Dear Volunteer,

We are happy that you have decided to volunteer with the Sprouting Wings program!  Sprouting Wings is an after-school gardening and environmental education program for under-served children and youth in upstate South Carolina.  The program is sponsored by the South Carolina Botanical Garden and funded by the Betsy Campbell Children's Gardening Fund. 

This semester there are several ways in which you may choose to volunteer your time:

Tuesday 3:30-5:00 pm at J.N. Kellett Elementary School, Seneca, SC – carpools to be arranged 
The focus this semester will be on developing a community garden and preparing after-school snacks from the harvest.

Wednesday 2:30-5:00 with Central E.S. at the South Carolina Botanical Garden   Twenty-three 3rd , 4th and 5th graders are returning from summer break eager to start gardening in the newly constructed Youth Stewardship Garden. 

Thursdays Time TBA    We will meet with Seneca Middle School (alternating between Seneca Middle School and The South Carolina Botanical Garden).  Do you have the entrepreneurial spirit?  We do!  Help us make our holiday wreath business a success! 

Also on the following Thursdays at York Place: 9/25, 10/30, 11/20 and 12/11.  We will leave at 6:45am and return by 4:00pm.  York Place is a residential treatment facility located in York S.C.  While on campus we will work in the York Place Healing Garden, participate in their Harvest Celebration and make Holiday Wreaths.  Volunteers for York Place must also submit paperwork through the volunteer coordinator at York Place, due to the high level of confidentiality necessary at this facility.

Additional volunteer opportunities also exist such as working in and around the Nature Center, Sprouting Wings Greenhouse and the new Youth Stewardship Garden.  These times are flexible and should be arranged with Lisa Chancellor.

Volunteers are vital to this program!  Your presence makes each meeting fun and interesting for the children.  Occasionally you may need to miss a meeting; please call at least one day in advance to let us know.  Your commitment to attend whenever possible will help to ensure a successful semester,  and fewer disruptions for the children.  Besides we have too much fun to miss a day!  I hope you will find this experience rewarding and fun!  Please don't hesitate to contact Amy Craddock at 656-7340 or 650-0655 or acraddo@clemson.edu  or Lisa Chancellor at 656-0203 or lchance@clemson.edu.

                Sincerely,

               
                Amy Dabbs Craddock and Lisa Chancellor
                Sprouting Wings Program Coordinators

Name_____________________________________________________

Address____________________________________________________

Phone Number ____________________  email ____________________

SSN#___________________(your SSN  will  be used for insurance purposes only)

In case of emergency, please contact _______________________ at this number____________________
I will volunteer on the following day(s):

Tuesday______
Wednesday_____
Thursday ______ (Seneca Middle School)    _______ (York Place)
Nature Center Only______

Please describe your interest  in or prior experiences with children and/or gardening:



What prompted you to volunteer for this program?



What do you expect to gain from this experience?



What do you expect to contribute to this experience?


Please note, too many volunteers is indeed a reason to celebrate, but it can diminish the experience for the children and adults in the program.  If there is a day with too many volunteers, preference for volunteer opportunities will be given to returning volunteers.  New volunteers may be asked to change to another day and/or return the following semester.  Thank you for your understanding on this matter.


Statement of Confidentiality

I agree to keep the identity of the child participants in the Sprouting Wings program confidential. I will not reveal the identity of a child participant through any verbal, written or telecommunication methods.  Photographs of participants are the property of the Sprouting Wings program and the South Carolina Botanical Garden.  There will be no unauthorized research conducted regarding the children participating in the Sprouting Wings program.
 

_______________________________           ________________________________
Signature                                                                Date

Volunteer Guidelines

1. If a child is injured while participating in Sprouting Wings, it is the responsibility of the students/volunteers to immediately report the injury to the program coordinator.

2. Never isolate yourself with a child.  If a child needs to be isolated for any reason, be sure to include a second adult in the conversation or be close enough that you can be seen at all times.

3.  Discussions outside of the program as well as written material should never reveal a child’s identity.  When discussing children outside of the program, please use first names only.

4. The children look to Sprouting Wings leaders as role models.  Your dress, actions and language should reflect this role.   Please no ripped or torn clothing or inappropriate slogans or artwork on t-shirts.

 5.  Please be aware that negative comments about children and/or adult participants made in the presence of others can reflect poorly on everyone.  We are guests at the schools that we visit each week, please, do not confront administrators, teachers or other employees with complaints or problems.  Discuss concerns directly with the program coordinator and we will find a solution.

6.  Please refer children with serious behavior problems to the program coordinator.

7. Please sign in each week.  If you are doing an internship or volunteer hours, this is how we will keep up with your hours.  This is also for insurance reasons as well.

8. The purpose of this program is to provide a fun and educationally rich experience for the children.  If we are doing something silly, please don't hesitate to participate.  The children will be looking at your behavior to emulate!  You are a role model, forget what's cool for a moment and just join in and be a kid again!  How often do you get to do that these days???
 

***Please click here to access the Clemson University Background Consent Form which is required for all volunteers who work with children at Clemson University.   Once you are on this page, the form is about half way down the list.  Please print and fill out the form and return it with the other volunteer paperwork.  Thanks~
 
 
 

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