Volunteer

Wish Family Welcome Volunteers provide wish families with a friendly and knowledgeable voice when introducing new wish families to Make-A-Wish. A Welcome volunteer connects with wish families ensuring they understand the wish experience by providing information regarding wishes, the wish process and wish policies.

• Facilitate a distraction-free welcome call with all legal guardians.
• Communicate important aspects of the child’s wish journey while setting clear expectations regarding chapter processes.
• Work collaboratively with the chapter office to address any problems and/or questions that arise as a result of the welcome call.
• Ensure the wish family has a clear understanding of the information provided by giving factual based information and asking follow-up questions that pertain to the information discussed.
• Represent the Make-A-Wish brand with adherence to non-discrimination policies, branding standards, and positivity towards the wish family.

• Trained Make-A-Wish volunteer, preference given to trained wish granters.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills. Bilingual abilities are a plus. 
• Excellent people skills with the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds, especially children with critical illnesses.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
• Passion for the mission, vision, and wish-granting process of Make-A-Wish.
• Must be at least 21 years old, the ability to maintain confidentiality, and a flexible schedule.

Welcome Volunteers will not meet the wish family in person; however, this individual must have reliable access to a telephone and the internet to successfully fulfill this role. 

A wish family welcome volunteer may complete this role in their home, office, or another location that is appropriate to conduct phone calls. Most often, calls to wish families will take place in the evening hours.

• Agree to complete a minimum of 6-8 calls to families per month.
• Share feedback on the welcome calls to Make-A-Wish staff within 24 hours after completion.
• Complete criminal background check every 3 years (paid for by the volunteer) and Conflict of Interest & Ethics Assurance Statement annually.
• Complete appropriate training as deemed appropriate by chapter staff.
• Attend continuing education courses, as offered by Make-A-Wish chapter staff.

A Wish Granter Discovery volunteer will meet with the wish child and family members to help identify the child’s wish ideas while completing any necessary paperwork. Wish Discovery volunteers work individually or in teams of two alongside Make-A-Wish staff to ensure every eligible child’s wish comes true. These discovery calls will be done in person or virtually depending on the family's needs.

• Discovery volunteers may meet with a wish family either in person at their home, the library, or other public places or they meet with the families virtually via meeting platforms such as Zoom, FaceTime, WhatsApp, etc. 
• Visit the wish child, with the goal of discerning their wish ideas, while gaining a clear understanding of the reason behind multiple wish ideas.
• Develop a positive rapport with the wish child and family during the initial wish visit as well as any remaining visits necessary to determine wish ideas.
• Complete and submit wish paperwork in a timely manner according to chapter guidelines. This will conclude the role of the discovery volunteer in the wish process.

• Passion for children and high comfort level with interacting with children ages 2 ½ to 18.
• Excellent people skills with the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds, especially children with critical illnesses.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented. 
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; bilingual abilities are a plus.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Flexible schedule and willingness to drive up to one hour to visit with wish child.
• Must be at least 18 and out of high school.

Meetings may take place on any virtual meeting platform or in a public place depending on the desire of the family.

• The average wish requires between two to four hours of volunteer work over a span of one month. Each visit can vary in the time it takes to complete depending on the wish child and wish family circumstances.
• Agree to work on a minimum of 3 wishes per year. 
• Complete criminal background check every 3 years (paid for by the volunteer) and Conflict of Interest & Ethics Assurance Statement annually.
• Complete official Make-A-Wish Wish Discovery Volunteer training and attend education courses.

Office Volunteers will assist chapter staff with miscellaneous tasks including phone calls, wish research, data entry, filing, mailings, etc. An office volunteer may work with a variety of chapter staff members on varying projects depending on the needs of the chapter at any given point in time. This position helps to extend resources in the chapter to better serve our volunteers, partners, donors and wish families.

• Respond to general inquiries to the chapter via phone and e-mail.
• Conduct research and assemble results into an easily readable format.
• Help prepare bulk mailings.
• Contact wish families and health care professionals to follow up with required paperwork.
• Conduct Welcome Calls for families who were unreachable for Welcome call volunteers.
• Assist with preparations for upcoming events.
• Assemble wish bags and itineraries for upcoming wishes when needed.
• Send acknowledgments to donors, sponsors, and volunteers.
• Other duties may be assigned as deemed appropriate.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills. Bilingual abilities are a plus.
• Proficient in Microsoft programs, such as Word and Excel.
• Daytime availability with the ability to commute to the chapter office.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented. 
• Excellent people skills with the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.

The majority of work conducted by an office volunteer must be completed at our chapter’s office. Chapter staff will provide detailed information about the required tasks upon arrival at the chapter office. The volunteer is responsible for confirming with the chapter if he/she is unable to commit to their scheduled time.

• Office volunteers are asked to commit to working a two to four-hour shift during normal business hours 8:00-5:00 pm, Monday-Friday. Days and hours are flexible.
• Offsite work and/or evening hours may be permitted depending on the project.
• Agree to assist in the office a minimum of twice a month.
• Complete criminal background check every 3 years and Conflict of Interest & Ethics Assurance Statement annually.
• Complete appropriate training as deemed appropriate by chapter staff.
• Attend continuing education courses, as offered by Make-A-Wish chapter staff.
• Provide and receive ongoing performance evaluation feedback from chapter staff.

A Wish Granter Celebration volunteer will act as the Make-A-Wish liaison to the wish family after the wish has been determined and the paperwork completed. A Celebration volunteer will provide at least one “wish boost” for their assigned wish child in the interim of when the wish is approved and the wish takes place. These volunteers will also coordinate and execute a wish celebration two to three weeks prior to the wish being granted. Wish celebration volunteers work individually or in teams of two alongside Make-A-Wish staff to ensure every eligible child’s wish comes true.

• Work independently or with a partner in order to Grant a celebration/ reveal party or celebration box. 
• Create a unique wish experience for the wished child by planning and delivering at least one wish boost.
• Solicit in-kind donations.
• Plan and deliver a wish celebration for each wish, as appropriate, at least two to three weeks prior to the wish being granted.
• Develop a positive rapport with the wish child and family and assisting the chapter staff when needed.

• Passion for children and high comfort level with interacting with children ages 2 ½ to 18.
• Creative thinker with the drive to make each wish unique and memorable.
• Excellent people skills with the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds, especially children with critical illnesses.
• Resourceful and self-motivated with a willingness to solicit in-kind donations.
• Skilled at event/party planning.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; bilingual abilities are a plus.
• Must be at least 21 years old.

A Wish Granter Celebration volunteer will plan, secure and coordinate elements of the wish celebration within their home and/or local community. Departure or reveal parties may be planned for the wish family’s home or a nearby venue/restaurant. Celebration Boxes may either be delivered in person or mailed due to the location of the wish child’s home.

• The average wish requires between 10-15 hours of volunteer work over a span of about six to nine months. Each wish can vary greatly in the time it takes to grant depending on the requested wish and wish family circumstances.
• Agree to work on a minimum of 2 wishes per year. 
• Complete criminal background check every 3 years (paid by the volunteer) and Conflict of Interest & Ethics Assurance Statement annually.
• Complete official Make-A-Wish Celebration Volunteer training and any other required education courses.
• Attend continuing education courses, as offered by Make-A-Wish chapter staff.
• Ensure all photos and communications from the wish family before, during, and after the wish are passed along to the office.