How to Support the ACLU
Contact your state office of the ACLU., Choose the activities in which you're interested., Fill out an interest form., Sign up for email alerts., Speak to a volunteer coordinator.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Contact your state office of the ACLU.
To volunteer with the ACLU, you must sign up with the field office that conducts activities in your state.
Do an online search for "ACLU" followed by the name of your state to find the website for your state's ACLU office.Depending on the size of your state, there may be an office in the city where you live.
If there is, you may want to stop by that office and talk to people in person there about volunteering with the organization.
Some states only have ACLU offices in a few major cities, or in the state's capital.
If you don't live close to any of the cities where ACLU offices are located, you still can volunteer with the organization.
The ACLU accepts adult volunteers, as well as mature teens who are interested in joining the fight to protect civil rights and liberties. -
Step 2: Choose the activities in which you're interested.
Each state office has a variety of different opportunities where you can volunteer and work for the organization.
The interest form will have a list of general activities.
Think about your skills, background, and education, and choose the areas where you think you could be of the most benefit.On the interest form, you have the opportunity to select specific areas of interest, such as voting rights, LGBTQ equality, or racial justice.
You can check as many areas as you want.
You also should select the types of activities in which you're interested.
Keep in mind that some of these activities, such as researching civil liberties issues or hosting events, may require specific background or education.
Think about the time you have to commit and your location.
Some volunteer activities, such as hosting an event table or knocking on doors, require you to spend time in a particular place.
Other activities, such as researching civil liberties issues, typically can be done at home on your own time. , To let your state or local chapter know that you are interested in becoming a volunteer, you may be able to complete an interest form online.
If you live near an ACLU office, you may want to go in person and fill out an interest form there.You must provide your name and address on the interest form.
It isn't necessary that you live in the same city where the office is located.
There also are spaces for you to provide your age and phone number, neither of which are required.
A phone number will make it easier for the office to contact you.
Don't worry about including your age unless you're under 18 or it's relevant to some area of interest. , When you sign up for email alerts, the ACLU will send you periodic updates that typically include a call to action so you can sign a petition, call a legislator, or take other action to support the ACLU's efforts.If you complete your interest form online, you'll notice a check box at the bottom of the form that says "Fight for Freedom." If you check this box, you'll receive periodic emails informing you of issues of interest to the ACLU and the fight to protect civil rights and liberties.
If there's no specific interest form available for your state office, there may be an email listed that you can contact if you're interested in being a volunteer. , When you submit your interest form, a volunteer coordinator will be in touch with you to discuss your background and interests and figure out how you could best fit into the organization.If you provided a phone number on your interest form, you may receive a call from someone at your state or local office.
Filling out an interest form in person at the office may mean you get to sit down with a volunteer coordinator right away and talk to them about what you can do.
Depending on the type of activities you're interested in doing, the volunteer coordinator may take more information from you, or direct you to show up at a particular place in time to learn more about the volunteer process. -
Step 3: Fill out an interest form.
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Step 4: Sign up for email alerts.
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Step 5: Speak to a volunteer coordinator.
Detailed Guide
To volunteer with the ACLU, you must sign up with the field office that conducts activities in your state.
Do an online search for "ACLU" followed by the name of your state to find the website for your state's ACLU office.Depending on the size of your state, there may be an office in the city where you live.
If there is, you may want to stop by that office and talk to people in person there about volunteering with the organization.
Some states only have ACLU offices in a few major cities, or in the state's capital.
If you don't live close to any of the cities where ACLU offices are located, you still can volunteer with the organization.
The ACLU accepts adult volunteers, as well as mature teens who are interested in joining the fight to protect civil rights and liberties.
Each state office has a variety of different opportunities where you can volunteer and work for the organization.
The interest form will have a list of general activities.
Think about your skills, background, and education, and choose the areas where you think you could be of the most benefit.On the interest form, you have the opportunity to select specific areas of interest, such as voting rights, LGBTQ equality, or racial justice.
You can check as many areas as you want.
You also should select the types of activities in which you're interested.
Keep in mind that some of these activities, such as researching civil liberties issues or hosting events, may require specific background or education.
Think about the time you have to commit and your location.
Some volunteer activities, such as hosting an event table or knocking on doors, require you to spend time in a particular place.
Other activities, such as researching civil liberties issues, typically can be done at home on your own time. , To let your state or local chapter know that you are interested in becoming a volunteer, you may be able to complete an interest form online.
If you live near an ACLU office, you may want to go in person and fill out an interest form there.You must provide your name and address on the interest form.
It isn't necessary that you live in the same city where the office is located.
There also are spaces for you to provide your age and phone number, neither of which are required.
A phone number will make it easier for the office to contact you.
Don't worry about including your age unless you're under 18 or it's relevant to some area of interest. , When you sign up for email alerts, the ACLU will send you periodic updates that typically include a call to action so you can sign a petition, call a legislator, or take other action to support the ACLU's efforts.If you complete your interest form online, you'll notice a check box at the bottom of the form that says "Fight for Freedom." If you check this box, you'll receive periodic emails informing you of issues of interest to the ACLU and the fight to protect civil rights and liberties.
If there's no specific interest form available for your state office, there may be an email listed that you can contact if you're interested in being a volunteer. , When you submit your interest form, a volunteer coordinator will be in touch with you to discuss your background and interests and figure out how you could best fit into the organization.If you provided a phone number on your interest form, you may receive a call from someone at your state or local office.
Filling out an interest form in person at the office may mean you get to sit down with a volunteer coordinator right away and talk to them about what you can do.
Depending on the type of activities you're interested in doing, the volunteer coordinator may take more information from you, or direct you to show up at a particular place in time to learn more about the volunteer process.
About the Author
Maria Cruz
Creates helpful guides on DIY projects to inspire and educate readers.
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