Our Partners Are Real Animals:

1. Our Partners Are Real Animals: Incorporating Animal Care Staff into Volunteer Management

2. Each team member has a designated role and responsibilities Education Specialist Duties are outlined and Exhibit Interpreter Program Management Team agreed upon each year Program Supervisor Exhibit Staff Liaison Exhibit Keeper Staff Ensures we're all invested and accountable for quality of the programs Our Structure Allows flexibility if needed

3. Then... Now...

4. Eleven Exhibit Interpreter Programs Volunteers As Front Line Educators

5. One on One Interactions Volunteers Treated Greater as Professionals Appreciation Enhanced Interview, Visitor Training, and Experience Assessment Why do it this way? Feedback

6. Written into job descriptions and Directors performance evaluations Associate Directors Curators Volunteers FONZ NZP Keeper Staff How do we make it work? Begins at the top Buy in and cooperation

7. Who Benefits?

8. How do we make it work? Meet on a regular basis In between meetings Quarterly Meetings with all the Exhibit Program Teams

9. How do we make it work? Build relationships with all exhibit staff Be Proactive Be a problem solver

10. Don't let organizational politics affect your team's relationship How do we make it work? Most of all... We're one Zoo but if it's not working at the moment... be FLEXIBLE!!

11. Obstacles? The "One Zoo" concept Job Descriptions Workload and Staffing Issues Personalities Exhibit configuration and safety restrictions New Supervisor/Established Program What obstacles? Existing volunteers/New or combined program

12. Compromise Honest Realistic Set a Goal

13. Recruitment Starts with the interview Sends the message they will be part of the team

14. Asia Trail Interpreter Program Training Schedule-August 2006 Wednesday, August 2 Date/TimeTopic 6:30 – 6:45 Welcome and Introductions – Pam Mercer/Craig Saffoe 6:45 – 7:15 Asia Trail Overview – Kara Blond, Exhibit Developer, Asia Trail 7:15 – 9:00 Elements of Interpretation – Nette Pletcher, Educational Specialist Homework: Read Manual: Introduction, Elements of Interpretation Giant Panda information Prepare: Interpret a Familiar Object Saturday, August 5 Date/TimeTopic 9:00 – 11:30 Giant Panda Natural History/Conservation/Research – Lisa Stevens, Assistant Curator 11:30 – 12:15 Lunch 12:15 – 1:30 Giant Panda Natural History/Conservation/Research – continued 1:30 – 3:00 Interpret a Familiar Object Homework: Read Manual: Red Panda fact sheet Saturday, August 12 TimeTopic 9:00 – 10:30 Sloth Bears – Jilian Fazio, NZP Keeper 10:30 – 10:45 Break 10:45 – 12:00 Fishing Cats – Jilian Fazio, NZP Keeper 12:00 – 12:45 Lunch 12:45 – 3:00 Practice Interpretation Homework: Read Manual: Asian small-clawed otter fact sheet Wednesday, August 16 Date/TimeTopic 6:30 – 7:30 Asian Small-Clawed Otters – Katey Pelican, Reproductive Physiologist 7:30 – 7:45 Break 7:45 - 9:00 Volunteer Policies/Scheduling Logistics - Pam Homework: Read Manual: Clouded Leopard fact sheet; Volunteer Policies Training Training Manual Creation

15. Training

16. Management

17. Management Day to day supervision Interpret training Interpret enrichment

18. Assessment Annual quiz Observations

19. Built framework from exhibit creation Constant staff access during shift Program Examples Closest to Ideal

20. Shared Liaison duties Good Orchestration at start of shift Working on staff access during shift Program Examples Getting Close Staff Time Construction

21. Staff appreciates but not engaged Use for non-approved activities Program Examples Little More Work Lost ed specialist

22. Program Examples Lots More Work Little Orchestration Personalities Entrenched Volunteers

23. Questions?