Student Volunteer: Gain Hands-On Community Health & Advocacy Experience

The Carolina Lupus Alliance (CLA) is looking for student volunteers who want to give back to the lupus community and help support people living with a complex, chronic, and often invisible disease.

CLA is a growing, patient-led initiative focused on lupus education, community, and rural health equity across North and South Carolina. We are especially interested in strengthening support for people living in rural and medically underserved areas, where access to specialty care, lupus-specific education, community events, and other people living with SLE may be limited.

Why Volunteer With CLA?

Because CLA is still in its very early stages, this is a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience helping build an organization from the ground up.

Rather than stepping into a program where everything has already been created, volunteers may have the chance to help shape what CLA becomes.

Depending on your interests and skills, you may help us:

• Build our brand and visual identity
• Grow our social media presence
• Recruit and engage volunteers
• Create blog and educational content
• Research community resources
• Help plan lupus-focused events
• Develop outreach strategies
• Build relationships with clinics, universities, community organizations, and other potential partners

Some projects may directly interact with the lupus community, while others happen behind the scenes. Either way, the goal is the same: to help people living with lupus feel more connected, informed, supported, and less alone.

Who We’re Looking For

We would especially love to hear from students interested in healthcare, public health, chronic illness, health equity, community engagement, communications, marketing, design, writing, nonprofit development, or advocacy.

You do not need to have lupus, work in healthcare, or already have nonprofit experience. We are looking for thoughtful, dependable students who want to use their interests and skills in a meaningful way.

Our Commitment to Evidence-Based Education

CLA is committed to providing reliable, evidence-based health education.

• Health content created or shared through CLA should be supported by current, high-quality peer-reviewed research and reputable clinical guidance. We want people living with lupus to have information they can trust while continuing to follow the guidance and individualized plan of care developed with their healthcare providers.

Flexible Volunteer Commitment

We understand that students have different schedules and different ways they may want to contribute.

Volunteers may choose to:

• Commit approximately 8 hours per month for at least three months or
• Complete an agreed-upon tangible project or deliverable

If a volunteer must unexpectedly step away temporarily (life happens!), we understand - communication is key and we will be here when you are ready to volunteer again. . :-)

Project-based volunteering may include a graphic design project, website improvement, written content series, volunteer recruitment campaign, or another specialized contribution.

Where We Are

CLA is based in the Triangle area of North Carolina, and we would especially love to connect with students from Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State University, and other colleges and universities across North and South Carolina.

Much of the work can be completed remotely, with opportunities for in-person and community involvement as we grow.

Help Us Build What Comes Next

More than anything, we hope volunteers will be able to look back and see what they helped create.

Our vision is for CLA to grow into a stronger network of patients, volunteers, healthcare partners, community organizations, and local lupus communities across the Carolinas. The people who join us at this stage have the opportunity to help build that foundation.

Contact:

Questions are always welcome. You can reach our founder at lisa@carolinalupusalliance.org or contact info@carolinalupusalliance.org.