Christian Appalachian Project is seeking long-term (12 month commitment) volunteers to serve as Elderly Services caseworkers in eastern Kentucky. These positions are available immediately and the usual admissions timeline and application dates for long-term volunteers do not apply. Volunteers in Elderly Services may begin their service as soon as admitted and available.
Elderly Services
With their children leaving the area to seek employment, many elderly find themselves with limited support systems. Lack of transportation and limited mobility make even the simplest of tasks – visiting friends, picking up groceries and basic home maintenance – a hurdle to overcome. Poverty and illness only compound the challenges Appalachia’s elderly face.
Elderly Caseworkers provide “a friend and a ride” to many homebound senior citizens. Home visits, transportation, social activities and prescription assistance ease the effects of isolation and allow homebound or ill senior citizens to remain in their homes longer. Long-term volunteer caseworkers carry a caseload of 20-40 elderly participants whom they visit at least once a month. In addition to visitation, volunteers provide transportation to the doctor’s office, area stores and even to visit friends down the road. Volunteers may also refer participants to CAP’s Prescription Assistance program. Elderly Services volunteers are called to be both advocates and friends to the elderly–by the end of your service, you may even be considered family.
Benefits of Long-term Volunteering
Long-term volunteers receive a multitude of benefits from their service time, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Immersion in a new culture
- Living in intentional Christian community
- Valuable job-related experience
Even though volunteers receive many intangible benefits, it is important to note that making a long-term commitment can be a significant financial sacrifice. We ask our volunteers to make sacrifices, but we do not ask them to become destitute. CAP offers the following benefits to long-term volunteers to help make volunteering more affordable and to ease the concerns that you or your family may have:
- Room and board
- Monthly stipend
- Health insurance
- Travel reimbursement
- Potential student loan deferment
- Time off to visit friends and family
Requirements
To become a long-term Elderly Services volunteer, you must meet the following requirements:
- Minimum age of 21 years old
- Complete a volunteer application, including a complete driving records check, three personal references and a national background check
- Be personally interviewed by CAP Volunteer Program staff
- Pass a drug screening upon arrival at CAP
- Have a good driving record and pass a driving test upon arrival
We are looking for volunteers who are dependable, flexible, emotionally mature, self-starting, sensitive to other cultures, religions, etc., able to live in community, have a sense of humor and have a desire to serve others. We can teach the particular skills needed to perform in your service position, what we can’t teach is a compassionate heart and a passion for our mission.
Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information about long-term volunteering.
Pillars of CAP Volunteer Life
At Commissioning, long-term volunteers sigh a covenant representing their commitment to service, community and spirituality. Follow the links below to learn how each value contributes to the volunteer experience.
Service
CAP volunteers serve in various CAP and local programs that benefit children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Community
Whether a volunteer lives in one of CAP’s volunteer communities or independently, each volunteer makes a commitment to community life by sharing in the joys, challenges and growth that comes with being a short-term or long-term CAP volunteer.
Spirituality
CAP is an interdenominational organization that encourages people to share their faith and express it through their actions. Personal spiritual growth is an integral part of the CAP volunteer experience. To foster a spiritual environment, volunteers gather for prayer and reflection after weekday dinners.
