Become a volunteer

What is a volunteer?

A volunteer is a person who choses freely and for ideologic, ethical, moral, or personal reasons, to invest part of his time, his work and his means in an altruistic and supportive task. He does not receive any economic compensation, but among many other things, he gets in return satisfaction, knowledge, experience and human relations.

Why should I become a volunteer?

It will allow you to gain new knowledge and skills, apart from developing those you already have. You will be in contact with persons who share your beliefs and your enthusiasm, but most important, you will make a difference by saving lives and helping provide many animals a second chance.

Aims and tasks

The aim of voluntary work is to guarantee the fulfilling and the achievement of the Association’s goals, as well as developing successfully its programs and campaigns.

All the activities are developed by and with the help of volunteers. We will describe briefly these activities. You can participate actively according to your preferences and/or experience. ANAA will provide you with all the information and training pertaining to each task, as well as with continuous support regarding the doubts which may arise.

Adoptions

The main aim of the adoptions team is finding responsible adopters who will guarantee that the animal gets the best quality of life. The volunteer must have good communication skills, as well as experience in handling animals.

Administrative help

The volunteer collaborates in all tasks related to administration, such as elaborating, handling and processing the paperwork required by the Association. Team work capacity, organization and basic office IT are necessary.

Veterinary help

Professional volunteers help the veterinary team to tend the animals and care for them. Volunteers must be studying at least their 4^th year of Veterinary Studies and must strongly support animal protection.

Animals’ care

The aim is to offer the animals the best quality of life during their stay in the Centre by satisfying their needs, both physical and emotional, and striving to improve the possibilities of adoption and of future integration in a family. Team work capacity, strong commitment and perseverance are necessary.

Feral Cats colonies

The aim is to help implementing the C.E.S. method (link to the section “C.E.S. campaigns” Trap-Neuter-Return) for controlling cats colonies and supervising their well-being. Skill at handling unsocialized cats, and experience in colonies, are necessary. The volunteer must be available to work both on weekdays and week-ends.

Social awareness

One of ANAA’S aims is spreading awareness on animal protection and welfare. ANAA promotes different activities that help divulge the Association’s work and make people aware of the problem.

Communication skills and ability to relate to people are necessary.

Education

The ANAA educa Team (link to “Anaa educa”) elaborates and teaches formative sessions and workshops for Elementary and Secondary School students. Emotional education is the main means to transmit the message. Initiative, social skills and imagination are needed.

Events

ANAA organizes several events throughout the year, participates in events of the Comunidad de Madrid, as well as in informative stands. This entails careful planning, organization and coordination, as well as volunteers who attend these events and transmit the work carried out by the Association.

Corporate image

The aim of this group is keeping the web updated and designing everything related to events and activities, providing a positive picture in line with ANAA’s aims. This group requires professional designers able to devote daily their time and their keenness. They must be persevering and responsible.

Maintenance and gardening

A good maintenance of the facilities and of the grounds is necessary in order to keep the animals in the best possible conditions and to make work easier. We only need people willing to do any kind of job. Experience in particular areas (welding, masonry, plumbing, gardening, etc.) is very welcome, although it is not a requisite.

Mixing

The Mixing Team is in charge of integrating new animals who arrive to ANAA in the group that is more adequate for each of them. The team takes into account different aspects such as size and character so as to ensure they can live together without problems. Experience in animals handling and capacity for team work are necessary.

Media and marketing

ANAA’s Press and Marketing Cabinet controls, analyses, carries out and spreads all the communication activities, transmitting a positive picture of the Organization and handling with great care relations with the media. The aptitudes required in this team are initiative, planning and organization, as well as a quick mind and written/oral communication skills.

Rescues

ANAA’S Rescues Team takes care of the more complicated cases. Frequently, the great wariness of the animals makes it very difficult for the persons who have asked for our help to catch them. This work entails great patience and skill. The members of this team work mostly on Saturdays because they can work all day. They know what time they arrive, but they never know what time they will leave.

Follow-up

The main aim of the Follow-up Team is to ensure the best living conditions for the adopted animals. The adopting families are contacted and given support and counsel, directly and/or by phone.

