VOLUNTEER MANUAL. FarmWonders Summer Camp 2014: 1) Intro. Welcome to the UBC farm.

Transcription

1 FarmWonders Summer Camp 2014: VOLUNTEER MANUAL 1) Intro Welcome to the UBC farm. You will be joining the FarmWonders summer camp team. We hope you will gain experience and have fun while helping the UBC farm run a successful summer camp for children ages 5 to 13. You will learn about working with children, leadership and teaching, various skills and knowledge related to plants, the environment, science, outdoors, food, etc. This manual provides information for volunteers regarding policies and procedures you are required to follow as a summer camp volunteer of the UBC farm.

2 2) Procedures Volunteers are signed up for AM or PM shifts, Monday-Friday for each week. Morning (AM): 9am to 1:00pm AM shifts meet in Childrenʼs Greenhouse Afternoon (PM): 1:00pm to 5:00pm PM shifts meet in Childrenʼs Greenhouse, Yurt, or Childrenʼs Garden We would appreciate any time you may be able to provide around the start and end times to help setup and take down. You may volunteer in one or more of the weeks. a) Volunteer tasks: You will play an important role in the success of our summer camp. Some of the tasks you may expect to take on: Assist in set up and clean up Provide support and extra direction to camp participants Assist in leading games, crafts and activities Actively participate in the program You will not be expected and not permitted to do: Lead the entire program Give medication to children Give a child a ride home Be left alone with children at the end of the program We encourage active participation and leadership in volunteers to help keep camp participants under control and on task. We also encourage feedback to instructors on activities, or suggestions of new activities. If you have feedback or suggestions, please talk to the FarmWonders camp leaders first. If you have feedback or concerns that canʼt be addressed by the camp leaders, then you may consult Tamara Litke, the UBC Farm Community Engagement Coordinator (after the Program Leaders). b) Rights of a Volunteer To be heard, recognized, appreciated and respected To be treated as a co-worker To receive appropriate training for the volunteer assignments To be given sound guidance and direction To be given a variety of experience

3 3) Policy a) Criminal Record Check Volunteers will not be left alone with the children and will not need a criminal background check. However, you can choose to undergo one for future experiences. The Vancouver Police Department will perform the check free of charge, with a letter of request (Please ubcfarm.farmwonders@ubc.ca for letter). Other requirements can be found at < Address: V.P.D Record Clearances Unit 312 Main Street Vancouver, BC ***If you are a resident at UBC, you can have your criminal record check done at the UBC campus RCMP office. b) Absenteeism and Tardiness If for any reason you will be absent or you are unable to make it to the program on time, please notify the camp leaders as soon as possible. c) Guidelines Should a child become out of hand, abusive, or emotionally unstable OR If you have reason to believe that a child has been or is likely to be abused or neglected... Please, inform the camp instructors as soon as possible. Some information that campers may tell you is not confidential and legally needs to be reported. d) Attire and Behavior i) Attire Farming may get dirty, so dress appropriately and for the weather. Keep in mind that you will be working with children, therefore, we expect you to use your judgment on appropriate clothing. ii) Behavior Because of the nature of summer camps, children may become closely attached to you. To avoid conflicts with parents or other observers of the camp, inappropriate touching is not permitted with the children. iii) Out-trips You may encounter people you know on out-trips, but please stay with the group so that you do not encourage children to stray from the group as well.

4 4) FAQs 1. What is expected of me as a volunteer? To perform tasks that assist with the FarmWonders camps, which include garden work, child management and care, and set-up and clean up of activities. We expect volunteers to interact positively with the campers, to support the campers throughout their week, and to help us ensure that the camp runs smoothly. And of course, have a good time! 2. What should I expect to gain from volunteering? You can expect to gain valuable experience working with children and learning about gardening and the UBC Farm. This will be an experience that you can put on your resume and you can use our program leaders as professional references in the future. 3. What should I do at the start/end of my shift? Always make sure you say hello to the camp leaders at the start of your shift and goodbye at the end of your shift. At the start of your shift, you can put your belongings in a cubby in the Farm Centre kitchen. Then check in with a leader about what is going on and needs to be done. 4. What are good techniques for interacting with children? Be at eye-level with the children when interacting with them Positive reinforcement (example: walk please not donʼt run ) Model good behavior, i.e. always listening and participating Maintain a group mentality; try to connect to all of the children (donʼt pick favorites, it is our job as leaders to support the whole group) Utilize resources: ask us! or tell us! (do you have a game you know and love? do you speak another language that the campers speak?) 5. Do I need to know about gardening? No, you are not expected to know about gardening. The camp leaders will provide instruction when doing gardening activities. We will give you a tour of the Childrenʼs Garden so you are oriented to the space (tool shed, garden beds, forest path, First Aid kits, etc.). 6. What can I do if thereʼs ʻnothingʼ to do? You can ask a camp leader for instruction on the current activity, help prep the next activity, or consult the daily schedule/task list. You can also always interact with the children, as long as it is supportive and appropriate to the current activity.

5 7. What do I do if I have questions or concerns? You can talk to our camp leaders if you have questions or concerns, but please donʼt interrupt lessons or activities (there should always be a leader available to talk to you). You can also talk to the Community Engagement Coordinator, Tamara Litke, if you do not feel comfortable talking to the leaders. You can find our main contact information on the next page. 8. Where do we meet? Morning shift meets in Childrenʼs Greenhouse at 9:00am. Afternoon shift meets in Childrenʼs Greenhouse, Yurt, or Childrenʼs Garden at 1:00pm. Afternoon shift starts during Quiet Time, so we will likely be reading a story in a quiet place around the Childrenʼs Garden. 9. What can I do to be prepared for volunteering? Dress for the weather Bring a hat and sunscreen Bring enough water and food for your shift Be well rested, working with children in the sun can be tiring Know where the First Aid kits are Come excited! 10. What else is going on at the UBC Farm? There is a lot going on at the UBC Farm during the summer! There will be many people on site and many other programs that run at the same time. Be friendly and introduce yourself to people you see. But also know that many people are working, so be respectful of the other things that may be happening in the space. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU NEED TO TELL US BEFORE YOUR VOLUNTEERING BEGINS (allergies, etc.)!!! You can or tell us in person. Thanks for volunteering with us! We REALLY appreciate you taking your time to work with our program. Weʼre looking forward to a great summer with you!

6 5) Important Contacts Alan Osiovich, FarmWonders Program Leader: cell # Megan Schneider, Childrenʼs Programs Assistant: megans13@mail.ubc.ca, cell # Tamara Litke, UBC Farm Community Engagement Coordinator: tamara.litke@ubc.ca, cell # Camp Leaders 2014: Nicole Collins Sarah Casorso Katie Selbee UBC Farm Office Phone: or If you have any questions regarding your role as a member of the Farm Wonders camp or have any program specific suggestions for our camp that, please Alan or Megan