Active SWV Community Captains lead free activities of interest to them, in places and times convenient to them and inviting for their families, friends and neighbors. This peer-to-peer approach enables every day people to become leaders of health in their communities.
What is a Community Captain?
Community Captains are champions of health in their communities. They motivate friends and family, lend social support, and ensure a safe environment for the physical activity programs they lead. You do not need to have any special skills to sign up as a volunteer Community Captain. All the training is provided for free.
Community Captain Training
Community Captain receives specialized training to make sure each program is of the highest quality and safety standards.
- Leadership to ensure they understand group dynamics
- Risk management
- CPR/First Aid
- Communication and program promotion
- Certification in specific activities; Leave No Trace hiking etiquette, Tai Chi, Refit dance aerobics, pickle ball, group fitness, water aerobics, paddle boarding, rock climbing, mountain biking, and more.
Benefits of volunteering as an Active SWV Community Captain
Community Captain success story examples are in each link.
- Social– Volunteering helps connect you with new healthy friends and can help increase your social and relationship skills.
- Health– Volunteering is also great for your mental and physical health. It can counteract stress, anger, and anxiety. It can combat depression and make you happy by increasing self-confidence and providing a sense of purpose.
- Family– Volunteering can bring fun and fulfillment to your life, so get the entire family involved. Children watch everything going on around them and learn from those experiences. Teaching them how powerfully beneficial volunteering can be will help them grow as a person.
- Career-Volunteering can also help advance your career by gaining new job skills and valuable experience. Some of the most valuable skills that you will gain while volunteering is compassion, positive attitude, open mind, and willingness to do whatever is needed.
How do I become a Community Captain?
First, ask yourself if there is something specific you want to do.
For example, do I want…
…to make it better around where I live
…to meet people who are different from me
…to try something new
…to do something with my spare time
…to see a different way of life and new places
…to have a go at the type of work I might want to do as a full-time job
…to do more with my interests and hobbies
…to do something I’m good at
The best way to volunteer is to match your personality and interests. Having answers to these questions will help you narrow down your search. check out our events calendar for programs already in place and for ideas in your community
Second, contact our Community Captain Director, Erin Ellis-Reid, for more discussion about how Active SWV can best support you as a volunteer Community Captain.
Third, have your first program and invite your friends, family and neighbors!
You can get started now by visiting our volunteer page.
Active SWV wants you to become a champion of health in your own community. Now is a great time to start thinking about the New year and your plans to help your community and begin 2019 with a physically active lifestyle. Active SWV has plenty of opportunities to get you started on the right track with one on one training and personalized support.
[email protected] [email protected] (304) 254-8488
