Volunteer Information
Step Up - Volunteer!
Thank you for your interest in volunteering for The Right Step! As a volunteer you will help make our lessons safe, productive, and fun for our clients. You will help clients develop riding skills, become physically stronger, improve communication skills, as well as boost their confidence. You will form lasting bonds with clients, volunteers, staff, and our horses!
Our lesson volunteers assist as Side Walkers and Horse Leaders. Side Walkers are responsible for the safety of the client during the lesson and walk alongside the horse, supporting the client as needed. All lesson volunteers must start out as Side Walkers. If they want, by going through additional training and demonstrating their competence, volunteers can also serve as Horse Leaders after they have worked at least five lessons as a Side Walker. Horse Leader responsibilities are to groom and tack up the horse before a lesson, lead the horse during a lesson, and untack and groom the horse after a lesson. Each lesson requires a Horse Leader and up to two Side Walkers depending upon the needs of the client.
All volunteers must complete training to learn unique client assistance techniques and horse handling methods. Horse experience and/or experience working with people with disabilities is a plus but is not necessary. Volunteers must be at least 14 years of age to serve as Side Walkers or Horse Leaders in the arena during lessons. Volunteers under the age of 14 can assist with horse care outside of the arena and other barn tasks as needed by the instructors but must be accompanied by an adult when volunteering.
Our lesson volunteers assist as Side Walkers and Horse Leaders. Side Walkers are responsible for the safety of the client during the lesson and walk alongside the horse, supporting the client as needed. All lesson volunteers must start out as Side Walkers. If they want, by going through additional training and demonstrating their competence, volunteers can also serve as Horse Leaders after they have worked at least five lessons as a Side Walker. Horse Leader responsibilities are to groom and tack up the horse before a lesson, lead the horse during a lesson, and untack and groom the horse after a lesson. Each lesson requires a Horse Leader and up to two Side Walkers depending upon the needs of the client.
All volunteers must complete training to learn unique client assistance techniques and horse handling methods. Horse experience and/or experience working with people with disabilities is a plus but is not necessary. Volunteers must be at least 14 years of age to serve as Side Walkers or Horse Leaders in the arena during lessons. Volunteers under the age of 14 can assist with horse care outside of the arena and other barn tasks as needed by the instructors but must be accompanied by an adult when volunteering.
Side Walker Training is held from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM on the second Saturday of each month.
To sign up for Side Walker Training, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Regina Lane, at volunteercoordinator@therightstepinc.org or 720.893.0650.
We limit the number of new volunteers at each training. We cannot accommodate drop ins. Thank you!
To sign up for Side Walker Training, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Regina Lane, at volunteercoordinator@therightstepinc.org or 720.893.0650.
We limit the number of new volunteers at each training. We cannot accommodate drop ins. Thank you!
Additional Volunteer Opportunities
Each Committee listed below has a lead member assigned to it. For more information, please contact the lead member listed next to the opportunity.
1. Fundraising - Most of our fundraising efforts support scholarships for our clients who would otherwise be unable to afford our lessons. Volunteers help with everything including, small fundraisers, our annual Hoedown, and our Step Up for The Right Step annual direct giving campaign. For more information, contact Development Director, Lena Dubensky, at lenad@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
2. Volunteer Appreciation - We are so grateful for all of our volunteers' hard work. Volunteer to reward their efforts by planning quarterly volunteer appreciation events and rides. For more information, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Regina Lane, at volunteercoordinator@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
3. Volunteer Mentors - Help develop a mentorship program for our volunteers, so more experienced volunteers can help support newer volunteers. For more information, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Regina Lane, at volunteercoordinator@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
4. Admin Support - Help sort through and organize the mountains of paperwork we collect from clients and volunteers. For more information, contact Program Director, Emily Stibbards at programdirector@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
5. Marketing and Community Relations - Help promote The Right Step in the surrounding community! Volunteers help with everything from developing marketing materials to distributing those materials to meeting with other organizations that might want to partner with us. For more information, contact Board Chair, Christine Remy at boardchair@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
6. Scholarships -Volunteers are needed to serve on the scholarship application review board. For more information, contact Board Chair, Christine Remy at boardchair@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
7. Grant Writing - Volunteers are needed to research grant opportunities...and then to write the grants. For more information, contact Development Director, Lena Dubensky, at lenad@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
8. Sunshine - Volunteers are needed to keep track of and acknowledge client and volunteer birthdays and other happy events as well as to organize “treats” for clients for various holidays. For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator, Regina Lane, at volunteercoordinator@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
1. Fundraising - Most of our fundraising efforts support scholarships for our clients who would otherwise be unable to afford our lessons. Volunteers help with everything including, small fundraisers, our annual Hoedown, and our Step Up for The Right Step annual direct giving campaign. For more information, contact Development Director, Lena Dubensky, at lenad@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
2. Volunteer Appreciation - We are so grateful for all of our volunteers' hard work. Volunteer to reward their efforts by planning quarterly volunteer appreciation events and rides. For more information, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Regina Lane, at volunteercoordinator@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
3. Volunteer Mentors - Help develop a mentorship program for our volunteers, so more experienced volunteers can help support newer volunteers. For more information, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Regina Lane, at volunteercoordinator@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
4. Admin Support - Help sort through and organize the mountains of paperwork we collect from clients and volunteers. For more information, contact Program Director, Emily Stibbards at programdirector@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
5. Marketing and Community Relations - Help promote The Right Step in the surrounding community! Volunteers help with everything from developing marketing materials to distributing those materials to meeting with other organizations that might want to partner with us. For more information, contact Board Chair, Christine Remy at boardchair@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
6. Scholarships -Volunteers are needed to serve on the scholarship application review board. For more information, contact Board Chair, Christine Remy at boardchair@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
7. Grant Writing - Volunteers are needed to research grant opportunities...and then to write the grants. For more information, contact Development Director, Lena Dubensky, at lenad@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
8. Sunshine - Volunteers are needed to keep track of and acknowledge client and volunteer birthdays and other happy events as well as to organize “treats” for clients for various holidays. For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator, Regina Lane, at volunteercoordinator@therightstepinc.org or 720-893-0650.
We look forward to working with you!