Volunteer Opportunities - Campus Centers/Programs

Please note:  For all campus programs, student volunteers must provide evidence of a health examination including a negative TB skin test and pass a criminal records background check. Volunteers must also attend a scheduled program orientation prior to working with children.

Infant/Toddler Center
1800 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 265-2699
Contact: Jennifer Dittrich, Director, e-mail: jdittrich@wisc.edu

The infant/toddler center provides care for 8 infants between the ages of 3 weeks to 36 months of age. The site is located conveniently on campus, just to the east of the UW Foundation Building and to the west of Student Health Services on old University.

Students who wish to volunteer at this site are required to make a minimal commitment of two hours per week. Activities include reading and playing with the infants, leading art-type projects with the toddlers and/or using music with the infant/toddlers who are enrolled.

Available times: 9:30-11:30am; 2:30-4:30pm for the entire year, including summers.

UW Great Beginnings
303 Lathrop
Madison WI 53706
Contact: Krista Dignan, Director, email:  dignanK2004@alumni.uwstout.edu

Great Beginnings provides care for 24 infants between the ages of 6 weeks to 3 years of age. The site is located conveniently on campus on Lathrop Street, just south of old University Avenue (across from Student Health Services).

Students who wish to volunteer at this site will commit to a 2-hour time slot.  Activities include reading and playing with the infants, leading art-type projects with the toddlers and/or using music with the infant/toddlers who are enrolled.

Available times: 9:30-11:30am; 2:30-4:30pm for the entire year, including summers.  Maximum of 3 volunteers per semester and a limit of 2 students per time slot please.

Bernie's Place
206 Bernard Court
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 263-1725
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator

Bernie's Place, the Wisconsin Union Child Care Center, was established in 1972 and is located on the south side of campus near the corner of Dayton and Bernard Court. The center serves 36 children, ages 2-5 years of age in developmentally specific groupings. Bernie's is open year-round from 7:00am to 5:45 pm and is state licensed and accredited by the City of Madison.

What you can expect from Bernie's Place:

• Exposure to quality childcare.
• Individual contact with a variety of preschool aged children, including children from diverse cultural backgrounds.
• First hand modeling of professional childcare by trained staff.

How you can help Bernie's Place:

• Support and assist the staff in carrying out the schedule of daily activities with children.
• One on one, individual contact with children, especially during free choice times
• Initiate activities and share any special skills or talents that you have. Art, music, woodworking, baking, physics? Our kids love to learn.
• Promote safety for all children during their daily activities.
• Bernie's has "work days" from time to time throughout the year when various large projects include volunteer help. One group of volunteers.

Volunteers can choose between a morning (9:30-11:30am), mid-afternoon (1:45-3:45pm), or late afternoon (3:45-5:45) schedule for fall and spring semesters; summer by request only.  Thank you!

A copy of volunteer job descriptions is available through the volunteer coordinator at Bernie's Place.

UW Preschool Laboratory-Mineral Point
3910 Mineral Point Road
Madison, WI 53705
(608) 265-4782
Contact: Jill Riley, Director, e-mail: jillriley@wisc.edu

UW Preschool Laboratory-Linden Drive
1440 Linden Drive
Madison, Wisconsin, 53706
(608) 263-4579
Contact: Jackie Leckwee, Director, e-mail: jleckwee@wisc.edu

Statement of Mission/Purpose:

The University Preschool Laboratory is part of the educational and research program of the School of Human Ecology. Developmentally appropriate programming is provided for children ages 6 weeks-5 years.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Volunteers will have the opportunity to work with highly skilled teachers and assist them in providing a variety of developmentally appropriate activities that promote the child's social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. The primary role of a volunteer will be to provide an extra set of hands with daily routines, to provide one-on-one individual attention to children, and to help supervise activities to ensure the safety of children at all times.

The Preschool Lab is open from 7:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. To provide greater consistency for children, we would like volunteers to commit to at least 3 hours per day, at least once per week for 10 weeks (or an entire semester).

Eagle's Wing
University Apartments Community Center
611 Eagle Heights
Madison, Wisconsin 53705
(608) 262-8161
Contact: Debb Schaubs, Director, email: debb.schaubs@housingwisc.edu

Eagle's Wing serves an international population of children and families, many of whom are entering a child care setting for the first time when they step into Eagle's Wing.

Volunteers work with individual children within a group setting. Children benefit from one-on-one guidance as they are transitioning into a classroom where they are learning English as their 2nd or 3rd language and developing social skills.

Volunteers engage in everything from reading picture books with children, playing card games, to calming children at nap time.  Eagle’s Wing serves children ages 18 months to 12 years of age.  Year-round hours of operation are Monday through Friday 7:30am-5:30 pm. If you're interested in a unique cultural experience with young children, Eagle's Wing welcomes you!

University Houses Preschool  (UHP)
35 A University Houses
Madison, Wisconsin 53705
(608)  238-3955
Contact:  Karen Beck, Director, email: kmbeck@wisc.edu

UHP  is  a part-time parent –cooperative, non-profit preschool established in 1968.  It is located in a natural campus area in  University Family Houses near UW Hospital and Shorewood Elementary School; it is within walking distance of the free #80 bus.   UHP serves 36  children in  part-day, multi-aged classrooms, ages 2.5-6 years.
How you can help at UHP:

• One on one  support with children (within the context of the teaching team) to promote social, emotional, and cognitive development;
• Group interaction during play and structured activities to share your skills; and
• Support and assist  teachers in daily activities. 

Waisman Early Childhood Program
1500 Highland Avenue
Madison, Wisconsin 53705
(608) 262-4718
Contact Joan Ershler, Director, e-mail: ershler@waisman.wisc.edu

The Waisman Center is nationally recognized for its work with atypically developing children. The WECP serves approximately 80 children ages 12 months to 6 years of age; with one third atypically developing children in each classroom.

Volunteers may be assigned to individual classrooms to assist with the care and programming within. To provide consistency, Waisman Center asks that volunteers commit to at least 2 hours a day, twice a week.  The best times to volunteer at this site are:  1)  9:30-11:30am and 3:00-5:30pm, M-F; or  2) during monthly evening PTO events during  the academic year and summer.

Other Volunteer Opportunities and Contact Information

Many campus centers appreciate volunteer help with special projects and/or hands-on work with the children. To find out more about how you or your group may help, please contact Anna Weidemann at 698-2662 or weidemann@wisc.edu. THANK YOU!