ALTERNATIVE HOUSE

THE ABUSED AND HOMELESS CHILDREN'S REFUGE

 

 

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Volunteer Opportunities

***Come join us for the next Volunteer Orientation on Saturday, September 18th between 10-11 am.  Please call Christine Bartell-Volunteer Coordinator at 703-506-9191 to reserve your space.

 

 

Download our Volunteer Application or Youth Advisory Council Application here.

Volunteer Application Process

Alternative House strives to thoroughly evaluate all potential volunteers since we work with at-risk youth populations.  Because of this, our application process for on-going volunteers takes time and this is also mainly due to the time frame needed for obtaining the results of the required background investigations.  On average, our application process for on-going volunteer opportunities takes six weeks.  If you are interested in one of the "Special Projects", then please give us a call as they do not require a volunteer application to be completed or background investigations. 

  • Attend a Volunteer Orientation.  These are held monthly.  Our next Volunteer Orientation will be on Saturday, September 18th between 10-11 am.  Please RSVP to Christine Bartell at Admin@TheAlternativeHouse.org or 703-506-9191 as space is limited.

  •  Submit a completed Volunteer Application  or Youth Advisory Council Application.

  • Alternative House will contact your references.

  •  You will be asked to interview with the Program Director for the program that you will be volunteering for.

  • You will be asked to come in to complete additional paperwork which includes the forms for two background investigations* and you will need to provide proof of a negative TB screening (within the last 6 months). *Background investigations are not required for volunteers under the age of 18.  

  • For Shelter volunteers, there are two additional training sessions which are held quarterly and both must be completed prior to beginning your volunteer work. 

Volunteer Opportunities:

sssImmediate need for a Help the Homeless Walk Program Intern

s 8-12 hours per week

s Commitment until December 15th

s Responsibilities include Recruiting, Marketing, Fundraising, Logistics, Administrative and Acknowledgement

Contact Gina Cocomello (Development Director) at Gina_Cocomello@thealternativehouse.org or

call at 703-506-9191 to learn more about the program.

*** We are desperately seeking a volunteer who is 18 yrs old +  who would like to help us with maintaining our yard doing mowing, trimming, watering, and weeding.  We welcome it on a weekly basis or a one time committment.

Youth Advisory Council

Shelter & Hotline Volunteers

Culmore Teen Center

Safe Youth Project

After School Program

Assisting Young Mothers

Tutoring

Internships

Special Projects / Group Projects

Contact Us


Youth Advisory Council

  • Increase knowledge of the Emergency Shelter for Teenagers within the teen community

  • Promote the Shelter program within schools

  • Provide input into the Alternative House programs

  • Plan fundraising and service projects

Commitment:

September—June (must commit for one full school year)

Meetings are 1st Wednesday of the month 6:00 to 8:00 PM

 

Location:                              

2100 Gallows Road

Vienna, VA  22182                

 

Requirements:          

Must be high school students and commit to one full school year of service.  Please complete our separate Youth Advisory Council Application.

 

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Shelter and Hotline Volunteers

  • Work directly with the residents at the Emergency Shelter for Teenagers.

  • Participate in life skill groups

  • Lead recreation activities

  • Talk informally with the teens

  • Assist counselors with daily duties

  • Answer calls on our crisis hotline (1-800-SAY-TEEN)

Times (weekly commitment required):

Between 9:00 AM and 10:00 PM 7 days a week - we are especially looking for people who are available during the daytime Monday - Friday.

 

Location:

2100 Gallows Road

Vienna, VA  22182 

 

Requirements:  

Must be at least 16 years old and be willing to commit to one year of volunteer service.

 

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Culmore Teen Center Volunteers

The Teen Center is a drop-in recreation facility for middle school and high school students, located in the Culmore neighborhood in Falls Church.

  • Engage informally with youth

  • Serve as positive role models who provide encouragement and support to youth

  • Provide homework help

  • Participate in recreation activities and life skills group sessions.  The Teen Center is a drop-in recreation facility for middle school and high school students, located in the Culmore neighborhood in Falls Church.  A weekly commitment is required.  Volunteers must be 18 years old. 

Times (weekly commitment required):

Monday—Thursday 3:00 to 9:00 PM

Fridays 3:00 to 6:00 PM

 

Location:

6017 Argyle Drive

Falls Church, VA  22041

 

Requirements:          

Must be at least 18 years old and commit to six months of volunteer service.

 

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Safe Youth Project Volunteers

Culmore Safe Youth Project &

Annandale Safe Project Project

  • Provide homework help and tutoring

  • Participate in recreation activities

  • Assist with workshops

  • Engage informally with the youth

  • Assist with supervision of youth on field trips

Times (weekly commitment required):

Currently, we are looking for volunteers for our Culmore location.

Mondays 1:00 to 6:00 PM

Tuesdays—Thursday 3:30 to 6:00 PM

 

Culmore Location:                          Annandale Location:

6033 B Culmore Court                       St. Barnabas Church

Falls Church, VA  22041                     4801 Ravensworth Drive

                                                      Annandale, VA  22003

 

Requirements:          

Must be at least 16 years old and commit to six months of volunteer service.

