Become a volunteer

If you would like to start offering animals a foster home, apply through Zelos.

Would you like to help us find new homes for animals and make their wait for a home as pleasant as possible? Would you like to meet other like-minded "crazy" people? Each year we care for around 4,000 animals in our shelters and foster homes across Estonia. We could not do it without caring, helpful and dedicated volunteers who donate hundreds of hours of their time and energy to us every year. The more volunteer helpers we have, the more resources we can direct towards helping animals: caring for them, treating them, and spaying and neutering them. Becoming a volunteer usually does not require any previous experience, as we provide you with all the guidance you need here with us. In October 2018 we received the Volunteer Friend label.

To join forces with us:

Step 1: you must meet the requirements for becoming a volunteer

We have set a few conditions regarding volunteers' age, skills and time commitment.

Step 2: explore the volunteering opportunities in our organisation

Our volunteers work in the shelters, in their communities and also from their own homes. Find out which solution is the best fit for you! Not all roles may currently be available at every shelter.

Step 3: fill in the volunteer application and come to a meeting

Fill in the application form online and we will let you know the time of the next meeting and training, which you must attend in order to become a volunteer. If you would like to start offering animals a foster home, apply through Zelos. Your data will be used only within Varjupaikade MTÜ and will not be disclosed to third parties.

Step 4: get your paws stuck in!

Once you have been accepted as a volunteer, we ask you to complete the volunteer work agreement, and you can start helping the animals.

Read what Liis, a volunteer at the Tallinn shelter, says about her experience.

What is volunteering?

Volunteering has three main features:

• the activity is carried out of one's own free will, not as an obligation or under coercion;

• the person receives no financial or material payment, although they may gain a great deal and also receive gifts as a token of thanks;

• the activity takes place outside one's own home and family, for the benefit of someone else or of society more broadly.

In the Estonian development plan for voluntary activity for 2007-2010, voluntary activity is defined as follows:

Voluntary activity is the offering of one's time, energy or skills of one's own free will and without payment. Volunteers help others or act mainly in the public interest and for the good of society. Helping one's own family members is not counted as voluntary activity.

What is not voluntary activity?

Voluntary activity is easily confused with work that is done without payment but not of one's own free will or for charitable purposes. For example, community service (as an alternative punishment) and all school placements cannot be counted as voluntary activity. On the other hand, not all work done in non-profit associations is always voluntary, as is often assumed. It is estimated that associations provide paid work for 4-5% of the working-age population.

Types of voluntary activity

Acting as a volunteer on one's own initiative and independently is self-initiated voluntary activity. Participating as a volunteer in activities initiated and carried out by an organisation is called organisation-led voluntary activity.

When volunteers help to carry out a specific activity, event or project, or respond to a call, this is one-off voluntary activity. Acting continuously over a longer period is called regular voluntary activity. Voluntary service is a more thoroughly organised and defined part of voluntary activity, characterised by a fixed period of time; clear objectives, content, tasks, structure and framework; appropriate support and legal and social protection.

"Volunteer work" is a term used in everyday life as a synonym for voluntary activity. For the sake of clarity, however, it is more sensible to consistently use the term voluntary activity, because acting as a volunteer is not covered by the labour legislation of the Republic of Estonia.

Source: Vabatahtlike Värav

Requirements for becoming a volunteer

REQUIREMENTS FOR BECOMING A VOLUNTEER

• 

  You are at least 18 years old. If you are still a minor, you can, by agreement with the shelter, raise support for animals by holding charity sales at school and in the community, or become a foster home together with your family.

• You can commit to volunteering for at least six months. To be a volunteer at the shelter, you must be able to work at least one shift every two weeks over the course of six months, according to a schedule agreed in advance. Depending on the work, a shift is 2-4 hours long.

• You respect and help carry forward the principles of Varjupaikade MTÜ, including our position on euthanasia.

• You embrace the volunteer code of ethics of Varjupaikade MTÜ and the other rules in force at the shelter.

• You are physically able to work at the shelter. Most of the work requires standing for long periods and a lot of moving, lifting and carrying. You are not allergic to the factors present at the shelter.

• You are able to stay positive in stressful situations.

