Becoming a Special Olympics Florida Volunteer!
Everyone can contribute to Special Olympics Florida, regardless of age, background or experience. No matter how much or how little time you have to give, when you volunteer, you will be making a difference in the lives of our athletes and this movement. But more importantly, you'll find that you will get more out of your volunteer experience than you put in - it is something that has to be experienced to be believed. Because the array of programs, services and opportunities that we offer are so vast, we're sure you'll find something to suit your interests and availability! So let's help you get started... There are two basic kinds of Special Olympics volunteers. A Volunteer Registration form is required of each type of volunteer and both Class A and B volunteers must be able to show a valid photo ID at the time of registration.
CLASS B:
The first is a Class B or "day-of" volunteer who volunteers just on the day of events and competitions and has no sustained interaction with our athletes. These are what we call "walk-on" volunteers, meaning no prior experience or greater involvement with Special Olympics is required, and they are essential to Special Olympics Florida being able to host and run competitions. Class B volunteers ages 15 and younger are welcome but must be accompanied by a parent or adult volunteer. When volunteering at a local or area competition in your home town, the Class B form is available either prior to the competition or on-site the day of the games. Your local County Coordinator will help you get involved! If you're volunteering at a State-level competition, you can either sign up on-site or fill out and turn in a Class B form prior to arriving. These forms are available on this web site. Check out our State-level competition opportunities!
CLASS A:
The second type of volunteer is a Class A volunteer. Class A volunteers are typically coaches and/or chaperones; people who have sustained interaction with our athletes and have made a more prolongued commitment to the program (e.g., are a coach and therefore have committed 2-3 months a year to volunteering).
IMPORTANT:
Do not apply to be a Class A Volunteer until you first speak with your local County Coordinator (find yours now) to see what you are interested in doing in order to determine if you should be a Class A or Class B volunteer. This will save you and your local program time and paperwork. Once you've spoken with your local County Coordinator and you know that Class A status is appropriate for your level of interest, start the Class A Volunteer Registration Process now! Please read the Special Olympics Inc. Volunteer Screening Policy which was developed to safeguard our athletes and our volunteers.
Protective Behaviors Training:
Special Olympics Inc. developed the Protective Behaviors Training as a tool to assist with protecting Special Olympics athletes from abuse. All Class A volunteers 16 years of age and older must completeProtective Behaviors Training. If you do not have the means to take the test online, contact your local program and they can provide you with the necessary materials and instruction. Take the training now!
While the Protective Behaviors training is only requisite for Class A Volunteers and staff (16 years of age and older), for the safety and health of our athletes and everyone involved with Special Olympics Florida, we encourage anyone interested in taking the training to do so: families, athletes, day-of volunteers, etc. It requires the assistance of everyone involved in our organization to help keep our athletes safe from abuse. Special Olympics Florida will keep a record of everyone who takes the training.
Contact Us
If you have any further questions or need more information about Special Olympics Florida in general.
Special Olympics Inc. developed the Protective Behaviors Training as a tool to assist with protecting Special Olympics athletes from abuse. All Class A volunteers 16 years of age and older must completeProtective Behaviors Training. If you do not have the means to take the test online, contact your local program and they can provide you with the necessary materials and instruction. Take the training now!
While the Protective Behaviors training is only requisite for Class A Volunteers and staff (16 years of age and older), for the safety and health of our athletes and everyone involved with Special Olympics Florida, we encourage anyone interested in taking the training to do so: families, athletes, day-of volunteers, etc. It requires the assistance of everyone involved in our organization to help keep our athletes safe from abuse. Special Olympics Florida will keep a record of everyone who takes the training.
Contact Us
If you have any further questions or need more information about Special Olympics Florida in general.
