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#1 Zoo, #1 Exhibit, #1 Wildlife Safari Park - Back to Back!!
We are expecting lots of visitors this summer who want to see the zoo voted #1 by its guests. Help us give them a great experience by joining the Summer Docent Program!
Who should apply? You! If you are passionate about conservation, enjoy talking with people of all ages and backgrounds, and are a #1 fan of the #1 zoo, we want you to apply! Ideal candidates are life-long learners who enjoy working with people. We are looking for volunteers who can commit to volunteering with us throughout the summer program, May through August.
You must be officially welcomed to the program and attend orientation and training to begin your docent volunteer service with the zoo. Once you have responded via Share Omaha or on the zoo's website, zoo staff will contact you.
What will summer docents do? Summer docents will engage visitors at education stations around the zoo! At each station, we need energetic volunteers to help facilitate hands-on activities and share basic animal information and simple conservation concepts with our visitors. This is an excellent way to join the zoo's mission to inspire, educate, and engage visitors to become life-long stewards for the conservation of animals and their habitats. Docents provide brief educational interactions with hundreds of visitors per shift.
When will the summer docent program be? Daily, May - August, 2024. Volunteer shifts are 9:30-11:45 a.m., 11:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m., 1:30-3:45 p.m. It is great if volunteers sign up for one shift per week!
What happens when the summer is over? Volunteers who would like to continue as docents at the Zoo will be invited to apply for our full docent training and onboarding Fall 2024!
More Information: Docents are expected to wear neutral-colored pants/shorts and volunteer t-shirt (one shirt is provided at the beginning of your first volunteer shift, you will have the opportunity to purchase additional shirts.) All volunteers attend a short orientation followed by a 2 hr. training specific to our summer program - we will teach you what you need to know to operate the education stations. Please plan ahead and allot time for parking and entrance to the zoo when attending orientation, trainings, and volunteer shifts.