Recreation Services Division
Recreation Services Division Volunteer Manual Table of contents: Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
What We Expect Our Volunteers . . . . . . . . . 5
Benefits of Volunteering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Facility Closure and Inclement Weather . . 6
Priorities and Values
Insurance and Liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
About Us - Program Service Areas . . . . . 3, 4 • Adaptive Recreation • Adult & Senior Services • Athletics • Aquatics • Youth & Family Services (including the Outdoor Program)
Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
What to Expect From Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Inclusion Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 • Health/ Safety • Physical Contact of Youth • Treatment of Youth • Communicating with parents and staff
Welcome
Thank you for volunteering with the City of Eugene Recreation Services Division, that is part of the Library, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. The Division’s mission is to strengthen the community by providing diverse recreational experiences. The mission of the Volunteer Program is to provide opportunities for individuals to contribute in meaningful ways in supporting and expanding recreation services to enhance the quality of life for all residents. Volunteers play a vital role working together with staff to create safe, healthy and livable communities and opportunities for all individuals to imagine, grow, explore and learn. We hope your experience with Recreation enriches your life! We are pleased to have you as a volunteer and look forward to supporting you in your activities. This manual is a handy reference that can help you perform your job with confidence and excellence. During your time with Recreation, you may also be given other materials to build your skills and knowledge. If you have any questions, please contact Molly Elliott, Volunteer Coordinator, at 541-682-6307 or email her at molly.t.elliott@ ci.eugene.or.us
Volunteers Are Important
Volunteers are essential. Without your help Recreation Services could not offer many of activities and classes. Whether it’s reading to children, assisting people experiencing disabilities in outings or offering logistical support to an event, volunteers help to provide and extend services to our patrons.
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Benefits of Volunteering
Volunteering provides positive, real-world experiences while giving back to the community! Volunteers have fun, while also gaining critical skills that add value to their resume. Volunteering to help others has been shown to reduce stress, boost self-esteem and improve health. Recreation volunteers join staff who value giving their time and energy to positively affect the lives of others. They work with staff to provide safe and nurturing environments that enhance the quality of life for everyone.
Volunteering with the Recreation Division
To meet its mission, the Recreation Division provides a wide variety of community-driven recreation services that: • provide opportunities to enjoy nature and the outdoors; • are inclusive, accessible, and affordable; • engage diverse community members; • promote human understanding and a sense of community through cultural and recreational opportunities; • build environmental stewardship; • promote lifelong human development through activity; • support youth development; and • support the well-being of seniors and persons with disabilities.
Priorities and Values
Recreation’s top priorities in creating and offering activities to patrons are: • Safety • Quality Programs • Having fun • Superior customer service • Collaborative work environments • Providing respectful accommodations for Inclusion Services • Inspiring lifelong passion to imagine, explore, learn, grow and contribute To accomplish this, staff and volunteers are encouraged to: • Work together to achieve priorities • Listen, and respect each other’s ideas and opinions • Plan strategically and work from plans and objectives • Dress and act professionally • Be role models for the youth we serve, parents, each another, and the general public • Be positive, enthusiastic, team-oriented, inclusive, honest, creative and hard working • Focus on the health and well-being of individuals, families and our community • Be willing to contribute, share and acknowledge that collectively our talents and gifts make Eugene a better place for ALL Being a positive role model requires: • Caring- to make a personal investment in the experience of each participant • Honesty-be truthful with yourself and others • Respect-accept differences, abilities and limitations for yourself and others • Responsibility-be aware of the safety of yourself and others • Forgiveness-create an environment in which it is okay for participants to learn from experiences that they may or may not define as “successful • Have Fun 2
Program Service Areas Adaptive Recreation Services: the program’s mission is to provide diverse recreation programs and services that enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities. Adaptive Recreation Services is the primary public provider of community recreation services for people with disabilities in the Eugene area. Persons served include those with development disabilities (e.g., mental retardation, autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy), physical disabilities (e.g., traumatic brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord injury, loss of a limb), and mental health and vulnerable populations (e.g., psychiatric, alcohol, drug recovery, learning and behavioral disabilities). Direct services include recreation and education programs, health and wellness classes, seasonal camps, visual and performing arts adapted to serve people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. Inclusion services and trainings are provided to make City recreation activities accessible. The Adaptive program provides adaptive recreation equipment as well as referral and information assistance. Adaptive Recreation Services is based in Hilyard Community Center, a model accessible facility, and also conducts activities at Washington Park Center. The Athletics Program: its mission is to promote active lifestyles and encourage physical fitness, mental wellbeing, and social interaction, in the belief that people who have