Needs From: United Way of Venango and Titusville Region

Make a Difference in Your Community—Right from Home!

Are you passionate about your local community and want to help others discover how to give back? We're looking for seeking enthusiastic volunteers to help us update and enrich local pages on Ways to Connect, our national directory of volunteer sites.

Ways to Connect is a crowdsourced platform designed to boost traffic and engagement to local volunteer websites—like this one! With just a bit of online research and your enthusiasm, you can help neighbors easily find volunteer opportunity platforms, service clubs, mutual aid groups, and more—making it simpler than ever for everyone to make an impact locally.

What You'll Do:

Conduct quick, simple online research to identify active service clubs, mutual aid groups, and upcoming volunteer events in your community.

Enhance your community's page on Ways to Connect by ensuring the information is current, accurate, and inviting for potential volunteers.

Optional: Promote your community’s page on social media to help friends and family find a path to service.

Why Volunteer with Inspiring Service?

Easy and flexible: Volunteer remotely at your convenience.

Immediate community impact: Help your neighbors discover meaningful ways to contribute.

Small commitment: Volunteer for as little as 2 hours, or as much as you'd like.

Growth opportunities: Volunteers can explore deeper involvement through our Ambassador program.

Ready to help your community thrive? Join us today and make volunteering more accessible for everyone.

Front Desk Volunteer:  A Front Desk Volunteer is the first-person visitors encounter at the museum.  Volunteers greet visitors and provide information on the services available during a visit and answer questions about the site.    Duties:  Front desk volunteers are asked to fill a 3 hour shift at the desk.   While at the front desk, volunteers do have the opportunity to aid the Curator with projects if they like.

Outreach volunteers spread awareness by going out into the community and teaching the rich history of the oil region and the oil industry through presentations and hands-on activities.  Duties:    Assist the staff and fellow volunteers in the implementation of lessons and projects to educate students as well as the public on energy history, production, consumption, development, conservation, current trends and alternate energy sources  Perform hands-on activities with students and the general public conservation, current trends and alternate energy sources  Skills required:    Public speaking, customer service

This Need Is For The Titusville Area Youth Only

Economic Development: Work with the City and local organizations to promote business and investment in the City of Titusville. Tasks may include planning community events, outreach to local small businesses, and pursuing grant funding to enhance Titusville's Downtown. 

This Need Is For The Titusville Area Youth Only

Water/Wastewater: Work with the City of Titusville's Water or Wastewater Departments, learning about the systems of water distribution and maintenance within the City under the supervision of the Water Supervisor or Wastewater Supervisor. Tasks may include data entry, routine maintenance, and planning.

This Need Is For The Titusville Area Youth Only

Public Arts & Placemaking:  Work with the City and local organizations to create public artwork and liven up our downtown. Tasks may include, planning new public art projects, assisting with community events, outreach to local artists, and promoting the arts and culture of the Oil Region.

This Need Is For The Titusville Area Youth Only

Benson Memorial Library: Work with the staff of the Benson Memorial Library to assist in the daily work of the library. Tasks may include, community outreach, assisting with programs, organizational efforts, and office work. 

This Need Is For The Titusville Area Youth Only

Community Events: Work with the City and local organizations to plan and promote local community events. Tasks may include, planning for Titusville Oil Festival, organizing local grand openings and ribbon cutting events, and planning new events to help draw business, tourism, culture and the arts to the City of Titusville. 

This Need Is For The Titusville Area Youth Only

Public Safety: Work with the Titusville Fire Department (TFD)  and Titusville Police Department (TPD) under the supervision of the Titusville Public Safety Commissioner, Dustin LeGoullon. Tasks may include, community outreach, coordinating safety plans for  local community events, organizing data and records, and educational ride-along with both TFD and TPD 

This Need Is For The Titusville Area Youth Only

Administration: Work with the many departments housed in the Titusville City Hall, including the office of the City Manager, City Services, and the Titusville City Council. Tasks may include, attending important meetings on City policy and planning, organizing community events,  organizing data and City records, overseeing City projects and programs, and assisting City officials in the daily work of City government. 

This Need Is For The Titusville Area Youth Only

Maintenance & Projects: Work with the Titusville Department of Public Works (DPW) or the Titusville Redevelopment Authority (TRA). Tasks may include, planning upcoming projects, assisting in maintenance of City or TRA facilities, attending important meetings on new projects and policy, and touring the various facilitys of the City of Titusville. 

This Need Is For The Titusville Area Youth Only

Social Services: Work with local community organizations to serve the needs of our City's residents. Tasks may include, assisting with community programs, planning upcoming projects, and serving residents in need. 

This Need Is For The Titusville Area Youth Only

Parks & Recreation: Work with the City and local organizations to maintain and utilize our city parks. Tasks may include planning new programs and initiatives to promote outdoor recreation, cleanup and maintenance of City facilities and assisting with community events in our City parks

VITA offers free tax preparation for income-eligible individuals and families. We need volunteers interested in volunteering from mid-January through mid-April to process tax returns for local residents. No prior experience is needed, and free tax law training is provided. 

Docents are trained to interpret the founding of the oil industry in Pennsylvania for groups by educating about the persons, places, and events important to the development of the petroleum industry and its growth into a global enterprise.    Duties:   Provide information on the services available during a visit and answer questions about the site.   Interpret a specific exhibit during special events.  Docent training and updates take place throughout the year, through lectures, handouts and shadowing programs.  The research library is also available for docents to use.  Skills required:   Public speaking, research, customer service  Attend trainings and review informational handouts throughout the year

Historic Interpreters:  In historic attire or Drake Well shirt, volunteers are trained to demonstrate historic activities.  Duties:  Some historic activities can include coopers, blacksmiths, storytellers, weavers, spinners, etc.   Skills required:  Public speaking, research and customer service

Are you interested in presenting to a group of young learners? CDC has opportunities for you! We are looking for community volunteers to join our classrooms to talk about their careers, interest, or hobbies. This is a great way to spark interest and learning in our young learners and show them the great things that our community offers.

