HES Deferred Sentencing and Recovery Court Community Service Program

 

It is a policy of the Humane Educational Society to cooperate with area legal systems to allow specific offenders to perform community service work at HES on a work available basis.

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Please read all of the following policies thoroughly. All deferred sentencing and recovery court volunteers are required to fill out the application below in its entirety for the volunteer manager to review and approve prior to coming in to work.

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Please note: If we do not receive your application far enough in advance, we may not be able to fulfill your hours by the deadline.

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Restrictions:

• HES requires persons performing community service to be at least 18 years old.

• HES does not accept individuals who have been convicted of a felony, crimes involving violence or harassment against people or animals, or offenses that require registration as a sex offender.

• Absolutely no alcohol or drugs will be consumed while working at the shelter. The odor of intoxicants or drugs on a person will be grounds to deny them work at the shelter and may result in the police department being called if a safety hazard is apparent.

 

Policies:

• All court ordered community service shifts are no more than 4 hours from 8:00am – 12:00 pm. You MUST work the entire 4 hour shift unless otherwise authorized. You are not to leave early, come in late, or leave and come back. 

•  All  Deferred Sentencing and Recovery Court workers will be primarily helping with kennel cleaning in our dog kennel areas. Workers should anticipate standing or walking for the majority of their shifts, and must be able to bend, squat, kneel, lift, etc.

• Due to the nature of the shelter environment, HES is unable to accommodate volunteers who have allergies to dogs or cats.

• Due to the frequent use of peanut butter in animal care and enrichment activities, HES is unable to accommodate volunteers with peanut allergies.

• You will be given one 15 minute break from 10:00am – 10:15am. All breaks must be taken on the Humane Society property in the designated break areas. This does not include your car or surrounding parking lots.

• Closed toed shoes, shirt and long pants at all times - we recommend clothing that can get dirty. No shorts, no crop tops, no pajamas. Jeans and pants MUST be secured around your waist at all times.

• No inappropriate slogans or clothing shall be worn.

• No inappropriate language should be used while working at the shelter.

• Cell phone use is prohibited while working at the shelter. If you are caught with your cell phone, you will be sent home and will not be able to finish your community service with HES.

• Each person is responsible for filling out their paperwork, maintaining contact with legal officials involved in their case and ensuring that appropriate reports are made to those officials when community service requirements are met. HES will cooperate in this reporting, but the responsibility belongs entirely to the community service worker. Copies of letters will be retained for at least 12 months following community service sign up.

• Community service volunteers are responsible for providing work verification letters to interested parties.

• Signing up for a shift time is the only way to ensure that there will be work available for you. If you miss a shift that you have signed up for without notifying the volunteer manager beforehand, it will result in loss of future hours with HES. If for any reason you are not able to attend a shift you have signed up for, please email the volunteer services manager at ashleighhorner@heschatt.org to let her know you will be absent.

• Each community service worker is responsible for clocking in and out each day. Credit will NOT be given to those who do not sign in and out.

• If the shelter runs out of work on any given day, we have the right to send you home.

• When an assigned task is completed, community service workers are expected to check with the shelter staff to receive their next assignment.

• There will be NO animal interaction while doing your community service. Community service members who are witnessed violating this policy will result in loss of future hours with HES.

• Department managers, directors, and supervisors, reserve the right to turn away any community servers for non-compliance, disrespectful behavior, over-scheduling, etc.

• We will not be held responsible for your personal items (purse, etc). We suggest you leave these items at home or in your car.

• All Deferred Sentencing and Recovery Court workers will be required to provide a copy of their state issued ID for our records prior to beginning work at the shelter. 

 

Registration Instructions:

• Please fill out the following application in advance. Once submitted, the volunteer services manager will reach out via email to let you know if your application has been approved or denied.

• Once your application has been approved, you will be sent an email with a link to sign up for shifts. You will be required to sign up for shifts in advance. You will be required to sign up for shifts in advance. Signing up for a shift time is the only way to ensure that there will be work available for you.

• If for any reason you are not able to attend a shift you have signed up for, please email the volunteer services manager at ashleighhorner@heschatt.org to let her know you will be absent.

• All community service shifts are 4 hours long from 8:00am – 12:00pm. At this time, we are not able to offer shifts longer than 4 hours.

• Each community service worker is responsible for clocking in and out each day. Volunteer credit will NOT be given to those who do not sign in and out.

• If the shelter runs out of work on any given day, we have the right to send you home.