well-balanced lives contribute to a productive and healthy community. The Athletics program promotes and facilitates active lifestyles, physical fitness, mental well-being and social interaction by serving adults and youth through league sports and other organized sports activities. The Athletics program also coordinates the use and maintenance of City-owned athletic fields and facilities and serves as a central information source regarding community athletic activities. Athletics offers organized sports activities for adults, including men’s, women’s, and coed league competition for softball, volleyball, basketball, ultimate Frisbee, and outdoor soccer. Athletics contracts with a private operator to manage Laurelwood Golf Course. Athletics also maintains 23 softball fields, 19 turf sports fields, 1 outdoor hockey rink and the Westmoreland disc golf course. Staff coordinates the use of these community facilities along with the City’s 23 tennis courts, and eight artificial surface playing fields. Athletics staff operate out of Amazon Community Center. The Aquatics Program: the program’s mission is to offer a diverse set of excellent, aquatic services in safe, clean and fun environments. To do this, the program offers: recreation swimming, learn-to-swim programs, fitness and wellness, and competitive swimming. Specific services include: recreation swims, family swims, learn-to-swim, lap swims, aquatic and land-based fitness classes, custom services for special groups, physical education classes to public/private schools, in-service trainings and competitive aquatics for swim teams and water polo teams. The Aquatics program operates at Echo Hollow and Sheldon Pools and Fitness Centers and at Amazon Pool, May-October. Senior and Adult Services: the program’s mission is to promote and maintain health and well-being, enhance quality of life, strengthen helping networks and recognize individual desires to remain active, productive and independent. Active lifestyle programs such as day trips, social events, kayaking, hiking, and wood working serve as an attraction for both younger and older senior adults. Services such as health screenings, legal services, insurance counseling, housing referrals, meal information, adult and education classes are offered on a regular basis. Access to community social services is provided to Eugene seniors on a limited basis through the senior program outreach staff. The City’s Senior Program provides the only year-round, senior-focused outdoor program in Eugene. Program and services are provided through Campbell and Petersen Barn Community Centers.
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Youth and Family Recreation Services: the program’s mission is to create opportunities that inspire a lifelong passion to imagine, explore, learn, grow and contribute. It provides recreational and educational programs for children, teens, adults, and families that include outdoor/environmental activities, preschool education, outof-school programs, free summer playground activities, seasonal camp programs, challenge course facilitation, visual and performing arts, and peer-managed alternatives to the juvenile justice system. The Youth and Family program provides diverse, neighborhood-based, city-wide and regional programs, events and services that are coordinated and supervised by staff at Amazon, Petersen Barn, River House, and Sheldon Community Centers. Program staff provide safe places and opportunities for growth and learning. The programs stimulate the development of positive attributes, resiliency, and social competencies.
Recreation Services activities are provided at these facilities:
• • • • • • • • • •
Amazon Community Center, 2700 Hilyard St Amazon Pool (May-October), 2600 Hilyard St. Campbell Community Center, 155 High St. Echo Hollow Pool and Fitness Center, 1655 Echo Hollow Rd. Hilyard Community Center, 2580 Hilyard St. Petersen Barn Community Center, 870 Berntzen Rd. The River House Community Center, 301 N. Adams St. Sheldon Community Center, 2445 Willakenzie Rd. Sheldon Pool and Fitness Center, 2443 Willakenzie Rd. Washington Park Center, 2025 Washington St.
All of the recreation facilities and programs sites are accessible by LTD bus.
What Can You Expect From Us
Recreation Services is committed to providing a positive work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Volunteers have the same rights as any staff member. These include the right to: • an interview, orientation and training • supervision and support • information and clear, specific directions • be treated with respect • the opportunity to offer feedback and share suggestions • be recognized and receive performance feedback • non-discrimination Volunteers will experience a respectful work environment: The city of Eugene is committed to fair and impartial treatment of all employees, applicants, contractors, volunteers, and agents of the City, and to provide a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, where people treat one another with respect. It is everyone’s responsibility to maintain a work environment free from any form of discrimination or harassment based on race, creed, sex, sexual orientation, color, national origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, familial status, source of income, or any other legally protected status. Accordingly, derogatory racial, ethnic, religious, age, gender, sexual orientation, sexual, or other inappropriate regards, slurs, or jokes will not be tolerated!
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What We Expect From Our Volunteers Agents
All volunteers are considered agents of the City of Eugene and represent the City of Eugene Recreation Program. Volunteers are expected to follow the same rules and guidelines as employees.
Attire
Volunteers, like staff, should wear clothing that is comfortable and washable. Jeans and tee-shirts in good condition are fine. Clothing that promotes alcohol, tobacco, violence and/or discrimination is not appropriate. Closed toed shoes must be worn at all times.
Attitude
A friendly and cooperative attitude is best for a successful volunteer. If you have a problem with another volunteer, employee, or patron, try to work it out in a businesslike and professional manner. If you feel you need to talk to a staff member, or want assistance in resolving a conflict, you may take this up with your supervisor or the Volunteer Coordinator.
