Beach Cleanup Participant

As a Beach Cleanup Participant, you'll connect with other passionate volunteers who share your commitment to keeping our beaches clean and beautiful. 

You'll start by meeting at a designated beach, where you'll receive a quick introduction and safety briefing and pick up cleanup supplies. From there, you'll team up with fellow volunteers to comb the beach, collecting litter and data - making a tangible and lasting impact on the environment.

• Volunteer type: one-time or recurring as your schedule permits
• Time commitment: 2-3 hours, typically on Saturdays
• How to get involved: Check the calendar on this page or email volunteercoordinator@southoc.surfrider.org. 

Beach Cleanup Captain

As a Beach Cleanup Captain, you'll play a key role in organizing and hosting beach cleanups. This is an excellent opportunity to take the next step in becoming a leader in your chapter. 

Organizing a cleanup takes roughly 2-3 hours of preparation a few weeks before the event. This includes getting city permits online, publicizing the event, and a few additional tasks.

Hosting a cleanup typically takes 3 hours on the day of the event. This includes getting the supplies (table, gloves, grabbers, etc.) from our storage facility in Dana Point, setting up the table and supplies, checking in volunteers, and  answering any questions volunteers may have. 

For this role, we provide training and assistance, so we are seeking volunteers who can commit to leading at least 3 cleanups a year.

• Volunteer type: Ongoing, ideally a minimum of 3 events a year
• Time commitment: Roughly 4-5 hours per cleanup, typically on Saturdays
• How to get involved: Email volunteercoordinator@southoc.surfrider

Water Sampler

As a Blue Water Task Force Sampler, you'll play an essential role in protecting public health and the environment by collecting water samples from designated beaches between Laguna Beach and San Onofre and delivering them to our testing lab in San Clemente. 

Your efforts will directly contribute to identifying potential pollution issues, promote clean water, and ensure the safety of our local waterways.

We are seeking dedicated volunteers who can commit to biweekly sampling, helping us gather reliable data to keep the community informed and safe. This position requires a 1-hour training session on sampling protocol.

• Volunteer type: Ongoing
• Time commitment: Roughly 1 hour every other Thursday
• How to get involved: Email bwtf@southoc.surfrider.org and state your interest in being a water sampler!
  

Lab Analyst

As a Blue Water Task Force Lab Analyst, you'll assist with analyzing water samples collected from local beaches and coastal sites. Working in our lab in San Clemente, you'll follow established procedures to test for water quality indicators and help identify pollution risks. 

Your work will be critical in providing accurate, timely data that informs the community about water safety and support the efforts to protect the environment and public health. 

We're seeking dedicated volunteers who can commit to regular shifts, ensuring consistent and reliable testing to monitor and safeguard our water. No previous experience is required.

• Volunteer type: Ongoing
• Time commitment: 1-2 hours every other Thursday
• How to get involved: Email bwtf@southoc.surfrider.org to get trained!

Climate Action Captain

As a Climate Action Program Captain, you'll play a key role in organizing and hosting climate action and stewardship events. This is an exciting opportunity to utilize nature to help fight climate change and create more resilient coastlines.

The chapter is currently collaborating with California State Parks and San Onofre Parks Foundation on a monthly stewardship event at Trestles Beach, North San Onofre State Park. Volunteers will help remove invasive species - leaving native plants room to thrive - or remove litter from the beach depending on the need.

• Volunteer type: Ongoing
• Time commitment: Roughly 3-4 hours per event (currently held every 3rd Saturday)
• How to get involved: Email mcoats@surfrider.org and state your interest in being a climate action captain!

Chapter Ambassador

As a chapter ambassador, you'll play a key role in raising awareness about Surfrider's core initiatives while encouraging people to get involved by becoming members and volunteers. Through interactive outreach, you'll serve as a passionate advocate for Surfrider, helping to inspire action in your community. 

Hosting an outreach table includes getting the supplies (table, brochures/flyers, etc.) from our storage facility in Dana Point, setting up the outreach display, and engaging visitors on Surfrider's mission. 

• Volunteer type: Ongoing
• Time commitment: Roughly 4 hours per event (Outreach events are often broken up into shifts)
• How to get involved: Email volunteercoordinator@southoc.surfrider.org and state your interest in being a chapter ambassador!
  

Communications Coordinator

As a communications coordinator, you will keep our community informed of chapter programs and current events by crafting compelling content for the chapter's newsletters and social media platforms. This role involves sharing updates on campaigns, events, and volunteer opportunities while amplifying Surfrider's mission and impact. 

For this role, we provide training and assistance in navigating the content management platform that manages the chapter's monthly newsletter. We will also provide access to Canva Pro and templates for managing the chapter's Instagram account.

• Volunteer type: Ongoing
• Time commitment: Roughly 1-2 hours per week
• How to get involved: Email mcoats@surfrider.org and state your interest in being a communications coordinator!

As a Policy Committee Volunteer, you'll play a vital role in supporting Surfrider's mission by tracking and engaging in public policy at the city, country, state, and/or federal levels. This involves staying informed on legislation and regulations that impact coastal access, water quality, and environmental protection, and providing feedback or taking action to advance our advocacy goals. 

You'll collaborate with a team of volunteers and staff to review policies, draft letters, attend meetings, and participate in campaigns that shape the future of coastal conservation.

This role offers a unique opportunity to be directly involved in influencing policy decisions that have a lasting impact on our beaches and oceans. We're seeking volunteers who are passionate about environmental advocacy and eager to help drive change at all levels of government.

• Volunteer type: Ongoing
• Time commitment: Roughly 1-2 hours per week
• How to get involved: Email mcoats@surfrider.org and state your interest in supporting the chapter's policy campaigns! 

The Executive Committee is a group of volunteers responsible for running the Surfrider South OC Chapter. It is a fun and rewarding position that requires consistent efforts through a two-year term. Chapters are required to elect five standard roles: Chair, Vice Chair, Volunteer Coordinator, Treasurer, and Secretary. Chapters can add on two to six at-large members. 

As volunteers, perfection is not expected, but dedication is important. EC members typically meet once a month to discuss chapter business and finances, along with engaging in regular communication via email. 

Any chapter member in good standing may nominate yourself when the Executive Committee election cycle opens. Elections begin in October, and members are voted on in November. A chapter member in good standing is defined as any member of the Surfrider South OC chapter who has attended at least 3 chapter meetings or events in the 12 months preceding the election. 

🚨 As of February 2025, the chapter is looking to fill the position of Secretary. The Secretary is responsible for preparing the agenda for monthly EC meetings, taking notes during the meeting, and providing general organizational support. 

• Volunteer type: Ongoing for a 2 year term
• Time commitment: Roughly 5-6 hours a month
• How to get involved: Email mcoats@surfrider.org and state your interest in being the chapter's secretary!