New volunteers are always welcome! General volunteer meetings take place quarterly and are usually an outing or social gathering of new and seasoned volunteers. Our steering committee holds business meetings the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., and all volunteers are welcome to sit in if they like. Locations for our meetings vary, so contact us if you are interested in attending a meeting.
Since ICO serves children, a criminal background check is required for all volunteers. All potential volunteers fill out an online application form which includes information about experience with children and the outdoors, general health questions, references and consent for ICO to complete the background check. Please email us at icomadison@gmail.com to receive a personal invitation to the background check site. To be covered by the Sierra Club's liability insurance, all volunteers must also be Sierra Club members. For more information about becoming a Sierra Club member visit the Four Lakes Group website at Four Lakes Group Sierra Club Group.
Some volunteers with ICO choose to become Certified Leaders. Certified Leaders are the primary people responsible for each trip. Most outings will have one or two Certified Leaders in charge. To become a Certified Leader, a volunteer must meet all of the requirements above, as well as be certified in CPR and Basic First Aid and complete a one-day training workshop through ICO. Other training opportunities are available through regional and national Sierra Club Inspiring Connections Outdoors groups. Contact us for more information on upcoming training opportunities.
You do not need to have extensive experience working with children to help with ICO. We also need volunteers who can help organize and manage our equipment, help with website updates, and write publicity information.
Volunteer Position Descriptions
Agency Liaison
- Be the main contact between ICO and the agency coordinator(s).
- Make sure coordinators have the appropriate paperwork (waivers, itineraries, and any trip-specific information) in advance of each trip.
- Keep track of waivers from trip to trip if there are multiple dates; make sure that the trip leader has waivers for each trip if you are not leading.
- Submit waivers to chair after date of last outing.
Volunteer Coordinator
- Receive and respond to all email, phone, or tabling inquiries for potential volunteers; invite to view website, come to next meeting
- Follow up with phone call to find out interests, invite to join email list, come on an outing, etc.
- Send any new volunteer email addresses, contact info, etc, to chair
- Send volunteer application if necessary; have them returned to records manager
Equipment Manager
- Maintain the Madison ICO equipment storage space
- Assist leaders, as necessary, in preparing for the equipment needs of their outings, including coordination of gear in the event of concurrent outings
- Maintain an inventory of equipment, informing the leadership of equipment needs, researching best buys, and suggesting purchase budgets to the leadership
- Schedule equipment repair and soliciting volunteers to clean and repair equipment as needed
- Maintain gear checkout records
- Ensure that first aid kits are replenished and refreshed on a regular basis and that first aid kits conform to national ICO first aid standards
To apply to be an ICO Volunteer, contact us for submission instructions.