Opportunities From: VolunteerME Mid Coast Maine

Seeking a patient, computer savvy volunteer who enjoys working with older adults to tutor seniors on computer use at one of our affordable senior housing communities. Tutoring sessions can be coordinated with the program manager or resident services coordinator and can include one-on-one tutoring sessions or short workshops on computer use.  We have affordable senior housing communities throughout Maine, including properties in: Bangor Belfast Thomaston Augusta Topsham Portland Peaks Island Saco Loudon, New Hampshire

This is the time of year when Penobscot School shifts its focus from weekly foreign language classes to the annual summer English immersion program for adults and host family recruitment is at the top of the to-do list. The school is looking for local families - Rockland, Rockport, Camden, Thomaston areas - who are interested in hosting an adult student from abroad for three weeks in July and/or August. The only requirements are a willingness to share your home and lives with a visitor from afar, and a clean and comfortable spare room. Our students take your generosity to heart and many friendships have been bonded throughout the years. As Penobscot School celebrates its 23rd year of operation as a non-profit school for language learning and international exchange, it enters into its 21st year of English immersion programming for adults. The students come from many countries and they range in age from 18 to 65 with 35 as the average age. Each session is a unique and wonderful blend of cultures but all students are here to immerse themselves in the language and life-style of Maine. Participants arrive with an intermediate level of English language skill and three weeks of full immersion will help them gain confidence and increase ability. The goal is maximum English acquisition and the home-stay plays an important role in this building process. Students and host families are matched according to similar interests and the international guests look forward to joining hosts in some of the activities that fill our daily lives. Since there are no scheduled classes during the weekends, they have an opportunity to spend quality time with host family members. The first group of students will arrive in Rockland on Saturday, July 4 and depart on Saturday, July 25. The next group will follow a week later on Saturday, August 1 and leave on Saturday, August 22. A graduation ceremony is planned for the last Friday evening of each session. This is the final group activity and it is a special event. Host families are invited to join in the farewell reception. To learn more about the summer English Immersion Program, please refer to: www.languagelearning.org/schoolsite/summerenglish/general.html. For more information about hosting a student, call Patti Luchetti at 207-594-1084 or write to info@languagelearning.org. The School is located at 28 Gay Street in Rockland?s north end and walk-in guests are welcome to visit during regular business hours.

Opportunity for Cultural enrichment in Rockland, Maine. For three weeks every July and August, Penobscot School hosts adult students (ages 18-55 with 35 years as average) from around the world and the US who want to improve their English language skills. This year we have students from Italy, Japan, Niger, Vietnam, Colombia, and other countries who will study English July 4 - 25 or August 1 - 22. During this time, we will need volunteers to help with post dinner transportation to host families, primarily in Rockland, Rockport, Camden, and Thomaston, as well as help with grocery shopping and dinner preparation on specific evenings in partnership with the students. Volunteers create a dinner menu with 2 students and a shopping list. Menu planning, shopping and preparation are all part of the English immersion program. Dinners are served at 6:30 and transportation to host families needed around 8PM. Grocery shopping can be done with the 2 students at noon or 4:00 pm to allow time for meal preparation or prior to the dinner day. Volunteers are also needed as conversation partners, and for afternoon, evening or weekend activities with the students. Students have a variety of interests and they are always eager to make new friends who will introduce them to the joys of living in mid coast Maine. The school's English program depends on the generosity of volunteers and could not happen without their help.

Sort books on the Book Sale set-up day, Friday, May 29th, 2009 and perhaps find that long-lost book you have been searching for! We have books of many subjects; hardback and paperback; several languages; all shapes and sizes and perhaps a cookie or two for the hard-working volunteers!

Why are lobsters different colors? How do sea stars move? How many rows of teeth do sharks have? These are just a few questions that our Junior Docents will be able to answer. Using natural objects and live animals, our docents will educate the aquarium visitors about marine invertebrates, different Gulf of Maine fish species, and other interesting native marine wildlife. The position for Junior Docent ( Ages 14-18) at the Maine State Aquarium involves interaction with and education of the visitors to the aquarium. The individual must be comfortable speaking in front of an audience and communicating with a variety of ages. The position involves daily interaction with school groups and the general public, helping to provide assistance handling the animals and providing information at our two touch tanks and other exhibits. The Junior Docent will also have opportunities to work ?behind the scenes? assisting with daily maintenance of aquarium exhibits and care of animals. They may have the opportunity to participate in special Aquarium events, field trips, and special programs. Each docent will also be assisting our educator staff when giving public presentations, helping to set-up and clean-up as necessary, as well as helping with general maintenance duties each day to keep the facility in positive shape for our guests. They will each be required to complete an assigned project during their volunteer time at the Aquarium which may include the development and presentation of a marine related topic.

