Kellie  Markey  at  [email protected]   Karen  Kennedy  at  [email protected]   Welcome   We  are  thankful  that  you  are  exploring  the  possibilities  of  helping  at  Dorothy’s  House.    There  are  endless   opportunities  for  our  volunteers  to  come  alongside  our  girls  to  encourage  them  on  the  path  of  wholeness.  We   passionately  desire  for  our  girls  to  find  Dorothy’s  House,  a  forever  home,  overflowing  with  love  and  support.   We  cannot  do  that  without  a  host  of  volunteers  coming  to  the  house,  giving  of  their  talents  and  time.         Volunteer  Checklist   In  order  to  ensure  safety  for  the  girls  and  to  organize  the  many  volunteers,  we  need  you  to:       1.  Fill  out  online  application  at:  dorothyshouse.org.         2.  Print  and  complete  the  background  authorization  form  and  include  the  $10  fee.       3.  Print  the  TB  disease  form  and  take  it  to  your  physician  or   make  an  appointment  with:   Polk  County  Health  Dept.   1907  Carpenter  Ave.   Des  Moines,  Iowa  50314   Call  286-­‐3798  to  make  an  appointment.     4.  Read  the  handbook  and  sign  the  acknowledgement  form.       5.  Copy  of  your  driver's  license.         6.  Mail:   a.)  Completed  background  form     b.)  A  $10  background  fee  (made  out  to  Gloria  Dei  Lutheran  Church)   c.)  A  physician-­‐signed  disease  form   d.)  Acknowledgement  of  the  handbook     e.)  Copy  of  driver's  license.     Mail  to:   Gloria  Dei  Lutheran  Church,   C/0  Karen  Kennedy   8301  Aurora  Ave.   Urbandale,  Iowa  50322         7.  Attend  a  volunteer  orientation  session  (Dates  and  locations  will  be  announced.)         If  you  have  any  questions,  contact  [email protected].    We  will  try  to  respond  within  24   hours.       Miscellaneous  Information     Once   you   have   filled   out   an   online   application.   You   will   be   able   to   login   to   update   your   profile   information,  and  check  your  schedules,  etc.    Simply  go  to  dorothyshouse.org.  

Dorothy’s House Volunteer Program Handbook Volunteer Program Goals The primary goal of the volunteer program at Dorothy’s House will be to enhance the services we provide to the children in our care and to provide meaningful opportunities for individuals and groups who support our cause. It is our hope that engaging the community in helping these children recover will ensure our continued success in providing a continuum of care unequaled in alternative care facilities. Definition of a Volunteer A volunteer at Dorothy’s House is anyone, who without paid compensation performs a task at the discretion of the agency. A volunteer must be approved by the agency prior to performance of the task. Supervision of a volunteer is coordinated and monitored by the staff members at the program. During volunteer service activities and in emergency situations, volunteer must follow all staff directions. Process Required to Become a Volunteer The safety and well being of the children at Dorothy’s House is the first priority of all staff, interns and volunteers at all times. A staff member at Dorothy’s House will assess all prospective volunteers for suitability to work with or on the behalf of the children we serve. Dorothy’s House reserves the right to deny acceptance of any volunteer at our discretion. 1) Complete Dorothy’s House application 2) Provide a copy of a photo ID 3) Complete an interview with a member of the staff at Dorothy’s House 4) Provide two personal references 5) Complete a signed permission for Dorothy’s House to conduct a background check that will include a check of the Iowa State Registry of Child Abuse and a criminal records check with the Department of Criminal Investigation. Those individuals who have a criminal record will be accepted or denied volunteer service at the discretion of the Volunteer Management staff at Dorothy’s House. 6) Provide a statement from the volunteer’s physician that the volunteer if free from communicable diseases which must be re-verified every three years. 7) Persons under the age of 18 are required to present a signed permission statement from a parent or guardian prior to volunteer service. Generally, volunteers under the age of 18 perform service as ‘friends of the girls’ with direct supervision of a staff member. Volunteers who are active and in good standing volunteers at YESS are exempt from the following list of requirements. Special Project Volunteers are required to complete an information sheet prior to volunteer service. If at any time a Special Project Volunteer plans to perform services on a regular basis they are required to complete the full list of requirements outlined above.

