Volunteers

Volunteers Wanted

Lend a Hand: Volunteering Creates Happiness
Gail Joseph, National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning: Teacher Time, shared research that says if you volunteer once a month, you may increase your happiness by 7%. If you volunteer on a weekly basis, you can increase your happiness by 16%. Are you too busy? Studies also show that people who volunteer actually feel as though they have more time...it’s a concept called “time affluence.”

Head Start of Lane County children and families have benefited from many volunteers, donors, and sponsors by offers of materials, time, activity and money. Volunteers help reach us reach our goal to help children become independent, self-confident, inquisitive learners. The activities planned, the way the environment is organized with toys and materials, daily schedules and transitions are designed to compliment the curriculum and give children a successful start in school.

Complete the Volunteer application and contact the Volunteer Coordinator to schedule two orientations. The first orientation is administration related, the second is site level orientation to learn the ins and outs of the classrooms. Volunteers are never given sole responsibility for children and are not counted in the adult/child ratio.

Volunteer Coordinator
221 B Street
Springfield, OR 97477
(541) 747-2425 x1227

SEEKERS - Making Parents Great Teachers

SEEKERS is a volunteer training program that offers free, on-the-job training as a Head Start / Early Head Start Teacher. SEEKERS must be able to maintain regular attendance, attend weekly training and complete a work practicum in HS or EHS classrooms.

Volunteer hours will be structures to allow SEEKERS to use the skills learned in the training environment and to receive coaching and mentoring from experienced teachers.

Who is a SEEKER? Watch the video to learn more.

This training is only available to parents and guardians of currently enrolled children. Selected parents will complete the job training in Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms and attend weekly training sessions every Wednesday from 9:30-11:30 at Brattain library (transportation and childcare is not provided). Participants must be able to read, write and speak with proficiency in the English language. Enrollment will be limited.

SEEKERS will receive training in health, safety, diversity, policies and procedures, curriculum and will have food handler’s card and CPR/First Aid. When a SEEKER successfully completes the program they will be invited to interview for a substitute teacher position.

100 hours of hands-on classroom experience for a HS or EHS certificate
150 hours of hands-on classroom experience for a combined HS/EHS certificate
Training hours do not count towards the required hands-on experience

Parent Policy Council

If you are interested in leadership, then Policy Council is for you. You will be elected by your peers to represent them or be elected by the full Council if interested in being a community volunteer Council member. Training is provided on the roles and responsibilities of being a Council member. More information is also available at the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC).

Policy Council reviews and makes decisions about:

Recruitment
Policies and procedures
Hiring and firings
Budgets
Grant requests

The main role of a Policy Council representative is to:

Stay informed on issues that come to the Policy Council.
Attend monthly meetings and site family activity events.
Alert staff about issues that could harm the organization.
Refer complaints to the correct person.
Represent Head Start of Lane County in a professional manner at all times.
Help other parents become involved and stay informed.
Advocate for continued expansion of Head Start in Lane County.
Listen carefully and respect the opinions of others.
Respect and support the majority decision of the Policy Council.

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