly/KYCCbloom), but please note that if you’d like to partner with KYCC, the location and council district needs to align with KYCC’s service boundaries, which includes all of Koreatown. Based on your selection, the request will be routed to the appropriate agency. 2. Event Confirmation: If your event is within the KYCC service area, we will reach out and confirm all the details of your request. 3. Tool Pick Up: We will coordinate the tool pickup while also providing all the necessary supplies and logistical support—at no cost! 4. Lead your Event: Show up at your designated location, beautify and have fun! We’ll pick up the trash after your event ends. Impact: Did you know? • Neighborhood beautification builds community pride and ownership and can improve the quality of life of the residents. When a person has a good quality of life, they are happier and relieved of many stressors related to their safety and well-being. • Neighborhood beautification can help attract new business, providing convenient local shopping and services, jobs to neighborhood residents, and contributing to street life and economic development. • Overall, community beautification is important because it makes a statement: someone cares about this place. Please remind your volunteers to wear comfortable clothes they don’t mind getting a little dirty, close-toed shoes, and bring sun protection and a water bottle. For questions, please reach out to Angelic Perez at aperez@kyccla.org or (213) 365-7400 Ext. 5415.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Kids Town is a full-day, year-round preschool in Koreatown for 72 children, ages 2.5 to 5 years. Through our Whole Child program, we focus not only on intellectual development, but also emotional well-being, social skills and physical activity. By nurturing children’s creativity and imagination by letting them explore their interests, we foster a lifelong love of learning. Since its establishment in 2004, Kids Town has graduated over 1,000 Kindergarten-ready students. Our educational philosophy emphasizes respect for other cultures, concern for the wider community, and an appreciation for nature. We allow children to move through the program at their own pace. Kids Town is open Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. To learn more visit the Kids Town website at www.kidstownla.org. We are currently recruiting current Early Childhood Education (must be currently enrolled in an ECE program) interns as well as front office volunteers. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to volunteer@kyccla.org.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
KYCC’s Koreatown Storytelling Program is an intergenerational, multilingual and multiethnic oral history and digital media program that teaches ethnographic and storytelling techniques to high school students and elders to investigate cultural practices and racial, economic and health inequities in our community. Learn more at www.koreatownstorytellingprogram.org. The program promotes greater understanding and respect between generations and documents marginalized narratives for preservation in public archives while also cultivating wellness outcomes for all participants. REQUIREMENTS • All applicants must be willing to commit to weekly 2-hour meetings, attend all program activities and assignments, and complete the full program from September 2024 - February 2025 with breaks for holidays. (Tuesday afternoons 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.) • Must live or attend school in Koreatown, or have a connection to the community • Be interested in engaging with and learning from elders in their community • Bilingual preferred but not required (Korean, Spanish, Bengali, etc.) THIS POSITION IS CURRENTLY FULL. If you have any questions, please contact Ernie Yoshikawa at volunteer@kyccla.org or (213) 365-7400 Ext. 5239.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITC) assist low income individuals who have a tax dispute with the IRS, and provide education and outreach to individuals who speak English as a second language (ESL). LITCs are independent from the IRS and the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS). LITCs represent individuals whose income is below a certain level and who need to resolve tax problems with the IRS. LITCs can represent taxpayers in audits, appeals, and tax collection disputes before the IRS and in court. LITCs can also help taxpayers respond to IRS notices and correct account problems. KYCC’s LITC Program ensures the fairness and integrity of the tax system for taxpayers who are low-income or speak English as a second Language (ESL) by: • Providing pro bono representation on their behalf in tax disputes with the IRS; • Educating them about their rights and responsibilities as taxpayers; and • Identifying and advocating for issues that impact these taxpayers. • CPAs, Enrolled Agents, and Attorneys donate their time counseling low income taxpayers on how to respond to IRS notices at all stages of tax controversy including return processing, exam, collections, and litigation. • Experienced Tax Attorneys or USTC Practitioners may counsel or represent low income taxpayers through appeals , settlement discussions with IRS Counsel, or before tax court judge. Volunteers are required to be currently credentialed, in good standing, and able to sign the IRS Form 2848. Fellowship Application: Please email a letter describing potential projects and the fellowship programs for which you plan to apply, along with a resume, unofficial transcripts, and writing sample to Managing Attorney, Christian Morales at cmorales@kyccla.org. All applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. For school-based fellowship programs, please also include in your application the description of the fellowship offered by your law school (including compensation, duration, etc.) If you have any questions, please contact Christian Morales at cmorales@kyccla.org or (213) 365-7400 Ext. 5205. To join, please fill out the information on this page: https://www.tfaforms.com/4853744
