Volunteer Opportunities

Looking for employment? Scroll further down to see what is available! 

Animal Care

Our number one priority is the health, wellbeing, and ethical care of our critters. Year round we have a team of incredible volunteers that help with caring for the animals. If you are not afraid of hard work and getting a little dirty, then this position might be for you!
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Dreamcatcher™  Animal care volunteers are responsible for:

• Providing enrichment to the animals
• Collecting, candling, and washing eggs
• Ensuring all animals have food and clean water
• Cleaning all animal enclosures and outdoor pens and disposing of waste in designated areas following the checklists provided
• Administering medications and supplements as advised by the Executive Director
• Monitoring and reporting any animal injuries, illnesses, or abnormal behaviors to the Executive Director
• Assisting with irregular animal care duties (e.g., trimming chicken talons and goat hooves, gutting coops and shelters, deworming and vaccinating the animals, etc.)
• Animal handling for the farrier, veterinarians, events, therapy groups, individualized sessions, etc.

Time Commitments: 

• Flexible hours, volunteer shift can occur between 8:00am until 8:00pm daily
• Shifts typically take 2 to 3 hours depending on how quickly the volunteer works, if they do extra duties on shift, or spend time visiting with the animals
• We require animal care volunteers fill at least 2 shifts per month

Tourism & Recreation

Tourism & Recreation are fairly new to our organization, launching in 2020 with our Time on the Land program. 
Since then we have had much success with this program and are need of more volunteers to help with our events. If you are a social butterfly, enjoy helping with events, and have a knack for tourism. Then this position is calling your name!
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Dreamcatcher™ Tourism & Recreational Volunteer duties may include:

• Assisting with setting up and tearing down of the market booth and other activities
• Ensuring safe, fun interactions between guests and animals
• Providing on-site tours to program visitors and engaging them with stories about the animals
• Providing great customer service by answering guest questions about the program, organization, and animals
• Assisting with large events such as Alberta Open Farm Days, Open Houses, Holiday Events, etc. 
• Animal handling for animal yoga, tours, or other events
• Managing the market booth and selling merchandise
• Helping with cleaning up and decorating the magical forest
• Assisting with private events such as birthday parties
• Optional: Volunteers may help with brainstorming new ideas for tourism, help with crafting, sign making, etc. 

Time Commitments

• Most Tourism/Recreational activities/events occur on the weekends (Saturday & Sunday), however, occasionally, there may be events held in the evenings or Fridays
• Most shifts are approximately 4 hours; volunteers are asked to be ready at the start of their shift
• Scheduling is based on program needs and volunteer availability but is flexible
• Volunteers are required to fill at least 2 shifts per month

Special skills & Special Events

Do you have a special skill you would like to share with us?  
This will vary based on the skill that the volunteer is offering us, some examples are:

• Photography/Videography
  • Events
  • Marketing 
  • Recording photos/videos for training
  • Utilizing programs like Photoshop or other editing software of choice
• Special Event/Fundraising Volunteers
  • Event planning or assisting with the event itself (e.g., station volunteer, concession stand, ticket booth, etc.)
  • Collaborating with Dreamcatcher™ staff, including Dreamcatcher™ CEO, Manager of Operations, Volunteer Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator, Administrators, etc. 
  • Possible collaboration with other organizations
  • Marketing/promoting events and community engagement
  • Decorating event/finding supplies
  • Collaborating with donors, our Charity Board, etc. for fundraising opportunities and events
• Social Media/Digital Marketers
  • Keeping up with popular trends and incorporating them into our organization's platforms (e.g., Instagram, Tik-Tok, Facebook, etc.)
  • Assisting in creating videos, posts, and other media content
  • Collaborating with Dreamcatcher™ staff such as the CEO, Manager of Operations, Volunteer Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator, Administrators, etc. 
• Leadership Roles
  • Team Leaders or supervisory roles
  • Community Ambassadors - helping with networking fairs, conferences, and handing out marketing materials, engaging with members of the community and other agencies/organizations
  • Collaborating with Dreamcatcher™ staff such as the CEO, Manager of Operations, Volunteer Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator, Administrators, etc. 
  • Providing in-kind services such as administrative duties, HR duties, volunteer engagement/recruitment/retention, planning staff/volunteer events, filing paperwork, creating training materials, bookkeeping, office cleaning, etc. 
  • Program development/management: assisting with developing new programs or enhancing existing programs (e.g., volunteer programs, recreation programs, academy, etc.)

