This page includes policies on how things are done at Big Cat Rescue. Most of these policies have been the unwritten rule in the past so they are being posted here to make sure that we are all on the same page. A manual is being comprised, but this page will serve as a handy reference until then. As these policies are updated they are emailed out to the volunteers affected by them and updated here as well.
Video Instructions
Find Specific Information?
Type a key work in the box near the top right of the screen and then click the button Search this Site. Any time that key word is found on the BigCatRescue.me site it will appear in the search results. For instance if you wanted to see all of the Tour Fact Triva, just type this phrase into the search box and all of the articles referencing this will appear.
Get a Class?
There are several training classes available for each level and department of the Volunteer Program. Classes are scheduled on the Class Calendar (see link below). The volunteer is responsible for making sure that they have completed the required prerequisite classes before attending a class that is offered. If a volunteer attends a class that they are not eligible for, the volunteer may be required to repeat the class once they are eligible. This determination will be made by the Volunteer Committee on a case-by-case basis. On the link here called See My Classes, there is a tab at the bottom called Teachers. You can contact anyone who teaches the class you need and ask them to teach you. Only approved volunteers can teach classes and these volunteers are listed under each class on the Teachers tab of the Class Completion Chart. A volunteer may request to become a teacher of a specific class by submitting their request to the Volunteer Committee via email at Committee@bigcatrescue.org or in writing via the Volunteer Committee folder located in the Gift Shop office. Class Calendar See My Classes When a class is given the most recent version of the class should be printed directly from the BigCatRescue.me site as classes are frequently updated.
Get a Promotion?
Get the Application to fill out and submit here Applications
Application will be reviewed at the monthly Volunteer Committee meetings and promotions will be announced at the monthly Volunteer Meeting. Promotions will be made after reviewing consecutive months of service, maintenance of monthly hours, completion of classes, as well as consultation with Volunteer Coordinators. Please make sure you get your application to the Volunteer Committee in plenty of time for us to complete all of the following prior to our next Volunteer Appreciation meeting. 2 or 3 weeks before the meeting is best.
The applicant must have completed the minimum required number of consecutive months, maintaining the minimum number of hours for their level. The applicant must have completed all of the required classes for their current level in the volunteer program. The applicant must apply in writing to the Volunteer Committee and must specify which department they are requesting promotion within, Keeper or Partner.
Upon receipt of an application, the Volunteer Committee will review the applicant’s past volunteer hours. If the applicant has only met the minimum required hours, the Volunteer Committee will discuss the added requirement with the applicant, prior to promotion, to ensure that the new hourly requirements will be able to be met. If the applicant has not maintained the minimum number of consecutive months maintaining their hourly requirements, the Volunteer Committee will deny the application. An appropriate number of months will be determined for the applicant to continue to maintain their minimum hourly requirements, after which the applicant may reapply for promotion.
In addition, the Volunteer Committee will review the Class Completion Chart to ensure that the applicant has completed all of the required classes for promotion. If the applicant has not completed the required number of classes, the application will be denied and the applicant must take the required classes, after which the applicant may reapply for promotion.
The Volunteer Committee will also consult with the appropriate Volunteer Coordinator to receive feedback about the applicant’s overall performance and attitude within the program. If the Volunteer Coordinator is not confident in the applicant’s current abilities, the Volunteer Committee will take this under advisement and may speak with and encourage the applicant to focus on sharpening these specific skills in question. Applicant may then reapply for promotion after a designated period of time to be established by the Volunteer Committee. The Volunteer Coordinator will also be advised to monitor the applicant’s improvements over the designated period of time, after which the Volunteer Committee and the Volunteer Coordinator will reevaluate the application for promotion.