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Job Title: Low Income Taxpayer Clinic Law Clerk / Legal Intern Reports to: Managing Attorney (primary) Internship Address: 3727 W. 6th Street Suite 300 Los Angeles, CA 90020 Status: Part-time internship. Academic credit may be available depending on your institution, please contact your college advising unit to learn more. Time commitment: Minimum of 8 hours per week for three months. Hours must be completed in-person and interns must attend quarterly events. Hours are flexible during the holidays. Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITC) assist low income individuals who have a tax dispute with the IRS, and provide education and outreach to individuals who speak English as a second language (ESL). Position Summary: The Law Clerk / Legal Intern will work primarily under the guidance of the Managing Attorney. The law clerk / legal intern will primarily work on ongoing IRS client tax matters that requires relief and/or resolution. Must be a current college student, with a preference for those on a pre-law track. To apply, please review the required qualifications and application instructions here: https://bit.ly/LITCintern.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Job Title: Low Income Taxpayer Clinic Law Clerk / Legal Intern Reports to: Managing Attorney (primary) Internship Address: 3727 W. 6th Street Suite 300 Los Angeles, CA 90020 Status: Part-time internship. Academic credit may be available depending on your institution, please contact your college advising unit to learn more. Time commitment: Minimum of 8 hours per week for three months. Hours must be completed in-person and interns must attend quarterly events. Hours are flexible during the holidays. Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITC) assist low income individuals who have a tax dispute with the IRS, and provide education and outreach to individuals who speak English as a second language (ESL). Position Summary: The Law Clerk / Legal Intern will work primarily under the guidance of the Managing Attorney. The law clerk / legal intern will primarily work on ongoing IRS client tax matters that requires relief and/or resolution. Must be a current college student, with a preference for those on a pre-law track. To apply, please review the required qualifications and application instructions here: https://bit.ly/LITCintern.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
KYCC's Environmental Services unit offers opportunities for groups to host private tree planting and beautification events. These events are great ways for groups to bond, work as a team and improve morale, all while making a visible impact on our community in just a few hours. Private events also allow partners to work with KYCC staff to set the date, time and location. More details on our fee structure is available at bit.ly/kyccprivateevents To learn more about hosting a private event, please contact Ernie Yoshikawa at (213) 365-7400 Ext. 5239 or volunteer@kyccla.org.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Status: Part-time, unpaid internship Time commitment: Minimum of 10 hours per week, 2 days per week for at least 2 months. Reports to: Hiroko Makiyama, LCSW, Recovery Services Manager Key Responsibilities: ● Observe and support daily activities of the outpatient SUD treatment program ● Perform supervised counseling, assessment, treatment planning, case management, outreach, and education. ● Document services in EHR. ● Attend treatment team meetings. ● Participate in weekly supervision with LPHA. Requirements: ● Must be registered with an SUD counselor Certifying Organization recognized by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) before internship start date ● Must be enrolled in an accredited educational program studying to become an SUD Counselor ● Comfort working with issues of substance use, mental health, criminal background, and other potential barriers to economic self-sufficiency ● Awareness of cultural humility and able to work with a diverse population ● Professional, punctual, flexible and reliable ● Able to handle sensitive information in a confidential manner ● Demonstrable a working knowledge of the use and operation of personal computers and EHRs ● Provide background check clearance and negative TB test results
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
