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Welcome to Family Centers' Volunteer Page, we have many opportunities throughout our agency for volunteers to get involved and make a difference! If you have an idea for a project or volunteer experience that you don't see listed, please email Jennifer Flatow with your ideas. We look foward to hearing from you!
Click here to read about important changes to our Volunteer Policy
Early Care & Education Program
Family Centers' Early Care and Education Program is in need of devoted volunteers who can assist daily in the classroom with our children. Volunteer sessions are available Monday through Friday from either 8:00a.m.-12:30 p.m. or from 2:45 p.m.-6:00 p.m. at one of three locations in Greenwich: The Arch Street Preschool (Arch Street), The Gateway Preschool (Chapel Street) and the Dancing Dolphins Class located at Armstrong Court.
All volunteers will be supervised by licensed early childhood education teachers, and will help facilitate activities and learning experiences for children between the ages of 2 and 5 years old.
Interested volunteers should have some experience working with young children, and experience in an early childhood setting is helpful. All volunteers are required to come in for an interview and to complete an application, volunteers must meet the minimum age requirement to volunteer (15), and those volunteers over the age of 18 must submit to a background check. Family Centers' Early Childhood Education Program is accredited by the NAEYC.
Greenwich Head Start Program
The Greenwich Head Start program is a preschool and family development resource program that helps the most vulnerable young members of the community at very low or no cost to families. Based at Armstrong Court, a public housing community run by the Housing Authority of Greenwich. The program is open to Greenwich residents with children between three and five years of age. We offer full day, year round preschool education, along with developmental and health screenings for enrolled children, as well as family support services. Volunteers can assist with the daily activities in one of our two Head Start classrooms working side by side with our teaching staff. All volunteers are required to come in for an interview and those over the age of 18 will undergo a background and reference check. Volunteers must also commit to a regular schedule for this position to help maintain continuity with our children, families and staff.
Friendly Connections
Office Assistant
Friendly Connections has a wonderful opportunity for someone who is looking to volunteer on a regular basis. The nature of the work includes organizing files, database upkeep as well as telephone coverage and basic office duties as assigned by the director of the program. Good organizational skills, weekly commitment with some flexibility.
Friendly Visitor
This unique volunteer opportunity will match you with a homebound older person, and through regular home visits you will provide friendship, support, and renewed contact with the outside world. Activities may include, conversing, sharing a cup of tea, taking a walk, reading aloud or helping to sort and answer mail. Schedules are designed between the volunteer and client. Volunteers should be patient, reliable, and sensitive to the needs of older people. Volunteers will stay in regular contact with manager and report prolonged absences, or other concerns. A minimum commitment of three months is required, along with personal interview, reference and background check. Being a Friendly Visitor is an incredible way to give back to the community. Friendly Visitors are matched with an isolated older adult living in the area. Visits occur once a week for an hour. The schedule is flexible and is decided between the volunteer and client. Fun activities to do when visiting include: sharing stories, getting advice, going for walks and playing games.
Telephone Course Facilitator
Friendly Connections offers a unique opportunity for volunteers to showcase their knowledge and or hobbies and lead a telephone course on that topic. Courses are 30 or 60 minutes long and flexible. Courses can be offered as a onetime occurrence or on an ongoing basis. Some popular courses are sports, comedy, movies, cooking, and music. We are always interested in new and creative topics. Volunteers must be comfortable leading a group discussion. Volunteers are required to come in for an interview with program director to discuss topic and timeline for the groups they are interested in facilitating. Courses can be facilitated from your home or office.
Nurturing Families Network/Stamford & Greenwich Hospitals
The Nurturing Families Network is a statewide support program for first-time parents that provides a system of continuous care designed to promote positive parenting. The NFN program at Family Centers is offered to all new parents giving birth at Greenwich and Stamford hospitals. After completing their training, volunteers contact parents by phone and offer support, educational materials, group events and referral information to other community services. Information to parents may include topics such as newborn feeding, childcare, stress management, immunizations, and other critical information about the health and care of their new baby.
