“I get more out of these little ones than I give.  Holding them and rocking them gives me a sense of peace.  I want to give back to the community and this is the best way to do it.”

—Joyce Williams, Classroom Volunteer

Classroom volunteer position description

Classroom volunteers support teaching staff in a pre-school setting that focuses on therapeutic care for abused, neglected and at-risk infants and children.
 

Classroom volunteers are responsible to the Program Supervisor, Therapeutic Child Care Workers

Responsibilities

  • Cooperate with Therapeutic Child Care Workers to maintain the scheduled curriculum in the classroom.
  • Be a positive role model for the children.
  • Give children one-on-one attention in a supervised setting, never being alone with a child.
  • Participate in the planned classroom activities.
  • Follow Childhaven policies and procedures.
  • Perform other related tasks as assigned.

Qualifications

  • Flexibility, patience, ability to work with young children.
  • Must be a minimum of 18 years old. Exceptions are made for students who are participating in an ongoing Social Service/Community Service Program (one semester or more).
  • Commit to at least one 2 hour time block a week—Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. for a minimum period of 6 months. Childhaven strives to provide a stable environment in the classrooms for children who have experienced trauma, making a long-term commitment from the Classroom Volunteers imperative.
  • Attend a Volunteer Orientation and complete all of the required paperwork
  • Proof of a TB test, within the last year.
  • Pass a criminal background check. Typically, licensing requires volunteers to have lived in WA State for a minimum of three consecutive years; however, we can make exceptions on a case by case basis.

Training and Supervision

  • Volunteer orientation
  • Supervision in classroom

Benefits

  • Learn about childhood development from a hands-on approach.
  • Appropriate Social Service/Community Service credit as needed.
     

If you have questions or are interested in becoming a classroom volunteer, identify which branch you would like to volunteer at.  A list of all the branches can be found here.  Next email the branch contact listed below:

 

Broadway Branch - Miranda Gerwein
Auburn Branch - Shelly McCormack
Creekmore (Burien) Branch - Maria Berndt
Lake City Branch - Lynette Paco

 

Please allow for up to 5 business for a response as we receive a large volume of volunteer inquiries.