Zoos and Animal Parks

In this e-Volunteerism feature, the story of volunteers at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo shows how and why your organization can empower volunteers to help tell your story. As writer Karie Hajek explains, volunteers are often referred to as the “heart” of an organization and represent a crucial, untapped voice that can help organizations embody their mission.

“With strategic attention to incorporating your messaging into your recruiting and training process, you can better equip your volunteers to engage your audience and support your cause,” writes Hajek, who is Volunteer Services Specialist at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. “It is through this lens that you can truly see and acknowledge volunteers as an invaluable extension and voice of your organization.” 

We typically write about volunteers in human service settings, but we don’t want to overlook the enormous popularity of volunteering with animals and the volunteer management involved with these unique settings. In this issue, Along the Web highlights the many roles volunteers take up in zoos and animal parks – including  working alongside rather than ‘hands on’ with animals and the many human-facing roles volunteers often play with paying customers. Writer Arnie Wickens provides links to websites of zoos around the world to illustrate some of the volunteer experiences to be found, and also includes links to videos of volunteers, volunteer managers, and relevant academic research about volunteers in zoos.