VOLUNTEERS

Procedure to become a Certified Volunteer 

Volunteers are the backbone of Special Olympics Indiana. 

Contacts:

State Special Olympic office Volunteer Coordinator - Kevin Aders, kaders@soindiana.org 

Hendricks County Volunteer Coordinator - Janet Cunningham, janetspurling@hotmail.com 

Special Olympics would not exist today – and could not have been created – without the time, energy, commitment and enthusiasm of people just like you! 

Special Olympics Indiana needs you! When you volunteer with Special Olympics Indiana you will have the opportunity to make a genuine impact. Whether you volunteer your time year-round, seasonally or simply for a single-day event, it is an experience you’ll be destined to remember forever. Volunteers are classified in two ways. 

Class A – any volunteer who has regular contact with athletes. Examples include: 

Coaches / volunteers at practices Chaperones 

Unified Sports® Partners Volunteer Leadership / Management Positions 

Class B – any volunteer who has single day event responsibilities. Examples include: 

Referee Scorekeeper/Timer Announcer Awards presenter 

Class B volunteers register on an event basis. 

Class A volunteers are required to complete a five-step application and training process. These five-steps must be completed before any Special Olympics training, any competition, or beginning any duties related to your role.

STEP 1: APPLICATION

STEP 2: BACKGROUND SCREENING

STEP 3: COACH / VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION (CVO)

STEP 4: PROTECTIVE BEHAVIORS TRAINING

STEP 5: CONCUSSION AWARENESS TRAINING 

Special Olympics Indiana utilizes our Volunteer Management System (VMS),a secure online system, to navigate new applicants through the Class A application and training process. It will walk you through each of the 5 steps at your convenience. 

MINORS:   Whether a coach, volunteer, or Unified Partner, all youth will register through VMS. 

For youth ages 14-17: 

•  Youth applicants who have not reached their age of majority (age 18) may be accepted as volunteers in non-supervisory positions only. 
•  A background screening will not be completed. While some information pertaining to the background screening may be asked, that information will not be stored or utilized. 
•  A youth applicant must complete all five steps. 

For youth ages 8-13: 

•  Youth applicants under age 14 must be chaperoned by an adult. 
•  A background screening will not be completed. While some information pertaining to the background screening may be asked, that information will not be stored or utilized. 
•  Parents and/or guardians of the youth applicant must complete the five steps for their dependent. This will allow the parent/guardian to understand the protocols taken by Special Olympics Indiana to ensure the safety of all participants, including their dependent. 
•  Youth ages 8-13 may find information in the Coach-Volunteer Orientation interesting and educational. 
•  Parents and/or guardians should review the information within the Protective Behaviors training and Concussion Awareness training before sharing with their dependent. This information may be sensitive in nature. 

BEGIN THE PROCESS:

Go to https://volunteers.soindiana.org/application and begin the 5 step process.