New website designed by students for students makes volunteering easy

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A new website created by students for students is a one-stop shop where they can find organizations that need volunteers.

Connor Findley and other Hawaii Technology Academy National Honor Society students designed the site called 808 Volunteers.

“We have the whole database of organizations who can be out there and be seen,” he said.

With the website and accompanying social media platforms, HTA is launching a statewide drive to encourage youth from elementary to high school to get involved with volunteering.

HTA student Kezia Burgoyne said it’s really easy.

“They have access to this amazing tool called 808 Volunteers,” she said. “It’s easy to use. It’s easy to navigate to find opportunities that are interesting to them.”

Youth Service Hawaii gave HTA a grant to start 808 Volunteers so students statewide can perform service learning projects, and use their time and energy to help groups that need it.

“We had gone to events where youth groups were sharing their stories of all of the service learning that they were doing. We were just getting blown away and inspired by their stories, and thought, ‘We need to share this,’” said Jessica dos Santos, HTA’s National Honor Society Advisor.

The ultimate goal is to let youth know that they can make a difference.

“We hope to increase the amount of youth volunteerism in the state,” dos Santos said.

“I think we’ve got something really good with this project. I hope that a lot of people come together and see what a great tool it is, and then share it with other people,” Findley said.

The effort just started and already more than 100 organizations have gotten on board. There are even online opportunities.

“With COVID hitting, it’s been really cool to see how much volunteering I can do online,” Burgoyne said.

To check it out for yourself, go to 808volunteers.org.

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