Time Commitments:

• Hours for these positions are dependent on the organizations needs and volunteer availability, and are typically flexible in nature.

Day Camps/Youth Retreats

​A large portion of the day camps and retreats at Dreamcatcher™ are for children or youth with special needs or other mental health diagnoses. They are facilitated by qualified Dreamcatcher™ mental health staff and animal handlers, and focus on skill building, emotional health, social skills, confidence, self-esteem, and much more. These unique groups are tailored to fit the needs of the participants attending.
Volunteers may be requested to:

• Assist with supervising a group of children or youth
• Help set up and organize the supplies & materials needed for the camp daily activities, games, and exercises
• Assist with cleaning up the activities at the end of the day
• Help catch and halter, lead, or groom an animal with the program participants and mental health staff
• Assist as Animal Handler while working with a child or youth, and the mental health staff, for a particular exercise
• Volunteers will work as a team with other Dreamcatcher™ staff and volunteers, but may work independently for some tasks

Note: animal-related tasks will be assigned based on volunteer's level of competency and confidence with the task and species of animal.
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Time Commitments

• Camps/retreats often run for the duration of one week, though some are weekly. They can be mornings only, full day, or evenings
• Please note:
  • Volunteers may be scheduled to start one hour prior to the arrival of group participants on their first shift only
  • Thereafter, volunteers will be scheduled to start 30 - 60 minutes prior to participants arriving
  • Volunteers are scheduled for an additional 30 minutes after participants have left to assist with cleanup
• We ask that volunteers who apply for this position specifiy if they are available for full-time shifts or part-time shifts. 
  • Full-time: 7 days/full day
  • Part-time: 7 days/half days or 4 days/full day

Fur & Fun days

Dreamcatcher™ offers field trips to other organizations or special needs groups or school groups. We provide them with a two-hour tour which includes interactive nature and animal exercises, activities, crafts and games.
Fur & Fun Days Volunteers will:

• Assist with supervising 5-50 kids (sizes will vary per group)
• May assist with animal handling, haltering, grooming, and leading an animal-related activity
• Help with organizing and running tasks, crafts, and activities
• Assist with setting up/tear down and cleaning the barn prior to and after shift
• Help with setting up for a roasted hotdog and marshmallow lunch
• Ensure everyone stays safe by being an extra set of eyes and ears
• Work as a team with other Dreamcatcher™ staff and volunteers, but may work independently for some tasks

Note: animal-related tasks will be assigned based on volunteer's level of competency and confidence with the task and species of animal.
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Time Commitments

• Sporadically throughout the year but more often during warmer months
• Volunteers should plan to be onsite for 3.5 to 4 hours

FARM MAINTENANCE

Dale is our amazing maintenance man/Co-Founder, he is a retired engineer and has built the barn, animal shelters/coops, and fences and he helps with the general overall maintenance of the farm.  Sometimes he needs an extra hand with building things, so if you enjoy working with your hands and consider yourself to be a handyperson, then becoming a farm maintenance volunteer is perfect for you!

