Hello, and thank you for your interest in volunteering your time with our program.

Before applying to volunteer with us, we want to be clear about how our program works and what this process will entail.

Syringe Access Services has provided street-based syringe access services to injection drug users (IDUs) since 1993 and has grown to become one of the nation's largest programs of its kind, providing more than 2.3 million clean syringes per year. Syringe Access Services is rooted in a harm-reduction philosophy and we firmly believe in helping people sustain a healthy lifestyle regardless of their substance use choices. Every week the program operates 6 mobile needle exchange sites throughout the city of San Francisco and 44 hours of needle exchange and other health services at the Harm Reduction Center providing extensive opportunities for needle exchanges where injection drug users dispose of their used equipment (dirty syringes) and pick up clean equipment. We then dispose of the used syringes in accordance with established biohazardous waste standards.

Not only does Syringe Access Services provide safer injection supplies, we also offer such services as HIV and Hepatitis C testing, Hepatitis C linkage and navigation to the new cure for Hepatitis C, drug treatment referrals, health education, substance use and health support groups, and medical care. Our program is very much driven by our more than 80 unpaid volunteers, and we rely heavily on people like you to help provide services at our syringe access sites.



Before Submitting an application with us please check the following volunteer expectations:

We require all of our volunteers to:

-Commit to at least 6 months of volunteering with the program,

-work at least 2 needle exchange site shifts a month,

-respond to all emails and messages when necessary,

-come to sites prepared and dress appropriately,

-alert us when they will not be able to make a shift they had signed up for; either 2 days in advance via email or phone, or in case of an emergency by calling the volunteer cell phone,

-recognize the importance of reliable attendance to the quality of the service provided by SAS

-maintain the confidentiality of exchangers and the SAS program,

-participate in trainings,

-and publicly maintain the dignity and integrity of all the aspects of the program.



If you are unable to meet all of these expectations, this might not be the right time to apply to volunteer with our program.



After submitting your application it may take a while for us to get back to you. We recruit new volunteers and go through applications as we need them. After we view your application and feel like you may be a good fit with our program, we will contact you about scheduling a short informal interview. This interview will not guarantee that you will automatically be selected to be a volunteer with us. We have a large pool of people interested in volunteering with us, which allows us to be selective and choose the candidates who would best serve our clients.



Thank you so much for your time and consideration. We appreciate your patience, in waiting for spots to open up, and look forward to working with you in the future!



- Syringe Access Services Staff