Getting Our Hands Dirty: Building Trust Through Volunteer Days

By Haley Neumann

There are many reasons to volunteer: giving back to your community, learning a new skill, fulfilling a program requirement, or meeting like-minded people. Research consistently shows that the altruistic habit is even linked to benefits for our physical and mental health.

A Curiae volunteer days offer all of these benefits while creating something perhaps less obvious: opportunities to build social connection, strengthen community ties, and foster trust across systems that can otherwise feel difficult to navigate.

The first week of August, I had the privilege of attending two volunteer days organized by A Curiae. Both days followed a similar structure of sharing lunch from local businesses, spending time chatting and getting to know one another, touring the gardens, learning about the work we would be doing, and then spending about an hour to an hour and a half volunteering together.

The first volunteer day brought together the Oakland Conviction Alternatives Program (CAP) team at The Gardens at Lake Merritt. I was amazed to discover that these expansive gardens are open each day to the public free of charge. With an incredible diversity of plants and flowers and an obvious sense of care and pride, the gardens felt like a true outdoor oasis in the middle of Oakland. It was especially rewarding to know that our group was able to contribute, even in a small way, to maintaining such a beautiful community space.

Our group spent the afternoon weeding near the entrance to the Japanese Garden, learning about the history of the garden and Oakland’s sister-city relationship with Fukuoka, Japan, and how that history is reflected in the garden’s public art and design. Beyond the lush scenery and sunshine, I was struck by the conversations taking place among the group. Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of A Curiae’s work and collaborative courts, our volunteer team included CAP clients, judges, attorneys, therapists, case managers, and other members of the team. But in this setting, dressed casually and working side-by-side in the garden, many of the professional distinctions that can shape our interactions in a courtroom or office setting were not overtly present. At one point, someone asked if I was a lawyer. Someone else asked if I was a former CAP graduate. I explained that I was neither, but rather a recent Master of Public Health graduate. With a public health lens in mind, I appreciated what those questions revealed about how different our roles can appear within the justice system.

Perhaps most meaningful were the small moments of trust that emerged throughout the afternoon. One CAP client revealed that he was surprised to find himself working alongside the judges and attorneys. He shared that he had expected to be scared of them when he started the program, and now instead found himself comfortably and confidently working alongside them. What may seem on the outside as a simple afternoon of gardening became an opportunity to see one another outside of our usual roles and work toward building a different kind of relationship grounded in collaboration, shared purpose, and trust.

A couple of days later, I joined the San Francisco CAP team at the Tenderloin People’s Garden, where we spent the afternoon weeding garden beds and composting. This volunteer day had a particularly unique, place-based quality. Though much smaller than the Gardens at Lake Merritt, the Tenderloin People’s Garden is a beautiful and lush pocket of life amid the surrounding city. A colorful mural above the garden serves as a vibrant reflection of the community and the sense of connection that makes the garden so special. The garden is entirely volunteer-run and open to the public, making it a truly community-powered space. 

Located just a block from the federal courthouse where CAP meetings are typically held, the garden offered a particularly meaningful setting for volunteering. Several people, myself included, reflected on the number of times we had walked past the garden without knowing much about it. It was special to step into the space, learn about the community that sustains it, and get our hands dirty helping to care for it. The experience was especially significant to me because A Curiae has previously referred clients to volunteer opportunities at the Tenderloin People’s Garden. Having heard about clients’ positive experiences volunteering there, it was rewarding to finally experience the space myself and understand firsthand what made the opportunity so enjoyable to them.

From a public health perspective, these two volunteer days reinforced an important pillar of A Curiae’s work. Health and well-being are shaped not only by access to healthcare, but also importantly by our relationships, environments, and sense of belonging. 

Creating opportunities for people to step outside of their usual roles, spend time together in shared community spaces, and work toward a common goal can strengthen connections that extend beyond a single afternoon. For individuals navigating the justice system, these experiences can also help build trust and reinforce a sense of identity that is not defined solely by a court case, a legal status, or a program. Sometimes, building healthier systems starts small with something as simple as showing up, getting your hands dirty, and working alongside one another.