Quick Links

Become a Parks "VIP"

The Broward County Parks and Recreation Division needs YOU. We welcome and encourage students, parents, retirees, environmentalists, pet lovers and avid gardeners to share their time and talents with us.

There are a variety of volunteer opportunities at each park site. We can also accommodate a variety of schedules and times.

Please call the park of your choice directly or stop by the park office to complete a volunteer application. For volunteers under 18 years old, parental signatures are required. Please bring a photo ID to the park when you sign up.

Check the list of parks to find the best location for you. For additional information, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at 954-357-8658.

More County Volunteer Opportunities

In 2010 the Broward County Parks and Recreation Division launched its revamped volunteer initiative: the VIP Program, short for “Volunteers Improving Parks.” For many years the Division has depended heavily on its volunteers to augment and enhance park staff. And in these lean times, it just makes sense to use volunteers to extend our limited workforce through a more centralized and coordinated effort.

In a park system as large and diverse as Broward County’s, volunteer opportunities are virtually limitless, regardless of the volunteer’s background, experience, interests, and availability. We need volunteers for maintenance assistance and general cleanup – picking up litter, painting, weeding, minor planting, etc. We need volunteers who can contribute to security by keeping an eye out for potential vandalism and maintenance issues. We need volunteers who can answer phones and assist at park offices. In short, we need people with ideas, initiative, motivation, and an eagerness to chip in and help with whatever needs doing.

The VIP Program provides excellent opportunities not just for individuals but also for neighborhood organizations as well as businesses to become directly involved in maintaining and improving our parks, landscaped areas, greenways, and recreational facilities to help build community spirit and a sense of civic pride and responsibility. Park staff are always available to offer training, supervision, and any other resources necessary for both individuals and groups willing to contribute.

Our Mission

To increase community involvement with Broward County Parks by providing a variety of volunteer opportunities for individuals, corporations, and organizations in order to assist in the beautification, maintenance, and programming of the County’s park system.

Here’s How It Works

The first step is to find a project that’s in line with your talents and interests and the amount of time you’re willing to commit.

To find out the forms that will be necessary to complete and contact information:

Volunteer Forms - Required for Participation

The Benefits of Volunteerism

Judging from the feedback we get from our volunteers, they get a great deal of satisfaction from a job well done. Here are a few examples of the things you can accomplish with only a few hours a week of volunteer service:

Acquire skills and gain experience that can be applied in a variety of jobs and careers.
Assist in organizing and staffing special events that help the community.
Increase public awareness of the importance of South Florida’s remaining natural areas.
Improve the environment by clearing natural areas of trash and invasive plants.
Instill sportsmanship, leadership, and team building in young people.
Meet the education system’s requirement for community service hours.

The Track Record for Volunteers at Broward County Parks

As one of Broward County’s largest agencies, the Parks and Recreation Division is especially dependent on the contributions of its volunteers. While more than 700 Parks employees may report to work on an average day, that workforce may be supplemented by as many as 200 volunteers, especially on weekends.

Fiscal Year 2023

Volunteers	Volunteer Hours
171	10,012

Friends Groups and Longtime Volunteers

Anne Kolb, Fern Forest, Long Key, and Secret Woods nature centers and Deerfield Island, T.Y. (Topeekeegee Yugnee) Park, and Tradewinds Park also have their own volunteer friends groups. Additional friends groups that have been established over the past few years are:

Florida Master Gardeners of Broward County

To learn more about each friends group, please visit our Friends Group Web page.

There are also longtime volunteers at such specialized facilities as the Tradewinds Park Stables & Educational Farm, the Markham Park Target Range, Markham Park Airfield, and the mountain bike trails at Markham and Quiet Waters parks.

Thanks to all our volunteer groups - for more information on individual groups and their contributions, visit our Community & Corporate Partnerships page.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations in order to participate in programs, services, and activities must contact the Special Populations Section at 954-357-8170 or TTY 954-537-2844 at least five business days prior to the scheduled meeting or event.