If you feel that you meet these conditions, then explore the volunteering opportunities and, if everything suits you, fill in the volunteer application and we will let you know the time of the next initial guidance session for volunteers. If you would like to start offering animals a foster home, apply through Zelos. Your data will be used only within Varjupaikade MTÜ and will not be disclosed to third parties.

In our shelters, in cooperation with the Unemployment Insurance Fund, we offer unemployed people the opportunity to work as volunteers, with the aim of giving them new work skills and experience, professional contacts, and involving them more strongly in the life of society.

Volunteering opportunities

WHAT DO VOLUNTEERS DO?

• They care for the cats - the aim is to ensure and improve the welfare of cats at the shelter. Tasks include keeping the cat cages and rooms clean.
• They care for the dogs (this kind of help is needed very rarely) - the aim is to provide the dogs with mental and physical activity and social contact with people. Tasks include keeping the dogs' living quarters clean.
• They take photos and videos - creating high-quality, engaging photos and videos of the shelter animals. One good picture says more than a thousand words. Good photos and videos significantly help the animals find homes.
• They coordinate and guide others (requires longer-term volunteering experience) - Volunteer coordinators are like the glue that holds our volunteer team together. The work involves inspiring and encouraging new people, guiding and training them, and keeping records of the volunteers. The aim is to prepare volunteers who are motivated, aware of our vision, mission, goals and rules, know how to behave with both animals and people, are confident and represent the shelter in the best possible way.
• They help introduce the animals at the shelter (requires longer-term volunteering experience) - Working during the shelter's opening hours with visitors and potential future animal owners. Introducing animals to prospective adopters, answering questions and giving general advice.

What do volunteers do outside the shelter?

• They provide foster homes - Being a foster home (or foster family or temporary home) means caring for an animal, generally until it can begin its search for a new home at the shelter. Read more about providing a foster home here.
• They raise donations and share information - They raise donations and share information - The work of animal shelters depends largely on how much money can be raised through donations, with the help of sponsors, through charity sales and other ways of generating income. Volunteers who help do all this are called fundraisers. As we want to help more and more animals and also engage in preventive work, we need more financial resources for this. This work does not require special education; previous experience is of course an asset. A volunteer should have basic computer skills, and a knowledge of English makes the work much more interesting. In terms of personal qualities, very good communication and self-expression skills, a sense of responsibility, courage, a presentable manner, cheerfulness and creativity are certainly important. The possibilities for raising money are endless, and the more original the ideas, the better the results. Working as a fundraiser offers, above all, the chance to develop communication skills and professional skills that are useful in both private and working life. Discover the salesperson or marketer in yourself as a volunteer, and it may bring about a turning point in your career. The work involves taking part in various events (charity sales, fairs, expos, flea markets and so on) to raise donations and share information about the shelter, and distributing information materials to clinics, local authorities and other places.
• They create, design and get busy on social media - The work involves designing promotional materials: brochures, advertisements, leaflets, posters and so on. Helping to improve the website and bring ideas to life. Making the most of the opportunities offered by social media.
• They translate and edit - Mainly translating (Estonian-English, English-Estonian, Estonian-Russian, Russian-Estonian) or editing texts intended to educate and inform shelter staff, volunteers and the general public.
• They train children and adults - You do not always have to work directly with animals in order to help. Trainers educate children and adults on animal protection, topics relating to shelters, animal abuse and so on.

First, be sure to familiarise yourself with the requirements for becoming a volunteer and the volunteering opportunities. If everything suits you, fill in the volunteer application and we will let you know the time of the next initial guidance session for volunteers. If you would like to start offering animals a foster home, apply through Zelos. Your data will be used only within Varjupaikade MTÜ and will not be disclosed to third parties.

Volunteer application

VOLUNTEER APPLICATION

The aim of Varjupaikade MTÜ's volunteer programme is to involve the hearts, hands and minds of the community in helping animals. Thank you so much for your interest in joining us! This application is the first step on the way to becoming a volunteer. To fill in the application, you must be at least 18 years old. First, be sure to familiarise yourself with the requirements for becoming a volunteer and the volunteering opportunities. If everything suits you, fill in the volunteer application and we will get in touch with you. Filling in the application does not guarantee a place in the volunteer programme. Your data will be used only within Varjupaikade MTÜ and will not be disclosed to third parties.