Royal Family KIDS Camp Part-Time Volunteer
Expectations & Limitations
Thank you for volunteering to help with Royal Family Kids camp. This is a great ministry opportunity to help foster children in our community.
Our full-time volunteers have gone through extensive training and background checks for the safety of the children, and to make sure they can adequately handle the needs of the children all week at camp. As a part-time volunteer, there are a few essential things that you need to be aware of, and that there are some limitations in how you participate because of your part-time status.
Our goal is for the children to be safe and have a life-changing experience at camp. Here are some things you need to know:
1) Most of these children are from Foster homes. All the children come from backgrounds of trauma and have experienced some level of abuse, abandonment, or neglect.
2) They may look like your kids, but their backgrounds are not common and therefore, some of their behaviors may not be common. They may be anxious, scared, timid, aggressive, outspoken, even use foul language or act out in ways other children would not.
3) Please be extra patient. Be kind & smile a lot! Expect them to have a great week. They just want to have fun, so be fun! Treat them like Royalty and kids of the King!
4) Speak words of encouragement, words of hope and words of affirmation.
Do not talk down to them in any way, shape or form. No sarcasm. If you see evidence of past abuse or overhear stories of abuse, don’t overreact and don't ask questions.
5) Be very careful how and where you touch them. Some children don’t like to be touched due to their abuse. Others might throw themselves all over you, also because of their abusive background. Only side hugs are to be used, and only after asking their permission.
6) If you don’t understand what the campers are doing or why, ask another adult. If you don’t understand some area of your function as a volunteer, please ask.
7) Do not make any promises to them or share any personal information with them, i.e. last names, address, phone number, email, Facebook, etc.
8) One of our safety rules states that there can NEVER be only one adult with a child or children. There must always be TWO adults present. This is called "Two Deep". As a part-time volunteer without a background check and training, you are NOT allowed to be a “Two-Deep” person in these situations. You can help in groups and in open areas with other adults present, but you are Not Allowed to be in any secluded area with a camper alone or with only one other additional adult. Always stay in open areas or make sure there are 2 other adults present.
9) Cell phones must not be used, be visible or present around the children. This is for the privacy and security of the children who are under our care. Please keep cell phones in your car if possible. Or, you can place them in our volunteer break room (in the cafeteria) with all the other cell phones at Camp. Upon wrongful use of your cell phone, you may be asked to leave Camp.
10) Every time you come to camp you must sign-in at the check-in canopy, and pick up a yellow name tag that says "Guest" which you will wear the entire time you are at Camp. As you walk into camp look for the Canopy at Camp that states “Check-In”.
11) As a part-time volunteer, you will be assigned a volunteer while at Camp who will show you what your responsibility will be for that day. Some part-time volunteers may be contacted prior to Camp. Please check in with your contact person upon arriving at Camp.
I have read the above minimum expectations and limitations for being a part-time volunteer at Royal Family KIDS Camp and I agree to follow them while on the Camp facility.