The position for Aquarium Volunteer at the Maine State Aquarium involves interaction with and education of the general public visitors to the aquarium. The individual must be comfortable speaking in front of an audience and communicating with a variety of ages. The position involves answering questions on topics relevant to the Gulf of Maine and its inhabitants, and involves the use of live animals and props for demonstrations, as well as answering general information questions about the local area, and the Department of Marine Resources. Staffing of two touch tanks in the aquarium gallery will require the individual to initiate dialogue with guests and provide assistance with handling of the touch tank animals and other hand?s on activities. Volunteers may get the opportunity to assist ?behind the scenes? helping with daily maintenance of aquarium exhibits. This may include participating in water quality monitoring, exhibit cleaning, feeding and collecting of specimens, and may also be requested to assist in the reception area at the admissions desk/gift shop. Volunteers assist our Educators with general daily activities and presentations, including set-up and clean-up each day and maintenance of the facilities. In addition volunteers can assist with a variety of education projects, either to enhance the existing programs & exhibits or to help create new ones. We are always in need to extra hands and help in a variety of areas around the facility. In addition to aquarium hours, we have had volunteers teach classes or additional activities, develop materials, organize files and photographs, assist in landscaping, assist in the seasonal set-up and break-down of the aquarium, collect animals, assist at events and fairs, and many other activities. Adult volunteers are 18 years or older.

Have you ever wondered what it was like working BEHIND the scenes at an aquarium? How and WHAT do we feed the animals? Come find out! The Maine State Aquarium is looking for off-season volunteers to help us with the care of our animals. This means assisting with feeding and cleaning of aquarium tanks, assisting with water quality measurements, and other duties as needed.

Professional expertise is not required for this position, rather a working knowledge of cooking and kitchen/food safety practices. Cooking Matters is a program of Good Shepherd Food Bank, partnering with your Local Healthy Maine Partnership, Access Health to offer FREE cooking instruction and nutrition education to low-income people in the Bath/Brunswick area. This course meets once/week for 6 weeks, each class is 2 hrs. Cooking instructor will work along side a nutrition educator to teach basic food safety skills, and healthy cooking practices on a budget. Please contact Rebecca Farnham, Nutrition Educator at rfarnham@midcoasthealth.com or 207-373-6927

Are you handy? Do you have a green thumb? Do you like to fix and refurbish? At the Coastal Children's Museum we are always looking for people on hand who can jump right in and keep our facility looking sharp. Repaint outdoor benches, weed the gardens, plant new flowers and so much more! 

At the Coastal Children's Museum we offer our space to children and their families to rent for birthday parties. Parties are held Saturday afternoon from 4:30pm - 6:30pm and Sunday morning from 10:00am - 12:00pm. Volunteer and help us by supervising the party, and my cleaning up and resetting the museum.  

Active, engaged and ready to interact with diverse cultures, volunteer candidates will possess a very good ability to interact with a variety of people, have sound, basic computer (i.e. Excel) skills and be ready to take on tasks assigned. Penobscot School welcomes mature individuals who are interested in being part of a team.

The volunteer arrives at our Midcoast Hospital location about 20 minutes prior to exchanges. The volunteer puts out sign-in logs and waits for families to arrive. One parent will come to the volunteer office with their children and check in with the volunteer. The other parent will be waiting in another room down a hallway and will call the office phone to notify the volunteer that they have arrived to pick up their children. The volunteer will bring the children down the hallway to the waiting parent and say goodbye. The volunteer then return to the parent who dropped of the children and ensure that they wait 10 minutes in the office to give the parent picking the children time to leave the site without accidentally having contact with the other parent. The volunteer then records that the exchange occurred smoothly or writes a short note if there were concerns. After completing an application and training you will receive monthly emails notifying you of available Home to Home supervised exchange times to be covered, and you are encouraged to respond to volunteer based only on your personally availability.

