Swan Center Outreach
Volunteer Program

Volunteers are always welcome at Swan Center Outreach, regardless of age or physical limitation.
There are a wide variety of ranch chores from easy to difficult, and we have animals of every size and temperament - some only needing petting or grooming. Small children, and those with special needs, may be required to come with an assistant, who can attend to their needs.

The Swan Center Outreach Volunteer program consists of three levels of training:

Marissa/cherokee

General Volunteer Training Program
Horse Handler Training Program
Horse Trainer Apprentice Program

 

 

GENERAL VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM

This program is for volunteers who would like to help and be trained in general ranch work and maintenance, and the handling of the llamas, alpaca and sheep. It is also a pre-requisite for volunteers who would like to enter the Horse Handler Training Program.

• General Repairs of fencing, structures and facilities

• General Carpentry, Fencing and Construction projects

• Irrigation of pastures and Haying

• Putting out animal feed, llama & sheep handling

• Property Maintenance - mucking manure & Clean-up

• Office work and Fundraising

Training Pre-requisites - none

Time commitment – volunteers can attend as few or as many work sessions as they would like to (per week/month) during regular ranch hours.

Ranch hours are: Sunday through Friday from 1:30-5:30pm and Saturday from 9:30-5:30pm.

Application Process:
Anyone interested in applying can download an application from our web-site (General Volunteer Training Program Application) and submit it by mail, e-mail or fax to 678-623-3468, or can bring it to the ranch during our regular ranch hours.

Click on this link for a program application - Download Application

 

HORSE HANDLER TRAINING PROGRAM

This program is for volunteers who would like to handle the horses during feeding hours.

Duties Include:

• haltering and leading the horses

• reinforcing the horses basic ground manners

• picking the horses hooves

• horse grooming and bathing

• Horse Handlers also have the opportunity to observe Horse Training sessions and to assist with Riding Intuitively Clinics and Leadership Programs.

Training Pre-requisites: Applicants need to complete 20 General Volunteer hours before applying.

Training: Applicants must attend and successfully pass the following Horse Handler training classes, held by Rose Longhill, before handling any horses.

• Class 1: Animal Communication
• Class 2: Lead Mare in the round pen
• Class 3: Moving in Balance
• Class 4: Horse Anatomy/Grooming
• Class 5: Leading Skills

Participants who display a high level of expertise, and who have the desire, may continue on to become volunteer instructors.

Time commitment: Training sessions are held three weeks out of the month on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 1:30-5:30 and on Saturdays from 9:30-12:30. Applicants can attend as few or as many sessions as they would like to, per week/month. Applicants can e-mail Rose Longhill to schedule a training session.

Application Process: Anyone interested in applying can download an application below and submit it by mail, e-mail or fax to 678-623-3468, or can bring it to the ranch during our regular ranch hours.

Click on this link for a program application - Download Application

 

HORSE TRAINER APPRENTICE PROGRAM

This category is for volunteers who are interested in learning how to train horses.

Areas of training include:

• round pen training
• desensitizing the horse
• putting the horse under saddle
• exercising the horse
correcting problem behaviors

Training Pre-requisites: Applicants need to have successfully completed the 5 Horse Handler training classes and 10 Horse Handler feeding days.

Time commitment: Training sessions are held three weeks out of the month on Wednesdays, Thursday, Fridays from 1:30-4:30 and on Saturdays from 9:30-12:30. Applicants must commit to a minimum of 3 sessions per week, three weeks out of the month.

Application Process: Those interested in applying can contact Rose Longhill by mail, e-mail or fax.

All volunteers are required to fill out a program application and liability release form, and should call ahead to schedule times that they want to come to the ranch. Participants are required to adhere to the Swan Center Outreach protocol and guidelines. Swan Center Outreach reserves the right to suspend anyone from the program, who is not performing in an acceptable manner.

 

Community Service Hours Program

Adults and children wishing to accrue community service hours, may call to schedule a time when they can do so. Anyone participating in community service hours will be assigned specific tasks, as opposed to volunteers who can choose their tasks. Participants are required to provide the necessary forms needed to report their hours. Swan Center Outreach reserves the right to suspend anyone from the program, who is not performing in an acceptable manner.

 

 

[VolunteerMatch - Get out. Do good.]

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Swan Center Outreach Inc.
PO Box 25749
Silverthorne, Colorado 80497

Phone: 970-468-0924
E-mail: info@swancenter.org