Volunteer Adoption Counselor (HIGHEST NEED)

 MKE Volunteer Adoption Counselor (VAC) – Cats & Dogs

 - Must be 16 years old or older.

 

Volunteers in this position will directly support our community, staff, and animals by performing cat and dog adoptions from start to finish. To be able to volunteer in this capacity, you will need to complete a brief interview during your meet & greet with your Volunteer Coordinator, to ensure that this volunteer role would be a good fit for your skillset. It does require exceptional attention to detail, the ability to provide clear communication about animal behavior and savvy computer skills to utilize multiple databases.

 

Skills Needed 

Volunteers must understand and be onboard with our client centered philosophy and approach; this includes approaching clients and situations without judgement. Volunteers must be committed to providing a welcoming environment for all visitors and be capable of reading people and appropriately responding to both verbal and non-verbal communication to ensure a comfortable client experience for all. Volunteers must be enthusiastic, outgoing and detailed-oriented. Volunteers must have the ability to follow directions, read, write and effectively communicate with staff, volunteers and clients. The physical demands for this job include the following: standing, walking, bending, stooping, writing, lifting, grasping, reading, talking and hearing. It is also imperative that volunteers are computers savvy, as they will be using our computers, database systems, copier and retail POS system. Volunteers in this role need to enjoy working with people and be able to engage in conversation with clients, comfortable handling cats and reading cat body language, computer savvy, and have good time management skills while feeling comfortable working in a busy environment.  Volunteer also need to be open-minded and have a compassion for wanting to help people find their furry companion.  During training, staff and volunteer trainers will coach the new volunteer and provide feedback on their skills to make sure this position is the right fit for them. Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older.

Objective 

Assist potential adopters at the Wisconsin Humane Society and provide support to our Operations Staff.

 

Duties 

  • Work one on one with potential adopters to adopt an animal by sharing information about our adoptable animals and providing supportive resources to make their adoption as successful as possible.
  • Answer client questions and provide support to clients as needed.
  • Able to use our Waitwhile sign-in system, PetPoint database and whiteboard to move clients through the adoption process accurately.
  • Ring up clients for their adoption fee and items in retail store, Animal Antics as needed.
  • Serve as a “runner” for switchboard as needed. This includes making copies, door profiles and posting them in adoption areas as needed.
  • Connect with Supervisors and Shifts Leads as necessary for guidance on how to navigate and work through more challenging conversations and/or share pertinent information with clients.

  

Open Shift Times: 

  • Tuesdays - 3pm-5pm (Highest Need)
  • Wednesdays - 5pm-7pm (Higher Need)
  • Thursdays - 5pm-7pm (Higher Need)
  • Fridays - 11am-1pm (Highest need); 1pm-3pm (Highest need); 3pm-5pm (Higher Need); 5pm-7pm (Higher Need)
  • Saturdays - 12pm-2pm; 2pm-4pm; 4pm-6pm (Highest Need)

 

 Required Training 

  • Interview & Meet & Greet with Volunteer Coordinator
  • One on One Training with a veteran VAC Trainer or CSR Staff Trainer
    • There is a total of approximately 35-40 hours of training.
    • All new VACs would ideally be able to commit training 6 hours per week, during the training period. This training period is typically 7/8 weeks. We work with the volunteer's schedule to be as accommodating as possible.
    • After the training period, volunteers must commit to volunteering a minimum of two hours weekly. Preferably on the same day and timeslot each week.
  • People Centered Philosophy – Online Training
  • MKE Volunteer Handbook & Waivers – Online Training
  • Animal Training – Online Training
  • Animal Training – Hands-On with Behavior Staff

 

Commitment/Age Requirement

Minimum of a 6 month commitment required.

Must be 16 years old or older.