Youth Volunteer Program

The Marine Mammal Center’s Youth Volunteer Program introduces students ages 15* to 17 to the work of the Center and to the importance of volunteerism. 

This experience allows students to work alongside adults, develop interpersonal skills, observe a variety of marine science related careers and gives them the opportunity to be involved in marine mammal conservation.

Applicants must be:

• Interested, flexible, and self-motivated
• Between 15* and 17 years of age
• Able to make a commitment to one 4 to 8 hour shift (night or day shift) for a minimum of 8 weeks
• Able to arrange their own transportation to and from The Marine Mammal Center

* Due to safety concerns and more applicants than we can accept each session, The Marine Mammal Center has increased our minimum age to volunteer on an Animal Care shift from 14 to 15 years old. We are transitioning to this new policy and will still consider 14 year olds during the 2012 calendar year.  Thanks for your understanding and continued support of our mission.

Youth Animal Care Volunteers gain a deeper understanding of the marine mammal patients at our hospital, why they are here, how they are cared for and what we learn from them. Animal care volunteers provide the daily care of the animals, which includes general cleaning, laundry, dishes, equipment maintenance, weighing, charting records, and preparing food for feeding (and other duties at the discretion of the Crew Supervisor and Youth Programs Coordinator). Youth volunteers may have direct contact with the animals but that contact is at the discretion of the Crew Supervisor and Youth Programs Coordinator, and is dependent upon the volunteer's performance and a variety of other circumstances.  Those that are in high school and 18 years of age may become an adult volunteer, but have the ability to use the Youth Programs Coordinator as a mentor or supervisor for school-related projects.

We require a commitment of one 4 to 8 hour shift (night or day shift) per week for a minimum of 8 weeks. There is a $50 fee once applicants are accepted into the program.

If you are interested in applying, read the Frequently Asked Questions below and follow the instructions to submit a Youth Volunteer Application, Waiver, Essay and Recommendation Letter.

The next application deadline is January 10, 2013 for volunteering during the spring semester (approximately February to June) and hopefully longer.

The following deadline after January 10, 2013, is May 1, 2013 for volunteering during the summer (approximately June to August) and longer.

Frequently Asked Questions about the
Youth Volunteer Program

What is the application process?
You are required to fill out an application and waiver form (available online), complete a 250-word essay and submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher. These items make up the application packet and are required to be submitted by the posted due date (this varies each season). Incomplete application packets and those that arrive after the due date may not be considered. Once the application packet is received by the Youth Programs Coordinator, we will contact you to confirm that your application packet has been received in full.  Each applicant is required to attend a Youth Orientation Meeting; this is usually held one week after the deadline from 1 to 4 p.m.  The orientation will give you a better understanding of what it’s like to be a youth volunteer. If you are still interested in volunteering after attending the Youth Orientation, you will schedule a one-on-one interview with the Youth Programs Coordinator, generally the week after the Youth Orientation Meeting.  After the interview you will be notified if you are officially accepted into the program. If you are accepted, you need to attend a Youth Volunteer Training Class, which will generally occur within 2 weeks of the Interviews.  Finally we will finalize which day (or night) of the week you volunteer and you can get started!

What will I be doing when I work at the hospital?
You will be participating in a number of different tasks ranging from but not limited to, food preparation (thawing and sorting fish), making fish milkshakes, weighing out fish for feeds, washing dishes, cleaning pens, observing feeds, cleaning carriers, helping to weigh animals, and washing and folding laundry. These are some of the daily tasks that all animal care volunteers do at the hospital. You may also have the opportunity to observe medical exams and other veterinary procedures.

Once on an animal care crew how often do I need to show up?
Your commitment is to work on a day or night crew for one shift a week for a minimum of 8 contiguous weeks. If you choose to volunteer with a day crew you must arrive at 7:00 a.m. and will be expected to stay through 3:00 p.m. (or maybe later during the busy season). If you choose to volunteer with a night crew you must arrive at 6:30 p.m. and you will be expected to stay through 9:30 p.m. You can stay later if your schedule permits (i.e. you do not have school the next day).