The Safety Keepers Program empowers adult residents of the Westlake community to enhance their leadership and advocacy skills, as well as support the efforts of the MacArthur Park Community Initiative. Participants engage in advocacy-related activities and host engagement activities at MacArthur Park to promote community wellness. Safety Keepers advocates for creating a safer, cleaner, more vibrant MacArthur Park by reducing the environmental burden of hazardous waste from tobacco and cannabis products. Duties include: 1. Engaging with youth, adults, community groups and decision makers, planning and executing community events, receiving training on relevant topics, and attending weekly meetings. 2. Members will participate in trainings related to various topics related to issues surrounding safety and cleanliness at MacArthur Park. Additional topics include naloxone training, self defense, park clean ups, and others. Participants must be at least 18 years old. PLEASE NOTE, THIS PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY AT CAPACITY. If you have any questions, or to apply or be added to the waitlist, please contact volunteer@kyccla.org and be sure to reference the position you'd like to apply for.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
If you're looking for a short-term individual or group project, we have needs that could be a fit! These can take anything from a few hours to a few days, depending on the project. Our needs can vary throughout the year, but may include the following: 1. Site beautification: paint a mural, re-finish and paint furniture, and/or do some light gardening/landscaping 2. Holiday decorations: this is a seasonal opportunity - our youth sites are often in need of some extra hands to decorate our facilities to celebrate upcoming holidays and spread cheer. Work with our team to create and put up decorations and brighten our kids' days. 3. Custom projects: We're open to suggestions, so if you have a project in mind please feel free to reach out to us and share your proposal! In the past we've had volunteers source materials and build furniture for our sites, create themed bulletin boards, and we're currently in need of a team to help us create a quiet space for children to decompress. Please feel free to contact volunteer@kyccla.org with any questions.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Please note, since the 2025 tax season is over this program is currently only accepting previous VITA volunteers. We encourage all new volunteers to join us in November/December 2025 for our next series of trainings, with the new tax season starting in February 2026. The IRS-sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is a rewarding experience and a wonderful way to give back to your community. For each hour a volunteer contributes - $1,800 in refunds are brought back to your community. With your support, we can help more households with free VITA services. Our VITA program begins training in December, and operates seasonally from February - April every year. During our VITA season, we have the following positions available: Volunteer Intake Specialist - Assist taxpayers complete the Intake & Interview Sheet at the VITA site. These positions require the successful passing of both (1) Volunteer Standards of Conduct test and (2) Intake & Interview tests. Each test is 10 questions, open book, and about take 2-3 hours to complete. Expect 2-3 hours of studying and completing both tests. Volunteer Tax Preparer - Prepare simple tax returns on the IRS's Tax Slayer Software. This position requires the successful passing of (1) Volunteer Standards of Conduct, (2) Intake/Interview tests, and (3) either Basic, Advance, or Circular 230 tests. Expect 12-20 hours of studying and completing the tests. Our current tax season has begun and will be ending in mid-April 2024. Volunteers are welcome to join at any time during the tax season. All tests are self-paced and open book. Also, free tax preparation software is available to help you train. You can learn more about VITA here: https://www.volunteertaxprep.com/serve. Should you have any questions or if you would like to join please contact our VITA team at freetaxes@kyccla.org.
How you can help:
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
YDAPP was established in September of 1996 by the High School Korean American Youth Leadership Program as a pilot community project. It has achieved milestone successes and became a permanent youth program since that time. The 10-month leadership program aims to empower high school students to create healthier communities through substance abuse awareness and prevention. Throughout the year, members will participate in weekly workshops that will focus on leadership skills, substance abuse prevention workshops, and community action. YDAPP aims to empower the youth to grow emotionally, socially and mentally through various opportunities and weekly meetings that will help them engage with their communities and one another. Meetings will be held every Thursday from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at the KYCC offices located a 520 S La Fayette Park Pl, Suite 560, Los Angeles, CA 90057. YDAPP is currently off for the summer and will resume in Fall of 2024. To apply for our 2024-2025 term, please apply at https://form.jotform.com/241715537275056. Please contact Karen Salas at ksalas@kyccla.org with any questions.
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