The applicant will be informed of the Volunteer Committee’s decision regarding their application for promotion, whether denied or to be reconsidered at a future date. Once an applicant’s application for promotion has been approved, the Volunteer Committee will announce the promotion at the monthly Volunteer Meeting and provide one complimentary volunteer shirt, the color and status of the newly acquired level, to the applicant. After the Volunteer Meeting, the Volunteer Committee may meet privately with the applicant to discuss the new requirements expected of the applicant, special projects that will be assigned to the applicant, and goals for the applicant to aspire to. The Volunteer Committee will update all records to reflect the new level of the applicant.
Teach a Class?
Class teachers are required to observe the following guidelines:
Scheduled Classes: Teachers that have time available to teach classes should schedule these classes and the times that they will be offered on the Class Calendar on thebigcatrescue.me site. Volunteers may check this calendar and attend these classes if they have completed the required prerequisite classes.
Unscheduled Classes: Prior to teaching an unscheduled class the class teacher will make an announcement over the radio as to the time and location of the class. Every effort will be made to accommodate volunteers on property who wish to attend.
Approved teachers are free to schedule their own classes and the Volunteer Committee may also request that teachers offer classes at certain times. Classes are often updated and should be printed directly from the BigCatRescue.me site. All classes are located in the Class & Maps section. Some classes have multiple parts so be sure to check if the title of the class says 1 of 3 and print all necessary components of the class. Remember that all quizzes must be given at the same time the class is given, and that each student receives his/her own copy of each portion of class materials. All other copies are signed and dated by the students and the teachers. Please place the signed materials in the top portion of the horizontal file on top of the volunteer file cabinet (in front of the door to the east office of the Main Office).
Upon completion of the class, the teacher will advise the Volunteer Committee of the class given and those in attendance by e-mailing that information to committee@bigcatrescue.org.
Print a List
To print off a list from the .me site to check on items that still need to be addressed you need to go to the page on the .me site that you want to print and then.
The issues are already listed by date, with the most recent first, but you may have already addressed some and not others, so sort by Vet Checked, or Fixed, or Manager Checked, etc. so that all of the unchecked ones rise to the top.
You won’t be able to print the whole list from .me so at the top left of your screen choose Documents > Create New (top left) mouse over then > Spreadsheet
The top line of the spread sheet should be left blank for sorting, so put your cursor in the square A 2
Go back to the .me Observation page that you want to print.
Copying and pasting from this is pretty tricky and you may find that it copies way too much info, but that is OK. It is easy to delete the extra stuff when you get it into the Spreadsheet.
Scroll down to the bottom item that you want to print and click your mouse to the far outside edge of the list on the right. If you clicked inside the edge it highlights that item for you to edit it and you can’t copy, so you have to click outside of the right side so that it does not select the last item for editing purposes.
Click or drag your mouse upward and it will highlight all of the items above where you positioned your mouse. Right click or Control C to copy.
Go over to your open Spreadsheet, make sure the mouse is in A 2 and Right Click or Control V to paste.
You will then notice that the top 15 or 20 lines have all of the instructional text that you don’t need, so just highlight those and delete them so that you items to check off rise to the top.
Now you can type in the headers at the top line, if you want to sort by name, type of issue, etc.
If you have trouble printing this Spreadsheet, you can choose Print > Print as PDF > Open the PDF that downloads and print it.
Add, Edit or Delete a Blog post?
Go here for step by step instructions and video: https://sites.google.com/a/bigcatrescue.org/volunteer/volunteers/volunteerblog/howdoiaddeditordeleteablogpost
Add Big Cat Rescuers to my iPhone?
Step 1: On a regular computer
First open the Class Completion Document, Download as CSV.
If you do not have access to this document then, copy and paste from Sites-Volunteers-Contact Info into excel
Delete all columns except Email (you will need to name this column), Phone, Phone 2, First, Last
Save as CSV file
Step 2: On a regular computer
Open Email in Gmail format (Not in Outlook)
Go to Contacts (bottom left hand side)
Select Import
Select Browse
Select (file you just made)
Select Import
Step 3: Attach Iphone to computer
Then when you sync your iPhone it will sync your contacts as well. Hope this helps, Chelsea.