Merrymeeting Bay Triad is a commitment enthusiastically shared by local chiefs of police, sheriffs, leaders within the older adult community, and affiliated organizations to reduce the victimization of, and increase law enforcement services available to older citizens. Now in its twentieth year, the Triad program has provided services to thousands of older adults and has become an invaluable resource to law enforcement agencies nationwide.Another important component of Triad is its focus on reducing the fear of crime which is prevalent among older Americans by identifying misconceptions and educating older adults about criminal activity. To achieve its goals, Triad promotes and facilitates ongoing information exchange between law enforcement and the older adults they serve.Working together, Triad volunteers develop and implement crime prevention and education programs for older adults. Activities address crime from both a pre-victimization (preventive) standpoint and a post-victimization (victim/witness assistance) standpoint..

recruit volunteers, help develop orientation programs and materials, maintain volunteer roster and track volunteer hours

web design and development

Volunteer tour guides are needed at the Donnell House, the former home of a Victorian-era ship builder William T. Donnell and his family, who occupied the residence between 1860 and 1910.  The house is now restored to its 1892 appearance. This is a great volunteer opportunity for anyone interested in historic homes, Victorian life or the history of wooden shipbuilding.  As Donnell House docents, volunteers greet visitors at the door and guide them through the first floor of the house, describing various items on display and answering any question about the house, the shipyard, and the family.   A manual containing the history of the family, the house, and the shipyard is provided and additional trainings are provided. Volunteers must be comfortable with public speaking. To apply, complete our online application or contact Volunteer Coordinator Rebecca Roche at (207) 443-1316 ext. 350 or roche@maritimeme.org.  

Maine Maritime Museum sits on what was the Percy & Small Shipyard, where great wooden schooners were launched. Using scaled-down replicas, volunteers who assist at our Launch Tank demonstrate to visitors of all ages exactly how these ships made it from the land where they were built and into the water. This is a great opportunity for those who enjoy hands-on projects, educating others and interacting with the public. Training, including a manual, is provided. Previous experience with shipbuilding or knowledge of maritime history is helpful, but not required. This position is seasonal from Memorial Day to Columbus Day. We are especially looking for volunteers to cover the weekends shifts.For more information or to apply, please complete the online volunteer application or contact Volunteer/Development Coordinator Rebecca Roche at (207) 443-1316 ext. 350 or roche@maritimeme.org.

Front Desk volunteer: A great opportunity for those who enjoy the public and are comfortable with computers. Check books in and out, shelve materials, assist the public. Must have good customer service skills.  

Like to read? Have a knack for -- or interest in -- responding to written works such as poems, short stories, art, and other lessons covering a broad array of interesting subjects? Now, from the privacy of your own home, on your own schedule, you can help College Guild provide informal education to grateful prisoners nationwide via annonymous correspondence through mail and email. No experiance necessary! Free training provided. College Guild's family of 100+ volunteers get deep satisfaction knowing they make a difference in people's lives, families and communities near and far through this wonderfully rewarding work.

The museum gift shop and the admission desk are currently looking to add to their volunteer staff with various days and times available throughout the spring and summer.Now is the time to join in and be a part of something new and exciting. Whether you enjoy greeting and assisting visitors, providing information about the museum, sales, packing and shipping our e-store sales, tagging and stocking store merchandise, or one of a variety of other activities, we have something for you. We will provide all training. Shifts can be scheduled at your convenience.

If you love helping animals, we have just the job for you. Community Spay-Neuter Clinic in Topsham provides affordable spay/neuter services to low-income pet owners. Our work isn’t possible without dedicated volunteers to help keep our clinic clean and surgical equipment in top-notch condition. Duties could include assisting with end-of-day clean-up, laundry, and wrapping surgical packs. Shifts are flexible and can be tailored to fit your schedule! All skill levels are welcome.

Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine (SASSMM) is seeking enthusiastic volunteers to add to our amazing team of support line advocates!

Volunteer Advocates receive a small hourly stipend for being on call and carrying a pager. The hourly stipend amount increases during a support line call, hospital accompaniment call, or police accompaniment call.

Experience in a social services field is desirable. Reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license are required. Extensive training will be provided. The training is unpaid and exact schedule is to be determined based on participant availability.

If you are interested in learning more or would like to schedule a pre-training screening interview, please contact SASSMM's Community Outreach Educator, Molly Donlan, by phone (207)725-2181 or email molly@sassmm.org.