Dakota County, MN

Fix-It Clinics provide an opportunity for residents to receive free assistance from repair savvy volunteers guiding them through each step from troubleshooting to completed repair.

Several volunteer opportunities are available to help at a Fix-It Clinic. Volunteer fixers who have skills in soldering, electronics repair, electrical repair, sewing, wood working and general tinkering are essential to making the clinics successful. General volunteers to greet residents are needed as well.

Dakota County partners with local municipalities to host events for residents to drop-off hazardous and electronic items at no cost. Volunteers are needed to help unload cars or greet residents as they enter the site and assist with the event.

The Master Recycler/Composter program provides training on waste reduction, recycling, composting and solid waste.

Graduates agree to volunteer 30 hours putting their skills to work. Graduates have the opportunity to staff informational booths at community events, make presentations, and work on special projects in their neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces.

The Wetland Health Evaluation Program engages citizen volunteers to help monitor wetlands in their community. Since 1997, WHEP volunteers have been monitoring wetland health throughout Dakota and Hennepin counties. They provide important information to city and county planners, engineers, resource managers, and others.  The data is also used by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to track wetland health throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area. 

The Wetland Health Evaluation Program teaches citizen volunteers to become wetland monitors in their community. WHEP volunteers work in teams to evaluate the biological health of wetlands selected by their community. All training and equipment is provided.

For more information about this program, visit the MN WHEP website.

Please select the team (city) you want to join. If desired team is full, please join the nearest team to your home location that is still available. For help, please contact Garrett Zaffke at 651-438-4635.

Training is recommended but not mandatory for you to be a part of the WHEP program. The training consists of three sessions: Field Methods, Macro ID, and Veg ID.

Dakota County Citizen Advisory Committees support County government by involving citizens in the decision-making process, meeting requirements of state law, helping to define community norms and standards, providing technical expertise, serving as advocates, offering feedback, and reflecting the diverse interests of County clients and residents.

Heading Home Dakota is a 10 year plan to prevent and end homelessness, which was finalized in 2012. The work to create it included a variety of surveys and focus groups, a community retreat, analysis and utilization of data on homelessness in Dakota County, and the development of a strategic plan and an implementation guide to meet the needs in our community. Please check out our plan and join us in our effort to end homelessness in Dakota County!

DISCLAIMER: The positions listed below are not with Dakota County Volunteers but with another organization located in Dakota County. You may have to complete additional registration documentation with the host organization to fully apply for this opening. The organizations that host these opportunities take full responsibility for the management of the opportunities listed below. 

The Dakota County Historical Society continues to build upon the efforts of Fred E. Lawshe and others who have worked for the Society over the years. There are now over 25,000 objects in the museum’s collections and more than 20,000 photographs. Its publishing program, first begun in 1951 with a newsletter called Over the Years, now creates over 100 pages of original historical research a year. Its research library has one of the best collections of local history in Minnesota.

130 3rd Avenue North
South St. Paul, MN 55075
651-552-7548
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Wednesday & Friday 9-5
Thursday 9-8
Saturday 10-3

The Dakota County Sheriff's Explorer Program, run by the Dakota County Sheriff's Office in partnership with Learning For Life, is a non-profit organization dedicated to introducing young adults (14 - 20 years of age) to Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice careers. Explorers are trained by department advisors in law enforcement techniques, community policing, crime prevention and first aid. This program helps prepare participants for a career in law enforcement and beyond.

The Dakota County Sheriff’s Office enhances the training and education of students pursuing careers in law enforcement, corrections and criminal justice, so students gain practical experience. Interns have the opportunity to shadow deputies within various divisions in effort to provide them with a holistic view of the many opportunities available at the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office.

Interested in a career in law enforcement? Participants aged 18 - 21 who are enrolled in a law enforcement program can sign up for the Dakota County Recruitment Academy. During the Recruitment Academy, you will take part in on-site scenario-based trainings and participate in hands on opportunities to test your skills as well as experience hands-on training with Dakota County Deputies.