Calling for Volunteers
PARDS is now scheduling for our fall therpeutic riding Session. Lesson and/or Barn Volunteer opportunities are available.
PARDS 2011 - 2012 Programs
To apply: Download the Volunteer Application Form and the Membership Form (for all programs)
Horse Leader
We see PARDS as not just an organization in the Peace Area – it’s our community.
From our humble beginnings, it is our volunteers who have been the driving force behind PARDS and its ability to grow into what we are today and what we hope to be in the future. They are the backbone of our organization, logging an average of 13,000 combined volunteer hours each year! We couldn’t do everything we do here at PARDS without them, and each one is helping make a difference in the lives of many people in our community.
Volunteering at PARDS can be divided into two main areas: Lesson volunteering and out-of-lesson volunteering. Lesson volunteers are people who are directly involved in our Therapeutic programs as Horse Leaders, Side Walkers and Barn helpers. Out-of-lesson volunteers are those who help support PARDS in a variety of other important ways, like volunteering on our various committees, at special events and fundraisers, in the office, staffing our bingos or casinos, helping with yard work, general maintenance, and more.
No matter what you are looking for or what your schedule is like, chances are there’s a way you can get involved as a PARDS volunteer. Please take a look at the volunteer opportunities below to see how, and give us a call at the PARDS office: 780-538-3211, or email info@pards.ca .
Volunteer forms are available at the PARDS office or you can find them under "Downloads" for both lesson/barn volunteers and administration/fundraising volunteers.
Don't forget your PARDS Membership form too - we offer all our volunteers honourary Memberships.
We require a current, clean Criminal Records Check (original copy) from all our lesson volunteers prior to participating in lessons with our clients. You can pick up a letter from the PARDS office that requests the type of record check we require, and it exempts you from the processing fee. Just bring it to a local RCMP detachment (Grande Prairie, Beaverlodge, etc) and once you have received your record check back, bring the original copy to PARDS. We can then schedule the best time for you to begin helping in lessons, and anything else you may be interested in.
Opportunities are available for daytime or evening shifts on Mondays through to Thursdays to assist us in delivering our programming as a Horse Leader. Even if you don’t have much experience with horses but have a love for them and want to help the people in your community, it’s very easy to learn. Our experienced instructors can show you how.
Duties:
The focus of the Leader in lessons is working directly with the horse, following directions from the instructor to ensure a safe and enjoyable lesson for our riders. Leaders help tack horses (put riding equipment onto horses), lead them around the arenas during the lesson (both indoor and outdoor arenas), deliver the horse into the stall after the lesson and help un-tack (remove riding equipment).
Estimated Time Commitment :
Minimum of 1 hour, once a week (Monday through to Thursday, 9am-8pm) for one or more of our therapeutic riding sessions:
Session 1 runs from September 12 to November 25, 2011
Session 2 runs from November 28, 2010 to March 2, 2012
Session 3 runs from March 12 to June 1, 2012
We work with you in scheduling your volunteer time to best meet your needs and the needs of our riders. As a Leader, our riders depend on you to be there each week to help provide them with a fun and safe therapeutic lesson. Your weekly commitment also builds an emotionally and socially stable environment that promotes a sense of familiarity, comfort and trust.
Volunteer Requirements:
Minimum of 16 years of age
Good health and mobility – this position requires walking on uneven surfaces in our sand-filled indoor and outdoor arenas and often includes short periods of light jogging
Comfortable working with horses and riders of all abilities (experience is not required but a relaxed and reassuring disposition is preferred)
Clean criminal record check (PARDS will provide a letter for you to submit to the local RCMP detachment that excludes you from the processing fee)
Can attend PARDS’ Volunteer Orientation/refresher training
Ability to work as part of a team
Loves to help and to have a good time doing it!
Flexibility:
It is very important for PARDS to have a serious commitment from all our Lesson Volunteers because our riders depend on you to help us provide a safe, stable and enjoyable learning environment for them each week. With this in mind, Lesson Volunteers are people who are able to:
Arrive 10 minutes before the lesson start time. All PARDS lessons start promptly at their scheduled time so we need you to be ready and in place so we may start the lesson on time.
Call the office immediately if you know you will be late so we can arrange someone to fill-in until you arrive.
Inform the office as soon as possible if you cannot make it in to volunteer (illness, holidays, etc) so we can make alternate arrangements for the lesson(s) you are not able to help with.
Benefits to Volunteer:
Achieve a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction knowing you are helping your community
See first-hand how you have helped make a difference in a person’s life
Gain an understanding and appreciation for what it means to live with special needs
Accumulate community service hours for schools, clubs, churches, etc.
Develop new friendships
Opportunities are available for daytime or evening shifts on Mondays through to Thursdays to assist us in delivering our programming as a Side Walker. Even if you don’t have much experience with horses but have a love for them and want to help the people in your community, it’s very easy to learn. Our experienced instructors can show you how.
Duties:
During lessons, the focus of the Side Walker is the Rider. While following directions from the instructor, the side walker helps the rider mount the horse, walks along side the horse and rider to ensure the rider maintains good stability and balance throughout the lesson (some riders require supportive holds), keeps the rider’s attention on the instructor to ensure a productive and enjoyable lesson, and helps the rider dismount at the end of the lesson.
