2024 Junior Volunteers

Volunteer Opportunities for Ages 12-15 in the Junior Volunteer program.  Under adult supervision, Junior Volunteers will assist with weekend animal care for small animals in the Adoption Center.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: 

  1. JVs will run in sessions throughout the school year Fall, Winter, and Spring.
  2. Each session will include 6 volunteer days (typically 6 consecutive weeks, but be sure to check the schedule for any excluded dates)  
  3. Sessions will be held on Sunday mornings.
  4. The age range for JVs includes students ages 12-15.  
  5. Attendance at the first session is mandatory for training purposes. 
  6. Participation in this immersive experience is $60, which helps us to offset training, staff time, and supplies required to run this program. 
  7. Required paperwork for participation:

  • All students must complete a Student Volunteer Agreement (this form can be found here) 

SCHEDULE: 

Our Junior Volunteer program schedule is determined based on the needs and hours of our Adoption Center and the necessary feeding and care times of our animals.  

Please ensure that you can attend all the scheduled dates prior to registering. We are counting on the help of each of our Junior Volunteers for important animal responsibilities, and we want to make sure our animals get all the care and attention they need! In the event of sickness or an emergency, please notify us of your need to be absent as soon as possible

REGISTRATION:

Scroll down to find a session of Junior Volunteers that works best. When registering your child, be sure to fill out the profile/user information as the parent/guardian, then add your child as a “Participant”.  Once you have registered, You should receive an order confirmation from “Sawyer”, our new registration software.  A member of our staff will reach out to provide additional information prior to the start of the JV session. If your child did not get registered in time but is still interested, Please feel free to join the waitlist for the session you are interested in. 

REFUND POLICY: 

This program is first come first serve and no refunds will be available. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What happened to the previous waiting list?

    The Junior Volunteer program was paused for a long time while we were closed to the public during Covid-19 and construction around our campus. During this time many students previously on the waiting list have either aged out or have new schedules. Given this, along with the new structure, we have decided to start fresh.

    If your child was unable to register for this session, please contact education@nhspca.org to be added to our new waiting list for upcoming sessions.

  • Why do you charge money to volunteer?

    The fee for our Junior Volunteer program helps cover costs associated with training, staffing, and any necessary materials to make sure the experience is as positive and enriching as possible for the students and the animals.

  • Why is the program limited to six (6) volunteers per day?

    We want to make sure all the JVs who participate get as much hands-on experience as possible! We’ve found that larger groups leave fewer opportunities for participation among the members.

  • What if I am allergic to cats, small animals, hay, etc.?

    JVs will not only be interacting with animals, like smalls, cats, possibly some farm animals, but will also be in contact with many foods and materials. If you have allergies to pet dander, hay, etc., this may not be an appropriate volunteer opportunity for you.

  • What if I can't attend all of the dates for a session?

    We are counting on the help of each of our Junior Volunteers for important animal care responsibilities, and we want to make sure our animals get all the love and attention they need! If you have other commitments that might interfere, please consider waiting to register until you have more availability.

  • What kinds of things will Junior Volunteers help with?

    JVs are a vital component of our animal care team. They along with our staff and other volunteers, ensure that our animals have the most humane living conditions. Our JVs will help with various aspects of animal care including feeding, cleaning, and making enrichments both in the adoption center, on the farm, and in the Humane Education Classroom. Through this hands-on experience, we hope to instill a lifelong commitment to animal welfare, volunteerism and compassion for all living things. Per NHSPCA policy, only trained adult staff and volunteers are able to provide direct care to dogs and certain farm animals.

  • What is the paperwork that is required?

    The NHSPCA requires students and parents to complete a Student Volunteer Agreement, which covers expectations for JVs.