Camelot’s volunteers are essential to the ongoing success of our program. From ranch hands to instructor assistants to groundskeepers, each volunteer contributes in his or her own special way. In turn, we guarantee an experience in learning and sharing that will enhance your life forever.

Requirements for All Volunteers

In addition to fulfilling the specific requirements of each volunteer position, all Camelot volunteers must meet the following requirements:

• Dependability, punctuality, good character
• Ability to accept directions from supervisor
• Ability to communicate job concerns to supervisor in timely and appropriate manner
• Ability to travel to Scottsdale and Jomax Roads at least once a week
• Minimum age 18
• Minimum six-month commitment

Please note: Camelot does not accept court referrals.

All new applicants who are accepted as Camelot volunteers are required to provide a background check to Camelot before they begin their first day of volunteering. The background check covers social security number validation, address history report, national identifier criminal search, and national sex offender search. More information will be provided during the candidate’s volunteer interview.

If you meet the requirements listed above, please read on to learn about our various volunteer opportunities.

Ranch Hands

Our volunteer ranch hands assist in maintaining a clean and safe environment for our students, horses, volunteers, and staff. Specific duties include stall cleaning, feeding and watering of livestock, some light grooming duties if appropriate, and other light barn chores such as sweeping or cleaning tack and equipment. For the first year, ranch hands do not work with the horses directly. Many of our volunteer ranch hands really enjoy the opportunity to work with their hands and see an immediate change—in stark contrast to their “real” jobs.

Requirements for this position include:

• Ability to bend, reach, and lift
• Ability to use basic ranch tools safely

Ranch hands volunteer 1 morning per week (Monday through Friday) for approximately 2 hours. Start time varies by season, and is typically 7:30 AM during warmer months, and 8:30 AM during the fall and winter. We provide orientation, which includes a tour of the facility, introduction to the horses, basic instruction in the use of our tools and equipment, and a volunteer manual.

Instructor Assistants

All volunteers wishing to become instructor assistants must volunteer as a ranch hand for at least one year. This gives you the opportunity to get to know our equine teaching staff and our facility, so that when you transfer to our teaching activities in the afternoon, it’s a smoother transition.

Our volunteer instructor assistants function as an important part of a team, helping to provide horsemanship training to our students under the direction of our PATH Intl. Certified Instructors. These volunteers assist students in fetching, grooming, tacking, and mounting horses. During mounted lessons, they may be leading, side walking, or simply watching the lesson unless needed by the instructor.

Instructor assistants provide emotional support and encouragement. They also help the instructor with the care of school horses. They supervise and assist students with written and oral lessons, and may be called upon to present a lesson on occasion. Above all, instructor assistants demonstrate safe practices and compliance with Camelot’s rules at all times.

Requirements for this position include:

• Ability to provide physical assistance to children and adults with disabilities
• Ability to bend, reach, and lift a minimum of 50 pounds
• Emotional and psychological stability
• Outgoing personality; ability to support and encourage others
• At least 1 year’s experience working around horses
• Verifiable knowledge of horse behavior and safe techniques in handling and riding as demonstrated to Camelot staff

Experience working with people with disabilities is preferred, but not required.

Our instructor assistants must commit to volunteering 1 day per week for a minimum of 4.5 hours. Our lessons run from 1:30 – 5:30 PM, Monday through Thursday, and our lesson season runs from September through May. For classes to run smoothly, we ask that all instructor assistants arrive no later than 1:15 for scheduled lessons. Because our students rely on having a full team to support their lessons, it is imperative that instructor assistants be punctual and reliable.

Training for these positions includes one-on-one work with staff to learn Camelot’s methods. There is also a mandatory training session before the beginning of each lesson season that provides an orientation to our horses, students, equipment, stable rules, and procedures. Volunteer manuals are provided.

Groundskeepers

Our groundskeepers are responsible for maintaining the natural beauty and well-being of trees, plants, and trails on Camelot’s 14.25 acre accessible facility. Specific duties include watering desert plants and shrubs; minor weeding and tree-trimming; and maintaining safe riding trails by monitoring on a weekly basis for litter, debris, or low-hanging branches.

Requirements for this position include:

• Ability to bend, reach, and lift
• Ability to use gardening and basic landscaping tools safely
• Experience in basic gardening and yard maintenance
• Love of the outdoors and an appreciation for horses

Groundskeepers generally volunteer 1 or 2 mornings a week, for 2 to 3 hours. Available hours are 8:30 AM to noon, Monday through Friday. We provide orientation, which includes a tour of the facility and basic instruction in the use of our ranch tools and equipment.