Statement of Purpose for Volunteers at the Art Centre
Volunteers of all ages play an integral part in fulfilling the mission of the Art Centre. They provide support, expertise, time, experience, ideas, and energy enabling projects and tasks to be accomplished that would not have been possible without the volunteers. Volunteers work side-by-side with staff and learn from them, the collections, and the experiences they have with visitors at the Art Centre. They learn about the art Centre, the regional artists, and have opportunities to share this with the public.
How to Become a Volunteer
Pick up an application from the Art Centre reception desk.
Fill out and return an application with a completed police check.
The coordinator will set up a regular time or specific dates for training and volunteering.
The coordinator will make a placement based on available jobs as well as the interests and skills of the applicant.
Required Police Check
. A police check is mandatory because volunteers can be working with children and other vulnerable individuals.
. We provide volunteers with the St. Thomas police check forms (identical copies are available at the Police station).
. If you live outside of St. Thomas please visit your local station or the OPP for the form.
. Submit your police forms to your local station, in person and provide the proper identification.
. Police checks cost $10 for volunteers when they show our volunteer cover letter.
What to Expect from the Art Centre
· The Art Centre provides volunteers with the training needed to complete the task.
· The Art Centre treats volunteers in a professional, friendly manner.
Expectations of Volunteers
A volunteer is someone who chooses to perform services for the Art Centre without compensation or expectation of compensation, and who performs a task at the direction of, and on behalf of the Art Centre. A volunteer must be officially accepted and enrolled by the Art Centre prior to performance of the task.
Volunteers are expected to:
· Complete tasks as agreed upon and as listed in job description.
· Come in as scheduled, on time, and stay until the end of time committed.
· Be pleasant, helpful, welcoming, and understanding when interacting with visitors. They are our guests and we want them to come back to the art Centre.
· Follow the Art Centre policies and procedures as listed in this manual and report any safety concerns or maintenance issues.
· Record the hours they have worked.
Training
Training varies depending on the volunteer job.
One-time special events training will be on-the-job on the day of the event, with instructions and descriptions discussed with you before the event.
Ongoing positions will have thorough on-the-job training before volunteers are asked to anything on their own.
Benefits
Benefits of an Art Centre volunteer position include:
· Camaraderie with fellow volunteers
· Free admission to Art Centre special events when you volunteer at them.
· Enhance your interpersonal skills, such as understanding people better, motivating others, and dealing with difficult situations.
· Gain specific and job related skills and improve job opportunities.
· Gain more knowledge about the community and the organization.
. Hours can be counted towards high school volunteer requirements.
Youth Volunteer Program
Youth volunteers are integral to our Children’s educational programs. Volunteering is a great way to gain experience and complete high school volunteer requirements.
. The Art Centre often has youth volunteers help younger students in our Children’s educational programming department.
. Youth volunteers assist art instructors by preparing and distributing materials, repeating an instruction, helping students complete a project and clean up at the end of class.
. Children’s programs take place on weekends, PA days and during the summer months.
. Please bring your volunteer hour sheets to your volunteer dates so we can record your completed hours.
For more information please visit the Art Centre Tuesday through Friday 10 am to 4 pm to talk to our volunteer coordinator, call 519-631-4040, or email Volunteer packages can also be picked up from our reception staff Thursday and Friday evening until 9 pm, Saturday 12 pm to 4 pm and Sundays 12 pm to 3pm. The Art Centre is located at 301 Talbot Street, St. Thomas ON.
VOLUNTEER