Direct Service Volunteers for

Child and Family Programs

Volunteers are needed to provide a variety of services to children participating in our child and family programs. However, great care is given in providing volunteers with the necessary training for them to share responsibilities with staff for the supervision of children.

There are two levels of volunteers in our child and family programs who provide direct service to children: Volunteers who may not supervise children and volunteers who may supervise children. All new volunteers begin their work with us in the first category and move to the second level as they complete their training and are approved for service by child and family program directors in consultation with the Volunteer Ministries Coordinator.

Child & Family Volunteer Assistant I

Volunteers serve Child and Family Programs by providing a variety of services. Since the staff of most Child and Family Programs includes one social worker or professional licensed counselor with no administrative help, volunteers can perform valuable services to support the service to children and families provided by the Child and Family Specialist. Some of the services the C&F Volunteer Assistant I can provide are:

Staffing the Office when the C&F Specialist is in the field;
Preparing meals for families;
Coordinating celebrations;
Assisting with parenting classes;
Traveling with the C&F Specialist on home visits;
Doing research for families in need of social services

Because these volunteers may occasionally encounter clients in unsupervised settings, specialized volunteer training will be offered to teach volunteers appropriate interactions with clients. In addition to the general orientation, volunteers are asked to participate in training opportunities in which volunteers are provided with instruction in how to be in relationship with the children and families served by C&F Programs.

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Child & Family Volunteer Assistant II

Child and Family Volunteer Assistants II are volunteers who assist PCHAS Child and Family Programs and are trained to provide unsupervised service. Job duties will be varied, depending upon the needs of each specific Child and Family Program.

Volunteer Assistants in this category may be asked to serve in all the ways Volunteer Assistants I are asked to serve. An important additional service is that these volunteers will be asked to provide transportation to children and families. Because of the greater unsupervised contact these volunteers are expected to have with Children and Families, the training expectations are greater. We ask that these volunteers participate in 8 hours of pre-service training. Additionally 8 hours of training are required annually.

Mentors
Mentors in Child and Family Programs have the same job descriptions as those in Residential Programs. Mentors may serve in both programs. Mentors are volunteers who are matched with one child, parent or family for a long-term relationship, the purpose of which is to participate with PCHAS in developing that person’s or family’s gifts, graces and strengths. Mentors provide a supportive and trusting relationship in which they are able to model healthy boundaries, mature attitudes and positive values.

Mentors can be guides and advisors, but most often are companions who are able to walk with a child, parent or family through a season of their life. Mentors are matched with someone in the care of PCHAS by a social worker or treatment team who supervise the mentor.

Mentors communicate with their supervisors, who determine the needs of the child or family and how best to fulfill those needs. Mentors are guided by their supervisors in their relationship with the child or family with whom they are matched.

In order to qualify to be a mentor, a volunteer will have previous volunteer experience with a PCHAS program and will have the same training as Volunteer Caregivers.