Volunteer Status An individual’s volunteer status is categorized by frequency of service and the duties they perform: Active volunteers perform unpaid service on a regularly scheduled basis. Active volunteer service often involves direct client contact and could include basic skills development (cooking, personal care), tutoring, gardening, play and entertainment. Healing Path volunteers are intimately involved with the children and will have designated roles including mentorships, Ultimate Journey, 24/7 Prayer, etc. Special Project Volunteers perform unpaid service on an occasional or as needed basis. Generally, individuals and groups who volunteer for a special project have minimal or no client contact or perform service as one time activity. Administrative volunteers will help with specific aspects of the programming and the home and may include accounting, volunteer management, business plan development, etc. Orientation & Training All volunteers will participate in an orientation session with a staff member that will include a general overview of the programs and services provided at Dorothy’s House. Prior to volunteer service individuals will be offered training information about general expectations, including instructions on safety and confidentiality. Active volunteers will receive additional information specific to their duties. Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Dorothy’s House will accept volunteers without regard to race, religion, creed, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, or political affiliation. Feedback Dorothy’s House relies on and deeply values the commitment of volunteer services and recognizes the critical nature of this service to our success. We want the volunteer experience to be mutually beneficial and request feedback on a regular basis to help ensure this outcome.

Dorothy’s House Mission Provide a safe place for teen girls in crisis - especially those recovered from sex trafficking - to heal. Dorothy’s House Vision Give girls a chance to recover their bodies, hearts, souls and voices by providing for basic needs beginning with safety and security. Followed in close order by good food, specialized care, education and training, opportunities and the ability to begin dreaming again in as close to a ‘forever home’ environment as possible. Dorothy’s House Key Principals Provide a safe place for teen girls to recover from trauma and abuse. Attend to all medical needs, heal them physically Reliably exceed basic needs - healthy, delicious meals shared together as a family, warm, well-it comfortable places to live and sleep, nurturing supportive, consistent people to love them. Provide trauma informed care based on behavioral/emotional needs Make psychiatric counseling available as well as any medications necessary Offer non-traditional therapies (art, music, play, gardening, crafts, etc.) Surround the girls with healthy, positive role models and relationships to help establish, build trust Re-empower them through personal choice (what they eat, wear, study, learn, practice) with guidance and support Teach them basic skills (cooking, cleaning, personal-care)
 Make spiritual discovery and recovery central to all our programming
 Evaluate, assess educational needs and provide appropriate learning opportunities Present job skills and training as appropriate
 Require that they participate in the success of the house
 Ask that they simply do their best each day


Let them be kids

Faith Principals One of the key issues with kids who have been trafficked is that everything has been taken away from them - including personal choice over every aspect of her life. While we won’t require faith, it will be central to all our programming and presented to them in a way that allows them to choose over time the direction they want to follow their faith. The girls who live at Dorothy’s House will be offered Healing Prayer and Ultimate Journey. This will be directed programming and offered by trained individuals. We ask that volunteer refrain from specific conversations or direction regarding faith or religion during their visit. Safety and Security The first priority at Dorothy’s House is to ensure the safety of the girls we serve. For the protection of both the youth and volunteers, volunteers are never to be alone with a girl. A staff member or intern from Dorothy’s House will be present during any activity where there is likely to be direct contact between volunteers and the girls. Any exceptions to this procedure that would permit a volunteer to be alone with a youth must have express, specific prior approval of the staff. Volunteers should enter through the front door of the home and ring the call button to be granted access. In the event of an emergency during volunteer service, staff members will direct volunteers of the appropriate action to take. Volunteers should be familiar with all exits to the home. In the event of a fire or fire drill, staff members will direct volunteers to the nearest appropriate exit. In the event of a tornado, youth, staff, and volunteers should convene in the far east section of the basement. It is the responsibility of a staff member to provide any first aid to any of the children who may become injured. Because of this, volunteers would not have any instances where they would need to practice universal precautions. Due to the nature of the facility, there may be occasions when children have been found to have contagious conditions. Please keep this in mind at all times and take necessary precautions, including thorough hand washing and use of sanitizer. It is required that all volunteers who have direct client contact or are involved in food preparation, upon hire and every three years following will provide a statement signed by a physician that states they are free from any communicable diseases. Confidentiality

