Orienting participants in a volunteer program is perhaps one of the most important contributing factors to the success of program.  Therefore, Project Caress seeks to help its volunteer participants adapt to the program through its Volunteer's Orientation Manual.  In this folder, information on the history, philosophy, and goals of the program are presented.  Tips on how to work with the elderly are also included.  The orientation manual for parents consists of the history, philosophy and goals, tips on how to work with the elderly, and a series of helpful papers: How To Help People, An Emergency Form, One Woman's Legacy, and the article, ' They've got a lot of love to give'.

If a program has just been established and all the volunteers are new, you may want to have an orientation meeting with the parents before the caressing room opens.  This meeting could take place at the center, your home, or a restaurant.  At this meeting you should:

    1.) Introduce everybody to each other (name tags are helpful).  Perhaps ask each person if they would like to give a brief biography (some may feel uncomfortable with this), or speak about their child.

    2.) Hand out an orientation folder to each parent.

    3.) Explain the format of the program that you have put together.

    4.) Discuss the materials in the orientation folder and remind parents to return their emergency form.

    5.) Show parents the caressing room, if you are meeting at the center.