Hours are flexible for this opportunity and volunteers may work out of our Stamford location (60 Palmers Hill Road) or Greenwich location (22 Bridge Street).In addition to the training, an interview and background check are also required.
Please note all volunteer facilitator openings have been filled for The Den for Grieving Kids' 2010-2011 Session. We are accepting applications for the 2011-2012 Session. Thank you for your interest!
The Den for Grieving Kids
Support Group Facilitator/ Nights of Service Program
With over 60 trained volunteer facilitators, the Den for Grieving Kids works with groups to create a safe environment for children, teens, parents and caregivers to discuss their grief issues. On-going supervision and instruction help the facilitators develop their capacity to be a helpful presence to the bereaved. Volunteer facilitators are asked to make a one year commitment, two evenings per month (Mondays or Wednesdays) to maintain continuity with the children and families who are clients of the Den. The evening consists of a meeting between facilitators and staff before and after the support groups to prepare and debrief about the evening, and the hours of this opportunity are between 6:00p.m- 9:00p.m.
Please note that there is a weekend training offered each September for this position and those who are interested in the September 2010 training should contact Family Centers.
RITE Program (Reaching Independence Through Employment): A Self-Sufficiency Program for Low Income Adults
Career mentors: Act as mentor to advise job-seeking adults on resume preparation, interviewing, job performance and other success-in-job matters.
Computer Instructor: The R.I.T.E. Program (Reaching Independence Through Employment) is looking for computer instructors for the upcoming school year (2010-2011). Classes are ongoing and take place Tuesdays through Saturdays at various times and locations in both Stamford and Greenwich, our next session is scheduled to begin in September 2010. Interested volunteers should have working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook. Knowledge of internet use is also extremely helpful. Potential volunteers should be comfortable teaching in a supportive adult classroom setting and be willing to work with those at a beginner's level. Must have patience and the ability to work at a slow, understandable pace. An interview is required for this position. Bilingual instructors are also needed.
Housing Resource Program
The Housing Resource Program provides housing for people with prolonged mental illness living in the Stamford and Norwalk areas. The program can provide security deposits and subsidies for applicants that qualify. Family Centers also helps to provides items for clients once housing has been secured.
Delivery Volunteer(s) are needed to pick up donated furniture and household items and deliver to Family Centers' storage garage (located at 60 Palmers Hill Road, Stamford). Volunteers are also used at the holidays to deliver gift baskets and other donated items to client families, as needed.
Senior Activities Instructor
Family Centers is looking for a volunteer to provide interactive activities for senior citizens residing at McKinney Terrace here in Greenwich on a bi-weekly basis. Some potential activities include: language lessons, bingo, art class, nutrition groups and cooking classes. The schedule is flexible and orientation will be provided by Family Centers staff. Volunteers must be over the age of 18 and an interview and criminal background check are required. Those with experience working with seniors or have experience with a group setting are encouraged to apply.
Internship Opportunities
Communications Intern
Family Centers has an opportunity for a college or high school student to gain hands-on experience in the Communications and Public Relations fields. By assisting the Communications Director, the intern will learn to write for a variety of audiences, craft media story pitches and create communications plans/tactics designed to promote the services and mission of Family Centers. The intern will also assist with website updates, newsletter production and special events coverage.
Development Intern
Family Centers Development Office is seeking an intern to help as a Special Events Assistant to the Director of Development. Events include the multi town "Hope Lights Lives" luminary project; annual spring luncheon, a business breakfast, and several smaller events. The volunteer would interface with committee members, participate in brainstorming sessions, help compose invitations, sponsorship and acknowledgement letters, assist with database upkeep and mailings, as well as general administrative duties. The position is flexible, but the intern should be able to devote at least 4 hours per week.
Clinical Social Work Interns
Family Centers only accepts clinical social work interns currently enrolled in an MSW program at a sanctioned university. For more information, contact Carole Elias at
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or call 203-324-3167.
Family Centers hosts groups of volunteers, if your business or school is interested in partnering with us, please contact Jennifer Flatow at
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or 203-869-4848 to set up an interview.
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