A relationship of confidence and trust between staff, volunteers, and children is of upmost importance. All activities, and operations of each program and component should build and promote such a relationship. Our ability to ensure clients and prospective clients anonymity is essential to the success of the program. On matters pertaining to the confidentiality of client information, this confidentiality requirement is applied equally to all full-time and part-time staff, consultants, volunteers, board members, interns, and those qualified service organizations under written agreement. 1. No information is to be released to any non-staff individual, agency, or organization regarding case or counseling facts or opinions without the voluntary written consent of the client, unless otherwise permitted by Federal and/or State law or rule. In the case of a minor child, written consent must be received from the parent or legal guardian. 2. Client case files, evaluations, or written reports about individual clients shall not be released or their contents divulged to any public or private agency or individual not involved in providing treatment to the client unless requested by the client through a signed release of information consent form, unless otherwise permitted by Federal and/or State law or rule. Since volunteers are not providing treatment to clients, they are not permitted to read client files. 3. While we encourage volunteers to be advocates of Dorothy’s House and share their experiences with friends, family, and other members of the community, any information that would identify a client or any aspect of care about the client shall not be released. This includes email, blogs and social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. No photos of the property or the children should be taken or distributed. Sharing Personal Information All employees and volunteers are expected to maintain positive and appropriate relationships with clients. It is the expectation that employees and volunteers do not share personal contact information with clients, including but not limited to personal phone numbers, personal email, social networking accounts and home addresses. Former clients are permitted to remain in contact with employees and volunteers with permission from the staff. Contact will be determined on a case by case basis. In the event a current or former client has obtained your personal information information, it is expected that the employee or volunteer kindly explain to the client all communication needs to take place at Dorothy’s House via the main phone line and/or at the campus. Boundaries It is the responsibility of staff members to assist children in any care requiring going into a child’s bedroom. Volunteers should not enter any of the bedrooms or assist children with these activities. Physical Contact

There is to be no physical contact of any kind between volunteers and youth. Volunteers should not initiate any touching. Religious Activities & Discussions Spiritual recovery is a key aspect of the programming at Dorothy’s House. In general, volunteers should refrain from religious conversations with the children outside of that programming. Alcohol & Drug Use Volunteers may never use drugs, alcohol, or tobacco in the presence of a youth. In addition, volunteers reporting for service whom appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol will not be allowed onto the campus. Smoking is strictly prohibited on the campus and in any facility vehicles or in proximity of any of the children in the program. Positive Community Representative As a safe house, it is imperative that volunteers refrain from discussing the location, programming or other details of the facility or the children living there. The campus should be referred to as Dorothy’s House and described as a safe house for teens in crisis. If a volunteer’s conduct involves activities that are considered to be in conflict with the professional standards of the home, including bot not limited to violation of volunteer program guidelines reviewed in training, Dorothy’s House reserves the right to reevaluate volunteer status and terminate service. Media Inquiries and Contacts All media contacts and requests should be referred to the staff at Dorothy’s House. No comment should be made about any aspect of the facility, it’s location or programming in any media online and offline. There are no circumstances in which it will be appropriate for a volunteer to discuss Dorothy’s House with any members of the media. Coordination and Scheduling of Volunteer Activities Upon completion of the application and training, volunteers will coordinate their regular volunteer schedule on the volunteer software management system. All elections will be reviewed by the staff and if there are and discrepancies or issues the volunteer will be contacted by a staff member. If a volunteer is unable to make it to their scheduled volunteer time, it is necessary to provide as much advance notice as possible to the staff so that alternative support can be arranged. It is also helpful to alert the staff if a volunteer expects to be late for their scheduled volunteer time. Staff Directions