 

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Franconia After School Program

Girls Program

Boys Program

  • Provide homework help and tutoring

  • Participate in recreation activities

  • Assist with workshops

  • Engage informally with the youth

  • Assist with supervision of youth on field trips

Times (weekly commitment required):

Boys Program - Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00 to 6:00 PM

 

Franconia Family Resource Center

7224 Commerce Street

Springfield, VA 22150

 

Requirements:          

Must be at least 16 years old and commit to six months of volunteer service.

 

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Assisting Young Mothers Volunteers

  • Offer encouragement and support to the young mothers and children

  • Provide individualized attention to the infants and toddlers, helping them progress developmentally

  • Once the volunteer has been with the program for a few months, there is opportunity to spend time with the mothers, being there to listen to them and offer them encouragement and support.

Times (weekly commitment required):

Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings.

 

Location:                              

Fairfax, VA  22031                

 

Requirements:          

Must be at least 21 years old and commit to six months of volunteer service.

 

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Tutoring

Many of our clients and residents are in the process of completing their education and are in need of tutoring.  The times for tutoring vary greatly and we will try to work with prospective tutors on the scheduling. 

  • Emergency Teen Shelter tutoring– Our residents need assistance with their high school nightly assignments and other work when they are not in school.

  • Homeless Youth Initiative - Our residents need assistance with their high school nightly assignments.  Volunteers are needed Tuesdays - Thursdays from 6 - 8pm. 

  • Assisting Young Mothers Program tutoring – Our young mothers may need assistance with completing their high school work or preparing for their GED examination. We are looking specifically for tutors to help with preparation for GED and CNA exams.

  • Outreach Programs tutoring– Students at all of our Outreach centers are in need of assistance with their nightly assignments.  Grade level varies from 4th – 12th grade and locations include the Culmore Teen Center and the Culmore Safe Youth Project.

  • Annandale Target Youth Program - looking for tutors who can work with students who are struggling academically at Annandale High School.  Volunteers are needed for Mondays and Wednesdays from 2-4pm.

Time:  Varies by program

 

Commitment and Requirements:  All volunteers must be 18 and completed at least some college.    

 

Location: Available at all program locations.                                

 

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Internships

 

Interns perform various duties based on their field of study.  Examples include:

  • Psychology, Social Work, Sociology and Counseling majors providing supervised counseling for shelter residents

  • Marketing and Public Relations majors updating the marketing strategy and creating new marketing materials.

  • Graphic Design majors creating brochures and posters, and helping to define Alternative House’s image. 

Alternative House works with students of accredited universities and colleges who are enrolled in courses that require an internship as part of the course.  Master’s-level internships are available and supervision from a licensed therapist is provided for those interns.  On a limited basis, we may accept applications from High School internship programs.  Please e-mail a complete Alternative House volunteer application, along with your resume, number of hours needed, semester for desired internship, and supervision requirements to Susie Guido at Susie_Guido@TheAlternativeHouse.org or 703-356-6360.

 

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Special Projects / Group Projects

 

Do not have time for an ongoing commitment?  Do you have special skills or interests that could benefit us?  Are you part of a group looking for a volunteer opportunity?  Please contact us to discuss the possibility of individual or group opportunities at any of our locations.  Young volunteers may need to be accompanied by at least one adult. 

 

There is no need to fill out an application, just call or e-mail us to find out what types of projects are available for individuals or groups!

 

In the past these have included:

  • Picking up donated food from local restaurants and delivering it to either the Emergency Shelter for Teenagers or the Community Outreach Program.

  • Donation drives.

  •  Preparing dinner at the Emergency Shelter for Teenagers.  

  • Preparing and dropping off a meal for the Assisting Young Mothers program, Homeless Youth Initiative, or Community Outreach program.

  • Preparing healthy snacks for any of the Outreach programs.

  • Sorting donations.

  • Yard work, painting, and many more household and “handyman” tasks.

  • Administrative work.

  • Website and social networking help - including blogging and Facebook.

·  Summer yard work volunteers Alternative House is looking for volunteers to help with yard work at our Assisting Young Mothers program.  We have three town houses near the Vienna metro and Pan Am shopping center with small yards that need a little TLC.  Opportunities are available on Weekdays during the daytime and afternoon. 

·  Snack food collection – This is a growing need of ours.  Each week we provide about 450 snacks to youth in our programs.  We are looking for groups who would be interested in collecting snack foods that we can provide for the youth in our programs.  We do also have a list of suggested items that the kids especially like. Please click here to see lists of suggested items.

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Please Contact Us!

 

Christine Bartell

Volunteer Program Coordinator

(703) 506-9191

Admin@TheAlternativeHouse.org

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United Way# 8893

CFC# 41814

 

Alternative House
P.O. Box 694
Dunn Loring, VA 22027

Phone: 703.506.9191
Fax: 703.506.8949
ah@thealternativehouse.org

 

 

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