How I found a volunteering opportunity in tech

I have to admit that I was always worried about the prospect of taking a career break. There never seems to be a right time to do it, especially when the economy and the markets are in constant flux and the US has not yet fully decided if we are in a recession or not. Regardless, I decided to take the plunge and embrace my free time with open arms and willing to try out a few things that I have always put on hold, like volunteering.

I knew that I wanted to share some of my skills and experience working in tech so that was my first step to narrow down the available volunteering options. Websites like VolunteerMatch have useful filters called "Cause Areas" with an option for "Computers & Technology". I was able to find a few tech lab and tutoring opportunities in my community. Other cause areas include (directive) board development, education & literacy, and employment which might be useful in tech.

Another useful resource was Dhinesh Dharman's blog post called "Tech-based volunteering opportunities in the Bay Area (and remote)" which listed 15 options for tech industry professionals and students looking to empower others via technology. This is how I found out about Techtonica, an education company that partners with tech companies to offer 6-month tech apprenticeships (with living and childcare stipends) with additional job placement support. Volunteers can sign up to be mentors who work 1-on-1 with the mentee that they are matched with. You are expected to commit at least 2 hours per week over 5 or 11 months, depending on your availability.

Other options I considered were:

1. Hackbright Academy - Volunteers can support Hackbright Academy by serving as technical mentors, industry mentors, mock interviewers, guest speakers, or alumnae mentors, typically requiring relevant experience and a commitment of about 2 hours per week.
2. MissionBit - Volunteers can support Mission Bit by serving as classroom volunteers, participating in one-time events, assisting with administrative tasks, or contributing to projects, all aimed at bringing computer science education to under-resourced high schools.
3. TEALS - Volunteers with strong computer science backgrounds can partner with high school teachers through the TEALS program (a Microsoft Philanthropies program) to help expand students' career horizons and provide equitable access to computer science education.

I'm joining Techtonica as a mentor for the upcoming 2024 cohort this week. I am aligned with their mission to bring more diversity to the tech industry and had the opportunity to meet the team that is running the program which made me feel confident that this is the perfect volunteering opportunity for me. Not only will it empower Techtonica's mission and help their students with their career transition into tech, but it will also allow me to learn from our students and keep improving my mentor and coaching skills for any future roles I embark on.