A staff person from Dorothy’s House will be present during any activity where there is likely to be direct contact between volunteers and children. Staff members will direct volunteers as to any emergency procedures or policies that volunteers should be aware of. Dress Code Volunteers may dress for comfort and in clothing that is appropriate for the activity in which they will be participating. No inappropriate clothing is allowed, including but not limited to revealing clothing or clothing with language that promotes alcohol, drug or sexual innuendoes. Personal Belongings Volunteers are asked to not bring any personal belongings to the home beyond a coat and/or a purse. A staff member will put these items in a locked closet as necessary during the volunteers time on the premises. Anti-Harassment Policy Dorothy’s House strives to provide a work environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect and in which harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. Everyone is entitled to a work environment free of verbal, physical, visual or other harassment because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation marital status or political affiliation. It is the responsibility of the staff to create an environment free of discrimination and harassment, sexual or otherwise. Volunteers are responsible for respecting the rights of other volunteers and staff members. Appropriate disciplinary action - up to and including termination will be taken for violations to this policy. Ending Volunteer Services Just as you, as a volunteer have the right to terminate your service at any time, Dorothy’s House retains a similar right. Staff Members Role Staff members at Dorothy’s House are solely responsible for maintaining structure for each girl. They assist the children in their day-to-day activities, as well as serve as caretakers for the youth in our care. It is a staff member’s responsibility to provide discipline for the children, maintain documentation and enforce rules. Volunteer’s Role A volunteer serves as a mentor or friend to the youth and assists staff in a variety of activities in the house. Volunteers are not responsible for discipline or maintaining structure. Volunteers serve as an example to the children of a caring adult who is here to mentor them and share time with them. Flexibility

Due to the nature of the kids who live at Dorothy’s House, it is essential that volunteers maintain a level of flexibility. There may be times that a volunteer may need to change a schedule or area of service at the last minute due to situations that arise with the children. General Conduct Provide for the safety of the children at all times. For the protection of both the children and volunteers, you should never be left alone with a child(ren). A staff member will be present during any activity where direct contact is likely. There should be NO physical contact of any kind between volunteers and youth. Volunteers are required to maintain strict confidentiality regarding information regarding the organization, the children, their families, the staff, other volunteers or other agencies associated with Dorothy’s House. Volunteers are not allowed to have access to the children’s files. Volunteers are not allowed to take any photographs of the children or the campus for any use. Volunteers shall not release any personal information to youth such as last name, phone number, address, social media accounts et al. Volunteers may not use drugs, alcohol or tobacco in the presence of the children or on the campus. Any volunteers who appear to be under the influence of any of the above will not be allowed on campus. Volunteers must report any conversations with the children where they discuss abuse, harming themselves or others or talk about criminal activities of any kind. Interactions with residents must be nonjudgmental. Volunteers should refrain from religious discussion with the children outside the programming designed. Volunteers should dress for comfort, no inappropriate clothing is allowed. Additional information will be provided during trainings specific to volunteer roles. Policies may change at any time.

Dorothy’s House Volunteer Handbook Acknowledgement of Receipt

This confirms that I have received and understand the key principals or the volunteer guidelines for Dorothy’s House. I agree to abide by these principals and guidelines at all times as a volunteer.

Signature

Printed Name

Date

 

 

             

(Also known as Protect My Ministry)

Date  of  Birth_______________  

             

TB  Test  Results  from  Physician  or  Clinic         ___________________________________________________________________________________________  has  been   given  the  TB  test.         Results:     _________________  Negative,  and  therefore  can  perform  the  tasks  at  Dorothy’s  House.     ________________  Positive,  and  therefore  should  not  be  able  to  perform  the  tasks  at   Dorothy’s  House.         Signature  of  Physician  or  Test  Administrator:  ____________________________________       Date:  _____________________________________           Please  send  to  Gloria  Dei  Lutheran  Church   c/o  Karen  Kennedy   8301  Aurora  Ave.   Urbandale,  Iowa  50322     Or  e-­‐mail  to     [email protected]