Therapies

The Therapies Group helps those animals which, because they have not received the necessary education, they have been abused or they have experienced hard times, show an inappropriate behaviour or lack of socialization. This diminishes considerably the chances to be adopted. Working with this group entails being able to work on weekdays, as well as patience and skill with animals.

Transport and trips

ANAA organizes approx. 10 trips a year by van to Germany. This is where part of our animals are adopted. In order to take those animals to their new families, we need volunteers who love driving and travelling and, preferably, who speak English or German.

We also need occasionally to take animals during the week to sitters homes, to veterinary specialists or to the airport.

Where and when?

Volunteers work is needed any day of the week, in the Adoption Center or wherever one of ANAA’S activities is taking place.

Specific timetables are established depending on the task group and the activity to be performed.

How do you become a volunteer?

If you want to become a volunteer, you must fulfil the following imperative requisites, which will guarantee that your help is the help we need and will not endanger or harm the work of the Association and the achievement of its aims.

If you want to be a part of our team, if you are determined to devote your time and your efforts to providing hundreds of animals the help they need and finding the home they deserve, you must fill up as thoroughly as possible the following form.

Imperative requisites

Being over 18.
Persons between 16 and 18 years must provide a written authorization signed by the parent/adult in charge.
Show a strong sense of responsibility and commitment.
The minimum time required to develop the activity is 3 full days a month. If you can only come half a day: 6 half days a month. Once you become a volunteer, you must prove your willingness and your availability. Otherwise, you will be let go. ANAA is a private association and therefore reserves its right to admit/let go volunteers.
Taking the course “Introduction to volunteer work”, which takes place at the Adoption Centre (5 Saturdays or 1 Friday afternoon and 4 Saturdays) is an imperative requisite. Once the first day of the course has taken place and the volunteer knows ANAA’s philosophy and policies, rules, working methods, the rights and duties of volunteers, etc., he undertakes to carry out the ulterior training, four additional Saturdays, in which he will rotate through the different work groups, thus getting a general understanding of ANAA.
Sign the Volunteering contract.
Send every month by email the days you will be going to the Adoption Centre, as well as any change in your assistance.

**Although it is not essential, it is highly recommendable to have a driving licence and a vehicle.

Before confirming that you are interested, please think carefully if you really will be able to spend the minimum time required. In any case, there are many other ways to collaborate and help with our animals, so don’t lose heart if you realize that you won’t have enough time or that you don’t fulfil some of the requisites. Tell us what your situation is and we will inform you about other programs which may suit you better. If you have any doubt, you can write to the following mail: voluntarios@anaaweb.org.

Volunteer’s rights

Receive the necessary information, training, guidance, support and, if necessary, the material means for carrying out the tasks assigned.

Receive at all times from the Association the training necessary for the correct progress of the activities assigned.

Participate actively in the Association, collaborating in the elaboration, design, execution and evaluation of the programs, in accordance with its regulations or applicable rules.

Be insured against any accident and illness risks derived directly from the carrying out of the voluntary activity, in accordance with the characteristics established and the capital insured.

Receive the volunteer credentials. Use them properly.

Carry out his activities in the safe and hygienic conditions which apply to said activities.

Be treated on an equal footing, without any kind of discrimination, respecting his freedom, identity, dignity and other fundamental rights established in conventions, international agreements and the Constitution.

Be acknowledged as a volunteer and recognized for the social value of his contribution, as well as for the skills acquired while performing his volunteer work.

Volunteer’s duties

Know and accept the Association’s principles, rules, aims, programs, regulations and working methods, respecting the Association without using it for one’s own means.

Fulfil the commitments stated in this document.

Use responsibly the material goods that the Association makes available.

Carry out mandatorily the indications communicated in writing (notices, boards and/or specific mails), as well as any oral instructions given by any person in charge and/or working at the Center.

Maintain total confidentiality on any information received or learned while working as a volunteer.

The volunteer cannot use any material to which he has been granted access: videos, pictures, files, logos, sketches… without prior authorization by the Association. He will always do it in order to collaborate in the development of the different programs and campaigns carried out at all times.

Calls for the course

Depending on the needs of the Association, we will contact you when we expect to organize a new course (limited number of places).