Lending the Park System a Hand
Volunteers can be found in many different roles throughout the Park System. In 2011, 1,088 people filled 1,726 positions and gave 24,162 hours to the Park System. Some act as gardeners, historic site interpreters, and program leaders while others contribute to the success of events such as Earth Day, Creatures of the Night, and the E. Murray Todd Half-Marathon. Trail volunteers regularly lend a hand to the Park System at trail maintenance activities from March through December.
To join the ranks of the VIPs, contact the Coordinator of Volunteers at (732) 842-4000, ext. 4283 or mkelly@monmouthcountyparks.com
Getting Started
Before beginning your volunteer work with the Monmouth County Park System, you must file a Volunteer in Park Application (VIP form) with the Office of Volunteer Services. For an application, download the form in pdf format and mail to Coordinator of Volunteers, 805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ 07738.
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
The Coordinator of Volunteers will review your application, references, and background information. You may be called for a personal interview by the Coordinator of Volunteers or a Park Supervisor. After all the checks have been made and reviewed, a recommendation may be made to place you as a volunteer in your area of interest.
The Monmouth County Park System requires that all volunteers be 18 years of age or older. Junior Volunteers, ages 14-17, must be supervised by a parent, legal guardian or an authorized park employee. In some situations, it may be desirable or necessary for the Park System to place a child volunteer, age 13 or younger (i.e. at a theatre performance or family life demonstration at a farm/historic site). Under those circumstances, a parent or legal guardian must provide direct on-site supervision.
Children, ages 13 and younger, who volunteer as a group (i.e. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, church organizations) for a one-time activity (i.e. clean-up, planting) may volunteer without their parents, provided there is a ratio of one adult for every seven children. Teens, ages 14-17, who volunteer as a group must have a ratio of one adult for every ten volunteers. These exceptions each require a parental consent/release form for every child.