Cell Phones
Please make sure cell phones are turned off while you are volunteering. Use of personal cell phones is discouraged during programs.
Confidentiality
All information volunteers receive regarding participants involved in Recreation programs must be handled confidentially. Please be respectful of the privacy of participants and their individual situations.
Drugs and Alcohol
The possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs or alcohol on program premises or as a part of any of the program’s activities is prohibited. Any volunteer who is aware of the use of drugs or alcohol by volunteers/employees or the presence of controlled substances on City property is obligated to bring such information to the attention of their supervisor. Prescription medication: any volunteer who is under the treatment of a physician and who must bring prescription medicines to the workplace will carry the medicines in the original container bearing the name of the drug, the name of the physician, and the prescribed dosage.
Feedback
Feedback from volunteers is greatly appreciated and valued. If you have any suggestions for improvements for a group or program, please request time with the supervisor to present your ideas in a respectful manner, either in written or verbal form.
Friendship & Professionalism
Volunteers are considered staff; therefore volunteers are expected to act as professionals. It is inappropriate to give your phone number to participants. Dating participants is not allowed during volunteer assignments. Only make promises that can be kept. Do not give or accept gifts from the participants. Contact the Volunteer 5
Coordinator for guidance regarding specific questions or concerns on the subject of participant/volunteer relations. Volunteers and staff are discouraged from having contact with participants outside of the program, including through social media such as Facebook.
Grievance
If a volunteer has a grievance, the following is the “chain of command” to resolve the issue. Begin by voicing your grievance with the #1 person. If it cannot be resolved at that level, volunteers may take the issue to the #2 person, and so forth. At times, a meeting involving more than one of these people may be scheduled. 1. Program Instructor 2. Volunteer Coordinator 3. Program Supervisor 4. Facility Supervisor 5. Recreation Supervisor
Illness & Emergency
If you are unable to attend your scheduled program due to illness or emergency, please call your program supervisor as soon as possible, ideally, 24 hours in advance. If you are scheduling an absence for a vacation or leave of absence, please give the program supervisor as much advanced notice as possible.
Limitations & Guidelines
It is your responsibility to inform your supervisor or a staff member if you are uncomfortable with a particular task or request.
Political
Volunteers are free to express personal political views on their own time. They may not, however, while on the job or during working hours, promote or oppose the nomination or election of a candidate, the adoption of or opposition to a measure, or the recall of a public office holder or any other advocacy for or against a political issue or candidate. Volunteers may wear campaign buttons during working hours but they may not solicit money, influence, service or anything of value in this regard during working hours.
Positive work environment
Volunteers are expected to treat all individuals with respect and dignity. Remember to: • treat others as you would like to be treated • choose a positive attitude • take responsibility for yourself, your actions, and the words you use • be part of the team and share your skills, thoughts, ideas and solutions
Facility Closure and Inclement Weather
Facilities may be closed or activities cancelled due to bad weather. Only the City Manager has the authority to close a facility during regular business hours (8a-5p M-F) unless continued operation of the facility poses an immediate health or safety risk to the facility’s occupants. In that case, the facility should be evacuated and the City Manager or Acting City Manager notified immediately. The Program Manager is authorized to cancel programs. During bad weather volunteers should call the facility, listen or watch for announcements on local radio and television newscasts or go to www.flashalert.net or www.eugene-or.gov/rec.
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Insurance and Liability
As a volunteer, you are not covered by the City’s Workers Compensation program. You are, therefore, encouraged to have your own health insurance in the event you are injured while performing your volunteer duties. As a volunteer for the City of Eugene, while you are performing your assigned duties, you are considered to be acting as an agent of the City. Therefore, you are covered by the City’s self-insured general liability and accident insurance program for any injury or damage to members of the general public resulting from your actions. (City of Eugene APPM). City volunteers who suffer accidental injury as a direct result of their duties as a volunteer have the following coverage through the City: 1. Accidental Death $5,000 2. Accidental Dismemberment $5,000 3. Accidental Medical Injury $2,500 4. Accidental Dental injury $ 250 The word “injury” means accidental bodily injury, from which loss results directly and independently from all other causes, sustained by the volunteer, provided such injury occurs while participating in volunteer work activities sponsored by the City and such participation is under the direct supervision of the City. Volunteers, as agents of the City, are afforded the same tort liability coverage as any City employee (ORS 30.260) as long as they are working under the direct control and supervision of the City. The coverage is not provided for illegal, fraudulent, or malicious acts. The City shall defend the volunteer against any claim against him or her by members of the public who allege that they have suffered bodily injury, personal injury, or damage to their property as a result of an act, error, or omission of the volunteer. In addition, the City shall pay any judgment based thereon or any settlement of the claim or action.