Estimated Time Commitment :
Minimum of 1 hour, once a week (Monday through to Thursday, 9am-8pm) for one or more of our therapeutic riding sessions:
Session 1 runs from September 12 to November 25, 2011
Session 2 runs from November 28, 2010 to March 2, 2012
Session 3 runs from March 12 to June 1, 2012
We work with you in scheduling your volunteer time to best meet your needs and the needs of our riders. As a Side Walker, our riders depend on you to be there each week to help provide them with a fun and safe therapeutic lesson. Your weekly commitment also builds an emotionally and socially stable environment that promotes a sense of familiarity, comfort and trust.
Volunteer Requirements:
Minimum 16 years of age
Good health and mobility – this position requires walking on uneven surfaces in our sand-filled indoor and outdoor arenas, often includes short periods of light jogging and may require holding your arm in an elevated position for up to 45 minutes
Comfortable working with horses as well as riders of all abilities (experience is not required but a relaxed and reassuring disposition is preferred)
Provide a clean criminal record check (PARDS will provide a letter for you to submit to the local RCMP detachment that excludes you from the processing fee)
Attend PARDS’ Volunteer Orientation/refresher training
Ability to work as part of a team
Loves to help and to have a good time doing it!
Flexibility:
It is very important for PARDS to have a serious commitment from all our Lesson Volunteers because our riders depend on you to help us provide a safe and enjoyable learning environment for them each week. With this in mind, Lesson Volunteers are people who are able to:
Arrive 10 minutes before the lesson start time. All PARDS lessons start promptly at their scheduled time so we need you to be ready and in place so we may start the lesson on time.
Call the office immediately if you know you will be late so we can arrange someone to fill-in until you arrive.
Inform the office as soon as possible if you cannot make it in to volunteer (illness, holidays, etc) so we can make alternate arrangements for the lesson(s) you are not able to help with.
Benefits to Volunteer:
Achieve a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction knowing you are helping your community
See first-hand how you have helped make a difference in a person’s life
Gain an understanding and appreciation for what it means to live with disabilities
Accumulate community service hours for schools, clubs, churches, etc.
Develop new friendships
Opportunities are available for daytime or evening shifts on Mondays through to Thursdays to assist us in delivering our programming as a Barn Maintenance volunteer. This position is flexible and can accommodate both people who have a regular schedule and those whose schedules change often. This is also a great way for families to work together and get involved in their community. Even if you don’t have much experience with horses but have a love for them and want to help the people in your community, it’s very easy to learn. Our experienced instructors can show you how.
Duties:
A Barn helper’s main focus is assisting in the barn, arenas and with the horses. Following directions from the instructor, barn helpers bring in and prepare horses before lessons, un-tack and return them to their paddocks after lessons, help groom, feed and water the horses, clean out and refresh stalls, sweep the main thoroughfare, and tidy-up after the horses. From time to time, we may ask some of our barn help to assist in lessons as a Side Walker or Horse Leader when needed.
Estimated Time Commitment :
Session 1 runs from September 12, 2011 to November 25th, 2011
Session 2 runs from November 28th, 2011 to March 2nd, 2012
Session 3 runs from March 12th, 2012 to June 1st, 2012
We work with you in scheduling your volunteer time to best meet your needs and the needs of our riders.
This opportunity is suitable for both volunteers who can come in at a regular time each week, as well as for those whose schedules change often and would like to volunteer on a “drop-in” basis. Just call to let us know when you’re available to come in.
Volunteer Requirements:
Volunteers under 16 years of age are permitted to work in the barn only and require a parent or guardian to work alongside them. Volunteers over 16 years of age do not require a parent or guardian, and can extend their duties into lessons as Leaders or Side Walkers when fill-in help is needed .
Good health, mobility and strength – this position requires light to moderate physical labour, working both indoors and outdoors, walking on uneven, sandy surfaces.
Comfortable working with horses and riders of all abilities (experience is not required but a relaxed and reassuring disposition is preferred)
Clean criminal record check (PARDS will provide a letter for you to submit to the local RCMP Detachment that excludes you from the processing fee)
Attend PARDS’ Volunteer Orientation/refresher training
Ability to work as part of a team
Loves to help and to have a good time doing it!
Flexibility:
Arrive 10 minutes before your start time. All PARDS lessons start promptly at their scheduled time, so we need you to help us get everything ready before our riders’ lessons begin.
Call the office immediately if you know you will be late so we can arrange someone to fill-in until you arrive.
Inform the office as soon as possible if you cannot make it in to volunteer (illness, holidays, etc) so we can make alternate arrangements.
Benefits to Volunteer:
Achieve a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction knowing you are helping your community
See first-hand how you have helped make a difference in a person’s life
Gain an understanding and appreciation for what it means to live with disabilities
Accumulate community service hours for schools, clubs, churches, etc.
Develop new friendships
PARDS is governed by a volunteer Executive Board of Directors who are passionate about the essential therapeutic services PARDS provides to our community.
If you are interested in becoming involved on our Board of Directors or on any of our special Task Teams, such as PARDS’ Building Task Team, Development Committee, Fund Development Committee, Special Events Committees (various), please contact the PARDS office for more information at 780-538-3211 or send us an email to Contact .
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