Duties you might assist Dale with are:

• Fixing fences, goat play structures, and other small maintenance work
• Building animal shelters or other buildings
• Carpentry, chopping wood, clearing trees
• Running the tractor
• Hauling materials
• Magical Forest maintenance:
  • Trimming branches
  • Trail building and maintenance

Time Commitments

• Hours will be based on maintenance needs/casually
• If volunteers would like more hours to help in other ways, this role can be paired with other volunteer roles

​CHARITY BOARD

Dream Catcher Nature-Assisted Therapy Association is the charitable arm of Dreamcatcher™ Nature-Assisted Therapy. This volunteer-driven registered charity is governed by a volunteer board of directors. This philanthropic organization's resources are utilized to subsidize and/or cover the cost of our clinical services in order to remove financial barriers for those in need. 
The charity has created a Cost-Share Counselling Program which is an Animal-Assisted Therapeutic Intervention (AATI) program focused on developing skills and helping people discover their abilities and potential.
The charity has also helped with the development of public tourism and recreation programs such Frontline Fridays (formally known as our Rejuvenation Program) and Time on the Land.
Volunteers in this role may be involved in:

• Collaborating with the CEO/Founder, Charity Board Members, and other Dreamcatcher™ staff to develop new programs, fund development, or fundraising initiatives
• Applying for grants and other types of funding that enhance our programs and services
• Assisting with fundraising events, open houses, or other events

For more information about joining our charity board, please email us!

Volunteer Requirements

Required Forms & Documents

• Application Form
• Current (within 6 months) Vulnerable Sector Check 
• Current (within 6 months) Child Intervention Check

Age Requirements

• Volunteers 14 and above are able to volunteer alone (at the discretion of the volunteer coordinator)
• All volunteers under 14 years old, must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who will be responsible for the safety and behaviour of the child/youth and for the completion of all shift tasks

To apply, please fill out and submit the application form below to:
 volunteer@dreamcatcherassociation.com

Application Form

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Employment Opportunities

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Registered Psychologist / Clinical Social Worker
Contract Job 

Dreamcatcher™ Nature Assisted Therapy is a psychology private practice located on a ranch in Ardrossan, Alberta. Dreamcatcher’s population includes children and youth with neurodevelopmental challenges, multiple mental health diagnoses, trauma, addictions, emotional and behavioural concerns as well as people with a variety of disabilities. Dreamcatcher™ also provides services to adults with a range of life issues and people with complex needs.
 
Dreamcatcher™ therapists work in a natural setting with animals while conducting counselling and therapy sessions. Dreamcatcher™ is recruiting for a Registered Psychologist or Clinical Social Worker who is cross trained in Animal and Nature Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Equine Facilitated Counselling (EFC) methods. Experience in other mediums such as Talk, Art, Play, EMDR and Sand Tray therapies is an asset. The candidate will work on contract with the private practice starting with part-time hours with the intention of moving into a full-time contract position. A candidate willing to work evening or weekend hours is preferred and work hours can be flexible. Candidates must possess a minimum of a Master’s degree and be registered with their respective regulatory body. Social Workers must be on the Clinical Registry and Psychologists must be fully registered. Only those applicants meeting the minimum requirements will be contacted for interviews. Dreamcatcher™ thanks all applicants.

Statement of Qualifications:
1. Registered Psychologist, Clinical Social Worker with a minimum of a Master’s degree.
2. Minimum of 2 years experience working with children and youth with complex needs consisting of multiple mental health diagnoses, cognitive disabilities, emotional/behavioral issues, addictions and/or trauma backgrounds. 
3. Must have horse experience.
4. Must have a compassionate understanding and appreciation for animals of all species as well as for nature.
5. Must have a minimum of basic training in AAT and EFC or be willing to train.
6. Must be willing to work outdoors in all conditions if necessary, all seasons of the year.
7. Must be flexible in joining a growing team and be open to balancing a variety of tasks.

Assets:
1. Being of Indigenous Descent is a strong asset.
2. Preference will be given to those applicants with horse experience.
3. Being approved providers for FNIHB is preferred.
4. Being skilled in Assessments is preferred.

Please apply to: Eileen Bona
53044 RR #213
Ardrossan, AB
T8G 2C4
780-809-1047

Or Email: eileen@dreamcatcherassociation.com OR Fax #: (780) 809-1046 
Deadline: Open