Volunteer Opportunities

 

Volunteers Touch Hands ... Touch Hearts ... Touch Lives

 

Mary Cariola Children's Center provides opportunities for community members to become a part of an extraordinary team of dedicated professionals looking for an enriching experience that is second to none.  Opportunities may be on your horizon if you are willing to give of your time and talent to some very special children.  Are you a caring individual with experience working or volunteering with the developmentally disabled population?  Do you have at least one day a week that you can commit to volunteering?   Are you ready for the challenge of becoming a Mary Cariola volunteer?

 

Mary Cariola Children's Center seeks volunteers to work with our students at one of our 3 school locations or one of our 5 residences in Monroe County.  Prospective volunteers are required to complete an application and are interviewed by the agency's volunteer coordinator.  A tour of our facilities will accompany the interview to allow for a greater understanding of our unique population. 

 

If you are ready for the rewarding challenge of working with children with complex physical and emotional needs, or if you have questions or comments, please contact Jason Dullea at Mary Cariola Children's Center jdullea@marycariola.org. Please click here to download the volunteer application form.

 

Opportunities

 

Opportunities may be waiting for you at our school program.  Our elementary school located at 1000 Elmwood Avenue offers a varied experience for any volunteer.  Preschoolers ranging in age from 2-5 attend school half day or full day in a therapeutic classroom environment.  Volunteers are placed in classrooms in need of extra assistance with classroom maintenance and student supervision.  Volunteers need to be energetic and active participants in these high-energy classrooms.

 

Also at our elementary school are those children with significant physical disabilities who are a part of our REACH program.  Students in REACH require hands-on assistance from our staff and volunteers to complete most everyday tasks such as repositioning, feeding and therapeutic goals.  Volunteers in REACH need a special gentle touch with our students who have limited communication skills and complex medical needs. 

 

Our elementary school also has school-age students who have complex behavioral needs.  These students need volunteer assistance to help them stay on track during the school day, follow classroom rules and complete assigned tasks.  Patience and a calm demeanor is a must. 

 

Our Middle School is located around the corner from our elementary school at 151 East Henrietta Road along side our Secondary School at 101 East Henrietta which makes up our East Henrietta Campus.  Both of these schools service older children with complex behavioral and emotional needs.  These are active young adults with many emerging skills that they will be taking with them as they move on to adult placements.  Volunteers provide a supportive role in the classroom and outside the room as skills such as housekeeping and shopping are taught in real-life environments.  Volunteers must be comfortable working with an older population of students with a varied ability level.  Volunteers should have knowledge of behavior management theories and be willing to assist staff in implementing such theories.

 

Volunteers seeking opportunities during the evening or weekend hours may be a good fit for our Residential program.  Mary Cariola Children's Center has 5 group homes in the Monroe County area which provide a warm and nurturing home environment for some exceptional children and young adults.  Each residence has a volunteer coordinator who can discuss further the opportunities that may be waiting for you.  On any given day a residential volunteer may visit the children and assist with recreational activities in and outside the home setting.  Residential volunteers are encouraged to develop friendships and interact with the children during a variety of household tasks.  Volunteers help to provide opportunities for the children and young adults to explore their environment by taking walks and playing games.

 

Age Requirements:  Individuals seeking volunteer placement within our school setting must be 18 years of age.  Prospective volunteers for our residences need to be at least 14 years of age and are required to have sufficient working papers from their home school district.

 

Applicants seeking volunteer placement must complete a signed application to be submitted to the Volunteer Coordinator.  Applicants with special education experience or previous volunteer experience with the developmentally disabled population will be given special consideration.  Prospective Day Program volunteers will receive a tour and participate in an interview with the Volunteer Coordinator.  Those interested in residential opportunities will be interviewed by the appropriate Activities Coordinator. Professional references provided on the application will be contacted to further determine appropriateness of volunteer placement.

 

The volunteer applicants with the most appropriate related experience, relevant volunteer history and dynamic personality will be selected as volunteers.  Volunteers will participate in an orientation meeting and further their understanding of our unique population once placed in the classroom or residence.  Volunteers will agree to a code of conduct that respects the agency’s policies related to confidentiality and discretion.  Professionalism mirrored by our teaching and residential staff and clinicians is expected from our volunteers.  A commitment to volunteering at least 1 day per week is requested.