(A) Volunteers are an essential part of many recreation programs, including coaches, leaders of activities, nature guides, fundraisers and teachers of skill. Teenagers often are a major untapped source of volunteers.
(B) The easiest volunteers to work with are often those that participate as part of an already organized group, such as local service groups and Boy Scouts. Proper supervision, oversight, training, placement and scheduling of volunteers is essential, which often requires substantial effort.
(C) College interns often can provide free labor, especially if they could obtain college credit for the work as well as those looking for community service hours. However, work intended for an intern must be of a type that will not require so much supervision that it becomes a burden to the staff:
(1) Provide volunteers with adequate recognition for their work;
(2) Provide volunteers with adequate training, such as first aid;
(3) Publicize the types of work that volunteers are needed to accomplish;
(4) Monitor volunteer coaches to ensure that they do not push young children beyond their mental and physical capabilities; and
(5) Consider establishing a voluntary training program for coaches so that they can be the most effective program leaders, and to help them recognize possible health and safety concerns.
(Ord. passed 8-3-2015)