One of the most common questions we receive from potential CAP volunteers is �What is your greatest need?� We currently have immediate or upcoming needs for long-term volunteers in the areas below. Please note: we have very limited short-term opportunities for summer 2010. Please contact us before applying.
Spouse Abuse Shelter: Long-term volunteers needed to serve in a 24-hour safe shelter for female domestic violence survivors and their children. Shelter services include safety planning and assistance with court and legal matters; referrals to community resources for available services and benefits; advocacy services within the shelter as well as outreach services to educate and promote awareness within an eight county service area. Volunteer may provide transportation to residents, teach classes, provide advocacy, serve with children or provide various other staff assistant services. Requires working a variety of shifts, some weekends, and occasional holidays. Please note: because the center receives government funding, it is not a faith-based facility. One position available September 2010.
Housing: Long-term volunteers needed to provide home repair and some new home construction for families in need. Volunteers serve in teams led by an experienced employee crew leader. Volunteers also serve with week-long school and church groups. No experience is necessary and training is provided. Volunteers who can drive a CAP work truck (21 or older with a valid driver�s license and a clean driving record) especially needed, as well as volunteers capable of heavy lifting. Some volunteer positions focus exclusively on repairing homes for the elderly. Several positions immediately available.
Elderly Services: Long-term volunteers needed to provide home visitation, transportation, social activities, prescription assistance and various other services which decrease isolation and increase socialization of homebound senior citizens. Long-term volunteers also needed to complete minor home repair jobs for elderly participants. Several positions available immediately.
Cooks: Cooks are needed for CAP�s Child and Family Development centers and Respite center to help prepare snacks and meals. Two positions available immediately.
Family Advocacy: Long-term volunteers needed to provide short-term emergency assistance such as food, utilities, shelter, household goods, clothes and education expenses. Volunteers provide needs assessment through frequent home visits. Volunteers also administer Christmas Basket and School Readiness programs. One position available immediately, one available September 2010.
Substance Abuse Recovery: Long-term volunteer needed to assist in providing a faith-based residential recovery environment for women with addictions to a variety of legal and illegal substances. Responsibilities may include teaching, transportation, and program development, as well as general staff assistant duties. Volunteers must be sensitive to confidentiality issues and the needs of women in recovery. Requires working a variety of shifts, including regular night and weekend shifts. One position available August 2010.
Risk Management: Long-term volunteer needed to provide administrative support to the Risk Management Department. The volunteer will maintain all data bases, coordinate safety training (CPR, First aid and bloodborne pathogens; forklift; driver evaluations), create safety data graphs and charts and coordinate drug testing. Certification to teach CPR/FA/BBP desired, but not required. Must be highly proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and Powerpoint.
Long-term CAP volunteers make a commitment of 9-12 months, with one year being the preferred commitment. Most of our long-term volunteers are either recent high school or college graduates engaged in post-graduate volunteering, or retirees who want to continue to make a difference in their �encore careers.� Because of the greater time commitment they are making, long-term volunteers are able to take on more involved service positions that require someone willing to give the time and energy needed to address Appalachia�s most persistent challenges. CAP has rolling admissions, so you may begin your service commitment at any time.
Benefits of Long-term Volunteering
Making a long-term commitment can be a significant financial sacrifice, and CAP offers the following benefits to long-term volunteers to help make volunteering more affordable and to ease the concerns that your family may have:
Room and board
Monthly stipend
Health insurance
Potential student loan deferment
Potential AmeriCorps Education Award
Requirements
To become a long-term CAP volunteer, you must meet the following requirements:
Minimum age of 18 years old
Be dependable and flexible
Have the willingness to share in community life
Have a sense of humor
Desire to serve others
Complete a volunteer application, including a complete driving records check, three personal references and a national background check
Be personally interviewed by CAP Volunteer Program staff
Pass a drug screening test upon arrival at CAP
Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information about long-term volunteering.
Pillars of CAP Volunteer Life
Volunteers at CAP make an equal commitment to service, community and spirituality. Follow the links below to learn how each element contributes to the volunteer experience.
Service
CAP volunteers serve in various CAP and local programs that benefit children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Community
Whether a volunteer lives in one of CAP�s volunteer houses or independently, each volunteer makes a commitment to community life by sharing in the joys, challenges and growth that comes with being a short-term or long-term CAP volunteer.
Spirituality
CAP is an interdenominational organization that encourages people to share their faith and express it through their actions. Personal spiritual growth is an integral part of the CAP volunteer experience, and to foster a spiritual environment, volunteers gather for prayer and reflection after weekday dinners.
Short Term Volunteers
Short-term Volunteering
Due to an overwhelming number of applications, we have very limited short-term volunteer opportunities this summer. Please contact us for availability. It�s never too early to start thinking about next summer!
Many have a strong desire to serve, but cannot make a long-term commitment. Short-term volunteers makea commitment of three weeks to eight months. Often potential long-term volunteers commit as short-term volunteers first to see if CAP is a good fit.
Benefits of Short-term Volunteering
Room and board in a CAP volunteer community
Requirements
Minimum age of 18 years old
Commitment to community life, prayer life and service work
Willing to serve for a minimum of 3 weeks
Completed volunteer application, including three personal references and a criminal records check
Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions for more information about short-term volunteering.
Pillars of CAP Volunteer Life
Volunteers at CAP make a commitment to service, community and spirituality. Follow the links below to learn how each element contributes to the volunteer experience.
Service
CAP volunteers serve in various CAP and local programs that benefit children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Community
Whether a volunteer lives in one of CAP�s volunteer houses or independently, each volunteer makes a commitment to community life by sharing in the joys, challenges and growth that comes with being a short-term or long-term CAP volunteer.
Spirituality
CAP is an interdenominational organization that encourages people to share their faith and express it through their actions. Personal spiritual growth is an integral part of the CAP volunteer experience, and to foster a spiritual environment, volunteers gather for prayer and reflection after weekday dinners.
