Our mission is accomplished thanks to the passion and commitment of our volunteers (ROCKateers) ages 14 to 92.
Instructions for using the Volunteer Portal
As a ROCK volunteer, you now have a personal portal where you can log in your volunteer hours, see ROCK’s weekly needs and sign up to volunteer for the areas of need.
LOGGING INTO THE VOLUNTEER PORTAL:
Step 1. Click on “Volunteer Log into Portal”.
Step 2: Enter your first name, last name, and password. Do Not Enter Email address.
Step 3. Click submit. You will be directed to your personal volunteer portal.
INSTRUCTIONS:
At the top of the site, there is a place to REPORT HOURS. You will be asked to select a “job”. If you are a Horse Handler who gets to SideWalk in the same day, please pick the job that you did the most that day. If you prefer to keep your Horse Handling and Side Walking hours separately, then you will submit two separate log entries. (example: Select Horse Handling, enter hours, and click submit; then select sidewalking, enter hours, and click submit.)
If you have kept track of hours (prior to this new system) that haven’t been entered in, you can enter them here. Simply add up all the hours that you have calculated and put them in as one big number.
If you have any questions or need assistance with the new system, please contact (512) 930-7625.
ROCK Volunteer Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do I need to have prior experience with horses to volunteer at ROCK?
A. No, it is not necessary to have experience with horses or individuals with special needs.
Q. What kind of things do volunteers do at ROCK?
A. Volunteers can answer phones, help with maintenance, train to be side-walkers, help with equipment, and any number of support tasks. If you’re not sure, tell us what you like to do, or what your strengths are, and we will try to put you to work!
Q. Are there options for me as a volunteer if I can’t commit to come every week?
A. Absolutely! Some of our volunteers come in on as as-needed basis and check the schedule for openings.
Q. Do you ever need people to help in the office or with events?
A. Yes, we do. We have several large fundraising events, plenty of competitions, and all kinds of special days for our clients. We use greeters, special entertainers, caterers, parking lot attendants. You name it!
Q. I am interested in working with horses. What programs are in place for someone like me?
A. We provide training in “Horse Handling” and offer a mentorship program for those who interested in advanced training.
Q. How old do you have to be to volunteer at ROCK?
A. Volunteers need to be at least 14 to volunteer without a parent or guardian.
Do you want to be a ROCKateer?
Steps to Become a ROCKateer
- Fill out the short Volunteer Pre-Application
- The ROCKateer Team will contact you about the orientation you are registered for or follow up with additional questions they may have.
- Attend the Orientation / Tour on your scheduled date
- Attend In-Person training.
- Complete your Background Check (ROCK pays all expenses)
- Sign up to volunteer in classes or special events
- Welcome to the team! Know that you are making a difference in the lives of our participants and their families.
Volunteer Opportunities
- Riding Programs
- Horse Handlers
- Side Walkers
- Arena Assistants
- Horse Care
- Feeding
- Conditioning Team
- Special events & Fundraising
- ROCK Sponsored Events
- Barn Dance
- Silent Auction
- Numerous Additional Opportunities
- Welcome Wranglers
- Administrative and Front Desk Support
Volunteer training courses are offered throughout the year and, while horse experience is needed for certain roles, it is not required in order to volunteer. The volunteer training courses cover ROCK procedures, safety practices, and promote volunteer involvement. Regardless of prior experience, anyone wishing to work with the horses or clients must be trained and demonstrate competency in the area they wish to assist.
Please recognize, riders and horses have the best outcomes when volunteers exhibit consistency and commit to one lesson per week for the same rider. ROCK gives scheduling preference to long term volunteers who can meet this commitment.
2022-2023 Volunteer Training
Our riders and horses have the best outcomes when consistent volunteers commit to one lesson per week for the same rider throughout the year. ROCK gives scheduling preference to long-term volunteers who can meet this commitment.
ROCK’s regular program year runs from September – May. Summer camps run in June and July. We are currently recruiting volunteers that wish to work at summer camp. These roles include classroom teachers, aides, and team leads. We have very specific needs in our program that need fulfilled and we want to ensure that we have a role for you once training is complete. All volunteers must be over 14, pass a background check, and be able to work independently without the assistance of an adult. If you are interested in volunteering at Summer Camp, please email us a rockateers@rockride.org.
Volunteer training at ROCK is a two-step process. The first step in attending our Orientation and Tour. The second step is attending in-person training. Volunteers will be added to in-person training once they have completed the Orientation and Tour.
Currently, our volunteer need is primarily on weekday mornings and afternoons. We have limited volunteer opportunities in the evenings. One of our biggest needs at this time are horse handlers. Previous horse experience is not a requirement, but please let us know what experience you have. If you have availability during the day and are still interested in a volunteer training, please reach out!
Our website is kept up-to-date with the most current volunteer training information as of 3/24/2023. Please continue to check back here frequently. We are not maintaining a waitlist for volunteer trainings.
ROCK 2022-2023 Volunteer Training Dates
Orientation/Tour Dates
- Thursday, April 13 – 6:00-7:00 PM (FULL)
- Tuesday, April 18 – 2:30-3:30 PM (FULL)
- Tuesday, May 9 – 2:30-3:30 PM
- Thursday, May 18 – 6:00-7:00 PM
- Tuesday, May 23 – 2:30-3:30 PM
In-Person Training Dates
Must complete Orientation/Tour prior to attending
- Saturday, April 22 – 9:00-11:30 AM (FULL)
- Saturday, May 20 – 9:00-11:30 AM
- Saturday, June 17 – 9:00-11:30 AM
Please email us your name and phone number at rockateers@rockride.org if you want to be added to an open training date.
ROCK volunteer positions and training requirements can be found here. ROCK volunteers must be ages 14 and older.
Volunteer training is held at ROCK, 2050 Rockride Lane, Georgetown, TX 78626. Please call the Volunteer Department at (512) 930-7625 if you have any questions.
Corporate Volunteerism and Special Interest Groups
Is your organization looking for a volunteer opportunity? ROCK can provide many opportunities due to flexibility in scheduling and variety of tasks available. The real benefit of having your group volunteer at ROCK comes from the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a genuine difference in our community.
Community Service
Court Appointed Community Service
At this time, we are not able to offer any court appointed community service hours.
Service for Academic Credit
Students wishing to earn community service hours for a class must volunteer in a therapeutic or therapy lesson and commit to volunteering at least one hour per week, for a minimum of 12 weeks. Attending both the Orientation/Tour and In-person Volunteer Training is required.