Holidays
The City of Eugene’s Recreation Facilities observes the following holidays and facilities are typically closed on these days: • New Years Day • Martin Luther King Day • Presidents’ Day • Memorial Day • Independence Day • Labor Day • Veterans’ Day • Thanksgiving Day and the following Friday • Christmas Day
Healthy/Safety
Keep in mind that Recreation’s primary goal is to help participants have a safe, fun, and positive experience in their recreation class or activity. Therefore, always be concerned about the safety of participants and look for potential risks. Be on guard for improper use of tools or equipment and dangerous behavior. Other health/ safety guidelines are: • • • •
Volunteers may not transport participants in their personal vehicles. Strangers are not allowed to approach or talk to younger participants at any time. If you observe anything unusual or suspicious please notify your supervisor. Physical punishment, verbally abusive comments, or denial of necessities such as food or use of the bathroom is not allowed. Any signs of injury or possible child abuse must be reported immediately to a supervisor and documented in writing. 7
Guidelines for the Physical Contact and Treatment of Youth
• Do not initiate physical contact with youth. If a child initiates physical contact, refrain from hugging the child and as an alternative give a gentle tap on the shoulder or head. Use the side hug or “high five” to let them know that you are happy to see them. Do not rap your arms around them.
• Do not allow children to sit on your lap or in between your legs when sitting in a chair or on the floor. Have the child sit beside you.
• Do not physically restrain or pick a child up unless the child is a danger to themselves or others.
• Avoid being alone with a child. Stay in groups with your group partner and other children.
• Do not engage in a “wrestling” match with a child. This is not to say that you cannot be interactive with children, just that you must avoid physical contact whenever possible.
Working with Youth
Youth programs are to be designed to ensure a safe and supportive environment where children can play, learn and grow. Each child is respected and treated individually and encouraged to build positive problem solving skills. All leaders function as a team, and everyone shares in the duties of providing supervision to participants. Understand, use, and consistently encourage the children to follow this four-tier expectation system: 1. Respect Others – be nice 2. Respect Property 3. Follow leaders’ directions quickly. 4. Always be careful and play safely. If children are having difficulty with any of these expectations, take the following steps: • Stop the inappropriate behavior as soon as possible. • Have each child tell their side of the story. Be sure the other child can listen. Often children are not aware of how their actions affect others. Listen to what the children are saying. • Respond to the child explaining their story and describe the feelings the child has when the other child is using a certain behavior. Example: So you feel angry when Sally/Sammy takes your toy. • Explain to the child the feelings the other child has as a result of the behavior. Problem solve with the children as to what they might do to end a similar situation with a positive solution. • Encourage the child to apologize and then continue with the activity. If continuing is not possible redirect the children to another activity.
Communicating with Others
A key component of working with others is establishing good communication links with all persons. Being a good listener is imperative. What does it mean to listen? It means trying to actively and faithfully understand what others are trying to say. Communicating with people may sometimes require communicating in unconventional ways. Those who communicate without words, those who use words and symbols in unique ways, and those who communicate within the drama of their behavior call on the listener to listen emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. To improve our ability to listen, it is important to examine three dimensions of our listening:
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Where we listen from: We listen best when we stand with people close enough to smell and hear each other, to touch and be touched. Standing with a person means being willing to accommodate the person’s preferences for communicating, and being willing to thoughtfully consider joining the person in taking action. What we listen for: We listen best when we encourage people to find their voice. Listening is not about granting wishes; it is a matter of attending to the details, needs and desires of each individual person. How we listen: We listen best when we listen with care. Care is not feeling pity. It is attending to the threads of meaning that emerge from thoughtful investigation of a person’s biography, discerning expression of competence, interest, concern and passion in responses to day-to-day experience, and creating invitations for discussion of the person’s dreams. Care means acknowledging vulnerabilities, fears, disappointments, and failures, and the ways a person understands their experiences and finds the courage to keep on.
Inclusion
Inclusion means that individuals with and without disabilities participate together in the same way, in the same place and enjoy the same benefits. The City of Eugene Recreation staff, including Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists, are committed to making all reasonable efforts to ensure that facilities, programs, and services are accessible to and usable by all people, including individuals with disabilities.
These inclusion services are available to patrons upon request:
• • • • • • • • •
Increased staff-to-patron ratios Wheelchair-accessible vans Adapted equipment Information in large print, Braille, on disk, USB drive, or a reader Service animals in programs Program modification Individualized assessments and activity support Resource and information Sign language interpretation for individuals with hearing impairments
Thank You
By volunteering with the City of Eugene Recreation Division. You are making a difference in your community. Through the efforts of volunteers like you, Recreation Services can continue the tradition of providing exceptional programs that enrich the lives of people of all ages.
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