SLS: Support The Shopp Thrift Store: Outreach, Donations, Merchandising, or Volunteer Engagement (2026-27 school year)

NW Collaborative connects people to a community of support, resources, and services addressing both immediate and long-term needs in the areas of human trafficking, domestic violence, homelessness, and addiction. 

This position is one of the options for Portland State's Student Leaders for Service program. Please apply to the Student Leaders for Service program to express interest in this opportunity. To access the application to apply for SLS for the the 2026-27 school year, please visit https://pdx.givepulse.com/event/864961

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NW Collaborative's "The Shopp" is Portland’s leading women-led non-profit thrift store dedicated to making a difference. We provide clothing and basic essentials to survivors of trafficking, domestic violence, and other critical situations. Every cent of our net proceeds goes directly to supporting these individuals and their advocates. The Shopp is designed like a welcoming boutique, offering dignified, trauma-informed services. We strive to create a safe, respectful environment for survivors and vulnerable individuals where they can find essential items, build confidence, and connect with supportive community partners.

We are looking for an Student Leader for Service who would be interested in taking on any of the following roles

• Community Outreach & Content Lead: Help tell The Shopp’s story! This role focuses on creating engaging content for social media, newsletters, and flyers, as well as helping build awareness on campus and in the community. This position is key to creating the opportunity to highlight impact stories, promote donation drives, and increase foot traffic to The Shopp.
  

• Donation Intake & Inventory Coordinator: Be the heart of our donation process! This role involves sorting, organizing, and categorizing incoming donations to ensure the shopping space is fresh, organized, and inviting. You’ll help create efficient systems so donations are easily accessible for those who need them most.
  

• Visual Merchandising & Styling Specialist: Bring creativity to life! In this role, you’ll help style The Shopp’s retail floor to create a boutique-like, welcoming atmosphere. This includes setting up displays, styling mannequins, and making the space feel dignified and inspiring for our guests.
  

• Volunteer Engagement & Recruitment Coordinator: Help us grow our team! This role is focused on reaching out to PSU students and the broader community to recruit and engage volunteers. You’ll assist with outreach, help create volunteer materials, and make sure new volunteers feel welcome, trained, and connected.

While we encourage independence and creative problem-solving, students will not be on their own. We will provide clear goals, hands-on initial training, and regular check-ins to offer guidance, feedback, and encouragement. Because we are a growing organization, students will also have the unique opportunity to help shape systems and processes, contributing their ideas in a collaborative environment where their leadership can leave a lasting impact.

Modality: While some tasks (e.g., social media or content creation) can be done remotely, we strongly encourage weekly in-person participation at The Shopp. On-site involvement helps you engage with guests, experience the environment firsthand, and better capture the spirit of the mission. 

In-person duties include sorting and organizing donations, visual merchandising, assisting guests, and working alongside volunteers — all key components of the experience that help build leadership and community connection. We are open to finding a healthy balance between remote work for content development and on-site involvement to ensure the student can fully contribute while gaining hands-on experience and deeper insight into the community we serve.

Skills and Knowledge Required: The most important qualities we look for in an SLS member are reliability, a heart for service, creativity, and initiative. Strong communication skills, the ability to work both independently and as part of a team, and comfort with tools like social media or Canva are helpful.

While prior experience in volunteering, retail, or outreach is a plus, the biggest keys to success are adaptability, a willingness to learn, and a passion for helping create a dignified, welcoming space for those we serve.

Preferred Qualifications: We do not have strict qualifications, but we are looking for individuals who take initiative, are self-motivated, and demonstrate leadership by following through on tasks without needing constant direction. The ideal SLS student is someone who can listen, learn, and then apply instructions with confidence and independence, while still being open to feedback and collaboration.

Application, Onboarding, and Training process:  As a young and growing organization, we are in the process of building out our training materials and systems — and we see this as an exciting opportunity for the SLS member to help shape that process. We will provide an initial orientation to introduce them to The Shopp’s mission, values, and daily operations, along with hands-on training for specific tasks such as donation intake, guest services, and merchandising. Ongoing support will be provided through regular check-ins, clear guidance, and collaborative goal-setting. While there is no formal required training beyond our in-house orientation, we value students who are eager to help refine and contribute to developing systems and resources that will benefit future volunteers and leaders.

Benefits of this Position: Serving at The Shopp will give a student the opportunity to gain real-world, hands-on experience in nonprofit operations, community engagement, and leadership development. Through roles like community outreach, donation management, visual merchandising, and volunteer recruitment, students will hone valuable skills such as communication, project management, creative problem-solving, marketing, and teamwork. They will learn how to balance leadership with collaboration — taking initiative on projects while also following through on direction and contributing to a larger mission. In addition, they’ll have the chance to work directly with diverse populations, deepening their understanding of trauma-informed service and community support. By connecting with local donors, volunteers, other service organizations, and community leaders, students will build a strong professional network. Most importantly, they will play an active role in creating a more dignified and empowering environment for survivors and vulnerable individuals in our community — contributing to meaningful, lasting change.

Supervision: The SLS member will report directly to Tarah Reed, Executive Director and Founder of NW Collaborative who will provide day-to-day training and guidance. Tarah will ensure the student has clear expectations, consistent support, and opportunities to grow in leadership throughout their time with us.

Location & Transportation: The Shoppe is located at 2808 NE MLK Jr. Blvd, Suite 5, Portland, OR 97212

It is accessible by TriMet bus lines (6, 4, etc.) and close to the MAX Yellow Line. Typical public transit commute from PSU is about 20–30 minutes.

Schedule Available: 4–6 hours per week required throughout the term. The Shopp is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 12 PM to 6 PM, and we encourage the SLS member to complete most of their hours during these times to engage with guests, assist with merchandising, and work alongside staff and volunteers. However, we also welcome support during morning hours (before 12 PM) for tasks such as donation sorting, inventory organization, and content gathering, offering some flexibility to fit their class schedule. While there are no required shift times, we encourage the student to set consistent weekly hours. Additionally, we would love for the SLS member to participate in any special events or group volunteer projects throughout the year, if availability allows.