Volunteer Opportunities
Dignified Lifestyles - The Arc’s Dignified Lifestyles Program Protects Quality of Life in Group Homes.
In Kent County we take pride in caring about all citizens that comprise our community, and many in our community have expressed concern about the welfare of persons with developmental disabilities living in group homes. These individuals may live in isolation with no contact with our community unless we make the effort to reach out to them and include them.
The Arc Kent County administers a Dignified Lifestyles & Community Connections volunteer program to visit individuals with developmental disabilities living in group homes and assess their quality of life. Volunteers visit individuals living at the home to get a clear understanding of how they feel about their living situation and what can be done to improve it. We visit homes in a different role and look for different things than licensers, who focus on environmental and procedural concerns. Our volunteers are driven by value-based concerns related to individual choice and participation.
The Arc Kent County is seeking volunteers to expand the Dignified Lifestyles program to ensure that we can reach out to all the group homes in Kent County. Dignified Lifestyle volunteers must pass a criminal background check and attend a one day training. The focus of the training is normalization, the concept that everyone is entitled to community living that is at least as good as that of any other citizen. Through training, volunteers are taught to work with both the people living at the home and the staff to make needed improvements.
Each volunteer is asked to make 12 visits per year. Following their visit, they complete a form which is sent to The Arc Kent County, The Arc Michigan, the group home visited, the home provider and management agency. All information gathered is used for local advocacy efforts as well as statewide systems change through a computer database. The program is a wonderful opportunity for families to become familiar with the group housing options available in Kent County.
Office/Program Support Volunteers
Internship Opportunities
The Arc works with many college students, particularly those majoring in social work, special education, law, and nonprofit management. Your experience with The Arc can help you develop skills that will make you stand out to future employers. For more information, email us at: patt@arckent.org
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