Baby Cafés and VolunteersA Baby Café is run by paid facilitators, but many have volunteers who give many hours of their own time to help with tasks, and support breastfeeding parents. All volunteers are required to go through a clearance process that is dictated by the individual Baby Café’s sponsoring organization. If you would like to become a volunteer, to find your nearest Baby Café, and contact the lead facilitator.
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Volunteer Policy
Baby Café Facilitator guidelines for incorporating volunteers:
Baby Cafés are encouraged to establish mutually rewarding, healthy relationships between paid staff and volunteers. The lead Facilitator has responsibility for decision making, but flexibility is often necessary to incorporate inconsistent availability.
Baby Cafés are encouraged to establish mutually rewarding, healthy relationships between paid staff and volunteers. The lead Facilitator has responsibility for decision making, but flexibility is often necessary to incorporate inconsistent availability.
Volunteer practice guidelines:
Volunteer Role/Tasks:
- To be provided with an experience that is self-fulfilling and provides opportunities for further development that may enhance future employment
- To complement the work of paid staff and not be a substitute for it
- To be able to bring your baby/child to Baby Café if necessary, after checking with the Baby Café facilitator. Make sure your baby/child is safe and happy so that everyone can benefit from the cafe.
- That Baby Café Facilitators will define and allocate the appropriate roles and responsibilities for students, health professionals, and other volunteers
- To have a named individual within the Baby Café team to whom you can refer if difficulties arise
- To be made aware of any policy and procedures relevant to your volunteer role, e.g. expenses, documentation, training and confidentiality procedures
- To be recognized by the Baby Café facilitator for the help and support you offer.
Volunteer Role/Tasks:
- Help staff set up for the session
- Welcome all parents/supporters attending Baby Café, helping them to feel at ease and directing them to specific areas of help and support as necessary
- Help new parents register
- Help to serve refreshments.
- Help with the general smooth running of the café session, getting extra seating if necessary
- Any other similar tasks that may be appropriate, after discussion with the facilitator
- Help clean up at the end of Baby Cafe
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Baby Cafés are free, drop-in, informal breastfeeding support groups offering ongoing professional lactation care and intervention. Most are open for 2 hours at least once a week. Some communities have more than one Café, each holding meets on different days of the week.
Baby Café USA is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization supporting the development of licensed U.S. Baby Cafés. Registered Non-profit No. 80-0787743 |
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