Youth-Canine Volunteers

As a Youth-Canine volunteer, you will help us to positively impact both the youth and the shelter dogs participating in these programs.

How to Volunteer with Youth-Canine

Note: The Marion County Juvenile Detention Center requires that all volunteers with the Pawsitive Corrections Youth-Canine Program complete an annual PREA training, and an additional background check.

Age Requirement: Volunteers in our Youth-Canine programs must be 18 or older to participate. Volunteers at the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center must be at least 21 years old.

  1. Complete Paws & Think’s volunteer application and background check.
  2. Contact the Youth-Canine Program Leader, Kim Trimpe, at ktrimpe@pawsandthink.org to let her know you are interested.
  3. If you would like to volunteer as a Youth-Canine Coach, you will be required to either attend the program orientation prior to volunteering OR arrange with Kim to receive the program training at another time if you are unable to attend orientation.

For more information about our Youth-Canine programs, visit the Youth-Canine Programs page.

Volunteer at Youth-Canine Program

Youth-Canine Volunteer Opportunities

Youth-Canine Coach: Youth-Canine Coaches serve as mentors to the youth in our programs. Youth-Canine Coach volunteers work under the supervision of the Dog Trainer/Youth-Canine Program Leader and provide guidance, support, and praise to the youth and ensure proper handling of the dogs. 

Youth-Canine Evening Care: Evening Care volunteers for our Pawsitive Corrections Program help to care for the shelter dogs in the Youth-Canine Program in the evening after the program has ended for the day. Evening Care volunteers are responsible for helping to feed, walk, and toilet the dogs, administering any necessary medications to the dogs, and providing the dogs with love and affection.