Volunteers in Community Enhancement; VICE

Overview

The City of Dana Point Public Works Volunteers in Community Enhancement (VICE) program is established to provide a structured and ongoing opportunity for community members to actively contribute to the cleanliness, upkeep, and beautification of public spaces throughout the City. The program is aimed to strengthen the City’s commitment to maintaining a well-kept, safe, and visually appealing environment while reinforcing civic pride, shared stewardship and community ownership.

The mission of the program is to:

• Preserve the visual quality and cleanliness of Dana Point’s streets, sidewalks, parks, trails, beaches, medians, and public facilities
• Support the early identification and reporting of maintenance concerns and public space issues to enable proactive City response
• Promote community involvement and shared responsibility for the care and preservation of City assets
• Enhance the overall quality of life and sense of place for residents, businesses, and visitors

This is a part-time volunteer position for the City of Dana Point.

• Beautification and Maintenance Support:
• Litter and debris pickup in designated areas
• Light landscape maintenance, including planting, weeding, and mulching in approved zones
• Graffiti reporting and limited removal where authorized
• Surface cleaning of public fixtures such as benches, signs, and railings
• Participation in community cleanup and beautification events
• Issue Identification and Reporting:
• Reporting potholes, sidewalk damage, streetlight outages, irrigation leaks, graffiti, vandalism, damaged signage, and other maintenance concerns
• Identifying safety hazards within public spaces
• Submitting observations through established City reporting channels
• Assisting in monitoring the condition of adopted areas
• Community Ambassadors:
• Encouraging responsible use of public spaces
• Promoting a culture of care and respect for City property
• Serving as positive representatives of the City within the community

Participants may include:

• Individual residents
• Neighborhood groups and homeowner associations
• Schools and youth organizations
• Non-profit and civic organizations
• Local businesses and service clubs

Participants must complete a volunteer application and acknowledge program guidelines and safety requirements prior to participation.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a volunteer to successfully perform the essential functions of this role. The position requires the ability to communicate in person and over the telephone; to perform light to moderate lifting and carrying; frequent standing and walking; occasional sitting, squatting, reaching, grasping, kneeling, and twisting. The position requires the ability to safely use basic hand tools for light maintenance tasks, as authorized.

Ability to navigate uneven surfaces, landscaped areas, and public pathways.

Work is performed primarily outdoors in parks, trails, rights-of-way, and other public spaces. Volunteers may be exposed to sun, wind, dust, and varied weather conditions. Tasks may involve contact with soil, plants, litter, and public-use areas. Safety equipment and training will be provided as required for approved activities.