What if I miss a shift?
You must inform both your Crew Supervisor and the Youth Programs Coordinator. If you miss more than one shift without advising both your Crew Supervisor and the Youth Programs Coordinator you will be asked to leave the program.

Can I volunteer longer than 8 weeks?
Yes, it is highly encouraged. The Marine Mammal Center has many youth volunteers that have been with the program for 3+ years. Some youth volunteers have continued volunteering after High School and thus “graduating” into the ranks of the adult volunteers.

Are there advantages to volunteering longer than 8 weeks?
Yes, the longer you volunteer, the more experience and confidence that you gain, the better your chances are of having the opportunity to participate in the hands-on care of our patients. You will learn more about this at the Youth Introduction meeting.

Will I be able to train animals during my time at The Marine Mammal Center?
No, we are a hospital for marine mammals. We do not train our patients. Our goal is to release them back out into the wild. We do not talk around the animals, or motion to them to come close to us. We keep them as wild as possible during their stay at our hospital.

Are there rules and restrictions specifically for youth volunteers?
Yes, you will learn more about these at the Youth Introduction meeting.

Does The Marine Mammal Center have busy and slow seasons?
Yes, the fall and winter tend to be our slower seasons. Our busy season usually is the spring which we refer to it as “pupping season,” because of the influx of elephant and harbor seal pups. However, there are times when an outbreak of disease or an event in the ocean causes an influx of patients and a slow season maybe more active than normal.

Is there a best season to start volunteering?
Yes and no, anytime is a good time to start volunteering for a good cause. However, since the fall and winter are slower there is not as much to do, and we don't have application periods. We do have application periods every spring and summer, as those are the busiest times, but those that have been accepted to the program do have the ability to volunteer into the fall and winter. During the Youth Introduction meeting the Youth Programs Coordinator will let you know about timing, work load and open slots on crews.

Is there a fee for volunteering at The Marine Mammal Center?
Yes, there is a $50 fee for youth volunteers at The Marine Mammal Center. The fee covers the cost of the training classes and materials. This fee is expected to be paid after you have been officially accepted into the program (not before or during the Orientation). Please bring it to the Training Class.

2012 Youth Volunteer Application Deadlines

The next application deadline is January 10, 2013 for the spring semester.

Applications received after the deadlines above cannot be guaranteed a spot at the Youth Orientation Meeting.

• Once your application is received, the Youth Programs Coordinator will email you confirming that you are invited to attend the Orientation. 
• After your application has been accepted, there is a mandatory Youth Volunteer Orientation on Saturday, May 12th from 1 to 4 p.m. held at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito.  
• The interviews will be scheduled during the following two weeks, with most of them on Saturday and Sunday, May 19th and 20th between 10 a.m and 5 p.m.
• If you are accepted into the program, there is a mandatory Youth Volunteer Training class held on Saturday, June 9th from 1 to 4 p.m. held at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. 

The Orientation, Interview and Training are NOT optional; you MUST attend them if you are applying to be a Youth Volunteer at The Marine Mammal Center.

Remember, there is a $50 fee for youth volunteers at The Marine Mammal Center. The fee covers the cost of the training classes and materials. This fee is expected to be paid after you have been officially accepted into the program. If you are accepted into the program, please bring the fee to the Training Class on June 9th. However, we do not want this fee to hinder anyone and it can be waived or reduced if needed.

Youth Application and Waiver Form

The application and waiver for the Youth Volunteer Program at The Marine Mammal Center can be found here. Make sure to include the following items in your application packet before the deadline:

• Complete and return the application
• You and your parent both need to sign the waiver
• Write a 250-word essay explaining why you want to volunteer with The Marine Mammal Center
• Letter of recommendation from a teacher

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