Volunteer Guidelines
Construction Volunteer Information
For a safe and rewarding volunteer experience with Habitat for Humanity, volunteers should review the following information before volunteering on a Habitat construction site.
WHAT TIME? Volunteers should arrive at the construction site at 8:30am. If you arrive earlier, wait to receive instructions from the Site Supervisor. Work ends at 3:00pm on Saturdays and 3:30pm during the week. Construction will end a half an hour early for site clean up and tool organization. Plan to work the entire scheduled time that your group has signed up for.
A FEW NOTES ABOUT ARRIVAL & WORKING ON SITE:
· It is extremely important to show up on time with the number of volunteers promised.
· Groups should be limited to 4 to 10 volunteers per construction site. Ideal group sizes are between 6 and 8 volunteers. We want to leave a few spots open for Habitat partner families working on their sweat equity hours. Too many volunteers on one site can be unsafe and overwhelming for the Site Supervisor. If your organization has a lot of people interest in volunteering, we’d be happy to schedule them for another work day.
· Your first priority is to turn in your volunteer waiver form and sign-in on a log sheet. To save time, groups should come to the construction site with waivers already filled out. Click here for a copy.
· All volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. Work for youth groups is often limited. Under OSHA and Child Labor Laws, children under the age of 16 are not allowed to participate in actual construction. Children under the age of 18 can not engage in hazardous activities such as roofing, being on a ladder or using power tools. Youth must have their waiver forms signed by a parent of legal guardian prior to volunteering on the construction site.
· Safety is our highest concern. When you arrive, staff will provide a safety talk and instructions on how to do the tasks. If you feel uncomfortable with a task or tool, be sure to ask for help. We strongly encourage volunteer groups to visit our website to view a short safety video. Click here to view the video. (Click on “Take Volunteer Course Now” and us W8NAEBTG as your password. The video you will want to watch is Volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity Job Site).
· Habitat provides training on all construction tasks, big or small—do not worry if you don’t have skills or have difficulty learning. If you missed the instructions, ask your Site Supervisor to show you the tasks again.
· Our primary concern is quality, not speed. Be sure to do the task up to the standard you would want in your own home, even if it takes you while.
WHO DO I REPORT TO? Report to the Site Supervisor.
Steve King, John Tschetter, or Eric Symmonds
WHAT IF IT SNOWS? We will not work during heavy snow fall. To check for cancelations, visit www.kwwl.com or channel 7 on your television.
WHAT TOOLS DO I BRING? It is helpful to come with basic tools, but not required. Label any tools you bring with your name. Basic tools include: work gloves, hammer, tape measure, tool belt or nail apron and a pencil.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
· Work boots or tennis shoes – no open toed shoes or sandals are allowed on site.
· Wear clothes that you won’t mind getting dirty. The construction sites get very muddy after it rains. Dress appropriate for the weather and time of year. Layers are recommended during the winter months.
· Avoid loose fitting or baggy clothes.
· Bring a good hat. Sunscreen is essential for most days, March through October.
WHAT ABOUT LUNCH? Volunteers are responsible for bringing their own lunch (or plan for your group to provide it). Bring plenty of water and drinks for the entire day. A water jug is also kept on site. You will break for lunch around noon.
If you would like to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, contact volunteer@heartlandhfh.org or call 319-235-9946. Include the following information:
· The group leaders contact information
· The name of the organization interested in volunteering
- The number of people interested in volunteering
· The day of the week you would like to volunteer
· The time of year you would like to volunteer
We do our best to accommodate as many volunteers as possible. Volunteer opportunities (especially on Saturdays) fill up quickly. Plan accordingly and give us plenty of notice about your interest in volunteering.
For a safe and rewarding volunteer experience with Habitat for Humanity, volunteers should review the following information before volunteering on a Habitat construction site.
WHAT TIME? Volunteers should arrive at the construction site at 8:30am. If you arrive earlier, wait to receive instructions from the Site Supervisor. Work ends at 3:00pm on Saturdays and 3:30pm during the week. Construction will end a half an hour early for site clean up and tool organization. Plan to work the entire scheduled time that your group has signed up for.
A FEW NOTES ABOUT ARRIVAL & WORKING ON SITE:
· It is extremely important to show up on time with the number of volunteers promised.
· Groups should be limited to 4 to 10 volunteers per construction site. Ideal group sizes are between 6 and 8 volunteers. We want to leave a few spots open for Habitat partner families working on their sweat equity hours. Too many volunteers on one site can be unsafe and overwhelming for the Site Supervisor. If your organization has a lot of people interest in volunteering, we’d be happy to schedule them for another work day.
· Your first priority is to turn in your volunteer waiver form and sign-in on a log sheet. To save time, groups should come to the construction site with waivers already filled out. Click here for a copy.
· All volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. Work for youth groups is often limited. Under OSHA and Child Labor Laws, children under the age of 16 are not allowed to participate in actual construction. Children under the age of 18 can not engage in hazardous activities such as roofing, being on a ladder or using power tools. Youth must have their waiver forms signed by a parent of legal guardian prior to volunteering on the construction site.
· Safety is our highest concern. When you arrive, staff will provide a safety talk and instructions on how to do the tasks. If you feel uncomfortable with a task or tool, be sure to ask for help. We strongly encourage volunteer groups to visit our website to view a short safety video. Click here to view the video. (Click on “Take Volunteer Course Now” and us W8NAEBTG as your password. The video you will want to watch is Volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity Job Site).
· Habitat provides training on all construction tasks, big or small—do not worry if you don’t have skills or have difficulty learning. If you missed the instructions, ask your Site Supervisor to show you the tasks again.
· Our primary concern is quality, not speed. Be sure to do the task up to the standard you would want in your own home, even if it takes you while.
WHO DO I REPORT TO? Report to the Site Supervisor.
Steve King, John Tschetter, or Eric Symmonds
WHAT IF IT SNOWS? We will not work during heavy snow fall. To check for cancelations, visit www.kwwl.com or channel 7 on your television.
WHAT TOOLS DO I BRING? It is helpful to come with basic tools, but not required. Label any tools you bring with your name. Basic tools include: work gloves, hammer, tape measure, tool belt or nail apron and a pencil.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
· Work boots or tennis shoes – no open toed shoes or sandals are allowed on site.
· Wear clothes that you won’t mind getting dirty. The construction sites get very muddy after it rains. Dress appropriate for the weather and time of year. Layers are recommended during the winter months.
· Avoid loose fitting or baggy clothes.
· Bring a good hat. Sunscreen is essential for most days, March through October.
WHAT ABOUT LUNCH? Volunteers are responsible for bringing their own lunch (or plan for your group to provide it). Bring plenty of water and drinks for the entire day. A water jug is also kept on site. You will break for lunch around noon.
If you would like to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, contact volunteer@heartlandhfh.org or call 319-235-9946. Include the following information:
· The group leaders contact information
· The name of the organization interested in volunteering
- The number of people interested in volunteering
· The day of the week you would like to volunteer
· The time of year you would like to volunteer
We do our best to accommodate as many volunteers as possible. Volunteer opportunities (especially on Saturdays) fill up quickly. Plan accordingly and give us plenty of notice about your interest in volunteering.
