VOLUNTEERS

Why Volunteer?

WHY NOT?!! Special Olympics Team York is organized and run entirely by volunteers. Volunteers are business people, teachers, medical professionals, family members, retired persons and high school and college students. Volunteers are people like YOU!

Becoming a Special Olympics volunteer is an experience that will last a life time. Just by showing up and sharing your time and talents, you will have a direct impact on our athletes. This program cannot survive without volunteers, please consider joining our team this season.

Our goal is to have volunteers ski with as many of the Athletes as possible throughout the season.

How do I volunteer?

So glad you asked.

Yes, there is going to be paperwork to fill out. To get started, submit a volunteer registration form or visit the SOPA Volunteer web page for additional information. When submitting an online registration, please make sure you read and understand the Code of Conduct (a link is provided from the referenced links).

Since all volunteers may be working directly with the athletes, you will be asked to submit to a criminal background check. Of course, volunteers incur no costs for any of this.

What's it like?

Our evening starts at 6:00 PM as volunteers and athletes begin arriving. During the check in process, equipment and uniforms are checked to make sure we are prepared to ski then lift passes are distributed and athletes are paired up with the volunteers (the goal here is to get everyone out an skiing as soon as possible).

At 6:30PM, all of the Athletes and Volunteers meet to begin the evening training. Training will be provided by coaches and Ski Instructors. The focus on training is to better prepare the Athlete for competition while emphasizing safety and enjoyment of the sport. . Once training is complete Athletes and volunteers will have an opportunity to practice the skills presented in training with free ski time until the conclusion of training (8:30 PM). Please be sure to be in the lodge no later than 8:30.

While skiing, you will definitely meet up with other athletes, volunteers, and coaches. Feel free to take a run together, pose for pictures, take a selfie, and have fun! We try to have some slalom gates set up somewhere on Fannie Hill; if you see them, take a run through them. The gates are used to help train the competition team, but they are available to everyone.

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

All volunteers must have General Session training (formerly known as General Orientation) at least once during their SO volunteer experience.

Special Olympics requires all volunteers in North America to participate in the Protective Behaviors Training Program. The program's goal is to provide education intended to prevent physical, emotional and sexual abuse. This training must be completed every 3 years.

SOI has recently adopted a Concussion Awareness and Safety Recognition policy that requires ALL Special Olympics coaches (certified or not certified) to get online training free of charge. This training must be completed every 3 years.