IMPACT OF VOLUNTEERS, INTERNS CELEBRATED

The value of community involvement can sometimes be immeasurable. At the County of Marin, the efforts of volunteers and student interns are measured. MarinShares volunteers and Marinterns student interns served over 200,000 hours during fiscal year 2024-25.

At its April 7 meeting, the Marin County Board of Supervisors accepted a program report showing an equivalent value of $10 million in volunteer and unpaid intern service for the fiscal year. The 2024-25 MarinShares and Marinterns Impact Report reflects participation in 19 county departments by 8,564 volunteers and unpaid interns — plus 197 paid interns. The most robust growth was in the number of paid interns, which doubled as interest grew in county departments. The volunteer and internship programs are coordinated by the Human Resources Department.

Volunteer and intern roles ranged from wildfire lookouts to wildflower docents, from homework helpers to Civic Center tour guides, from parks stewards to elections ambassadors. Sometimes, those roles turned into paid employment. The county hired 24 student interns and four volunteers into regular and contingent jobs during the fiscal year.

The county’s central volunteer program was founded by the Board of Supervisors in 1979. Both programs welcome participants of all ages. Learn more at tinyurl.com/6ustxxsb.