Den Volunteers and their important role in See Spot Read

Our See Spot Read Program, presented by Sylvan Learning, offers children who may be struggling with their reading skills, a judgement free and safe space to strengthen their literacy skills.

If you’ve been following the program, you have heard us talk a lot about our therapy dogs and the important role they play. But today, we wanted to take a moment to chat about our Den Volunteers.

What is a Den Volunteer?

Den volunteers facilitate the See Spot Read sessions. They are responsible for setting up and tearing down the space, engaging children in fun literacy based educational activities as part of the rotation of the reading program and manage the time each child has with their dog.

What Makes a Den Volunteer so Important?

Our program wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated team of Den Volunteers. They are the first ones that greet the students when they arrive for their session, they are the ones that build a connection with the students and work with them to see them progress.

Here’s what our volunteers say:

We took some time to sit down with one of our long-term Den Volunteers, Adele Walker to hear about her experiences with the program.

How long have you been with the See Spot Read Program:

Adele: I have been with the program for about 15 years.

What is your favourite part of being a den volunteer?

Adele: The students. I love to see them enjoy the program and come in each day excited to start. Its great to see the impact the program has on the students and what they get out of it.

Why do you continue to come back year after year?

Adele: Because I enjoy the program and love working with kids!

What would you say to someone considering becoming a den volunteer?

Adele: It’s a great program, you get the opportunity to interact with children and see the benefits of the program firsthand. Its always lots of fun and it’s a great team of staff and volunteers that make the program happen.

If you are interested in joining the team, please contact our volunteer department ([email protected])