Calling all bookworms!

Do you love to read & review the items that you finish? The Oil Region Library Association is looking for book reviews to publish in our monthly newsletter!

How to Submit a Book Review:

Visit this link to submit your review!

We are seeking someone passionate about history, preservation, and music to assist the museum in the organization of our archives. The museum holds a variety of archival documents that are currently spread out through the building. These documents need to be researched, photographed, digitized if possible, and catalogued. We can teach you the specifics of what needs done but you can provide the passion and interest! This work would be perfect for anyone looking for experience before a degree or position in the history, cultural heritage, or museum fields. You will be working under the supervision of a qualified museum professional and therefore will not need to be an expert.

We are seeking someone passionate about history, preservation, and music to assist the museum in an oral history project. The museum recently turned 30 and as part of this effort we would like to preserve the stories of the last 30 years through the compilation of an oral history. We are seeking someone passionate about the history of our community to speak to museum stakeholders about their experiences and record their memories for preservation within the museum. 

We can teach you the specifics of what needs done but you can provide the passion and interest! This position would be perfect for someone interested in building connections within the community!

We are seeking someone passionate about history, preservation, and music to assist the museum in an inventory of our musical media. The museum holds a significant collection of records, piano rolls, cassettes, 8 track tapes, music discs, roller organ cobs, Edison cylinders, reel to reel tapes, CDs, and many more, that need a complete inventory. We can teach you the specifics of what needs done but you can provide the passion and interest! This work would be perfect for anyone with an interest in music technology, audio engineering, and history. 

We are looking for someone to help us maintain, expand and improve our social media presence. Ideally we would like someone who can take over the museum Facebook page and post educational information, concert and event announcements, and other content. We are open to suggestions for the improvement of our social media and digital presence. If you enjoy social media and think you could help us please reach out!

Many of the products in our museum gift shop are hand made by our volunteers. We would love to have more creative folks who are interested in coming up with new ideas or help us stock our existing inventory! We hand make all different kinds of musically related gifts such as record bowls, record wind chimes and mobiles, harmonica necklaces, sheet music flowers, potholders, and bags. Reach out if you have an idea, a skill, or a talent you would like to contribute to our mission of music preservation!

The museum is currently under-going a clean out/re-organization and we would love help with getting our office records under control, digitized, and organized in a way that we can easily retrieve anything that we need. If you are an organized person and music history interests you please reach out!

We are seeking someone passionate about history, preservation, and music to assist the museum in a collections assessment. The museum collections software need to be updated with accurate data regarding all objects in the museum. In addition, we need someone willing to do research on objects in the collection, take pictures, and digitize deeds of gift into the collections software. We can teach you the specifics of what needs done but you can provide the passion and interest! This work would be perfect for anyone looking for experience before a degree or position in the history, cultural heritage, or museum fields. You will be working under the supervision of a qualified museum professional and therefore will not need to be an expert. 

The museum at one point had a fully functioning wood shop for the maintenance and repair of our machines. It has fallen into disrepair and we could use assistance in bringing it back to life. If you are a woodworker and have experience with a lathe, drill press, band saw, belt sander, and others, we would love to have your knowledge! 

The DeBence Museum's best feature is our fantastic collection of historic musical machines. However a collection of mechanical objects requires frequent maintenance and repair. If you are a tinker or a handy person please reach out. The work you do will directly contribute to the preservation of musical heritage for many generations to come. 

We are looking for friendly folks who love music and appreciate history and antiques.

Throughout the open season, we are in need of volunteers who give tours of our historic, musical collection.  Tour Guides assemble guests and walk them through the main-body of the museum, telling the history and operating the many antique mechanical and electronic machines.  We intend each tour to be a real "see and hear" experience for all.

Tours typically last for one hour, although times may vary based on the daily schedule of the Museum.  Some tours are scheduled; others are walk-ins.  It is the Tour Guide's responsibility to be always available when the occasion arises to give a tour.

If you have been to the Museum or have never visited, we will work with you and train you to be an expert.  This is a fantastic educational opportunity.

Many volunteer opportunities will be available throughout our open season of April-October, 2021.  If you are interested in volunteering but do not see a shift that meets you schedule, please contact us.  We can work with most any time commitment. 

We are looking for friendly folks who love music and appreciate history and antiques.

Throughout the open season, we are in need of volunteers who help run the front end of the Museum.  Volunteers will primarily sit at the front desk, greet visitors, occasionally answer the phone, assist with giftshop sales and sell tickets for tours that day.

Many volunteer opportunities will be available throughout our open season of April-October, 2021.  If you are interested in volunteering but do not see a shift that meets you schedule, please contact us.  We can work with whatever availability you have. 

The  Youth Volunteer Program is based on the principles of mentoring, leadership development, job readiness, and community service. The program connects youth to positive outreach sites and provides at risk prevention through volunteer work at pre-approved, not for profit agencies and assisted living facilities within Venango County. 

The YMCA's Youth Volunteer Program is for Venango County youth, aged 10-18, who are attending school and have no serious criminal record. Participants earn "time dollars' for each hour they volunteer, which can be redeemed for gift cards, educational expenses, extra-curricular activities, and club participation fees at the YMCA. 

Youth interested in participating can contact Program Director Emma Davis at ocywellness@oilcityymca.net, calling the Oil City YMCA at 814-677-3000, or registering for this need and someone will contact you.