Volunteer
Delta Society volunteers and their dogs visit over 500 hospitals, care facilities and schools across Australia every year. Do you and your dog want to join us?
Volunteers are recruited in a number of ways, sometimes following local or national publicity about the program, often because they hear about the program through local networks. Delta Society has 14 Therapy Dog branches nation-wide from Adelaide through to Townsville, so there is bound to be a branch close to you.
How does the program work
Click here to complete a form online. When finished just press submit and your application will be forward onto your nearest branch. Click here to find out the location of your nearest branch for an address to return your harcopy form. All volunteers who join the program are police checked as part of our protocols. A police check will be provided for your completion once your dog has passed the temperament testing.
Next Step - Temperament testing of dogs
Temperament testing is conducted on all dogs joining the program. Dogs joining the program must be 18 months old and under 10 years with basic manners. They will also be tested for a number of reactions to: exuberant and clumsy petting, raised voice, staggering and gesturing, being bumped from behind, held by a stranger, crowded and petted all situations that are likely to be encountered at some time during a visit.
If you dog is under 18 months of age and you would like to prepare them for the program, we recommend that you contact one of our accredited trainers. Click here to find a trainer in your area.
At the same time, the evaluators are asked to gauge the overall sociability of the team and to assess the level of trust and understanding between the dog and the volunteer. The assessments are rigorous and there is always some disappointment for owners whose dogs fail to ‘make it’.
What to expect at the Temperament testing day for your dog
On the day, your dog will be required to undertake a number of assessments as mentioned above. Click here to read a full list of the testing procedures. You might also like to watch the following video below.
Before attending the evaluation day you must ensure you have read the list of tests that will be conducted to ensure your dog can meet all the requirements.
Temperament testing of a dog.
Training of volunteers
Volunteers whose dogs have passed the assessment are invited to attend a one day training seminar, usually conducted the following week, and on completion are asked to sign a simple but formal performance agreement with the Society. At this stage they are issued with a photo identification badge of volunteer and dog which must be worn at all times during a visit. Experience has shown that it is at this point that Therapy Dog teams are best matched to facilities in their area. The Society does keep a waiting list of facilities that have applied to participate but does not actively seek expressions of interest until we know that we have volunteers in an area who can meet demand.
All volunteers complete an orientation visit with their allocated facility before starting their visit with their dog to familarise themselves with their facility. The next visit is with a Delta representative, usually an experienced Therapy Dog volunteer, who will accompany the new team and establishes an ongoing, supportive relationship with him or her, reinforced by simple but regular activity reports.
Accredited Therapy Dog volunteers are covered by the Society's public risk and accident insurance policies Australia-wide.
