A Safety Net of Services for Families

Volunteer Opportunities

Family Crisis Center: 
This center houses and provides counseling groups for women and children in crises due to domestic violence.  Volunteers are needed to answer the 24-hour crisis line, provide childcare during counseling sessions for mothers, and to assist staff in providing play therapy for children.  Training is given on a bi-monthly basis.

Great Starts:
Volunteers are needed to hold babies and play with children ages 6 weeks to 4 years old in our therapeutic nursery/day care for children who have been exposed to drugs/alcohol and other high risk children.  Childcare is needed some nights and weekends while the mothers are involved in treatment sessions.

Kids on the Block:
Volunteers are needed in Knox, Sevier, Blount and other surrounding counties to serve as puppeteers to provide education to children regarding sensitive subjects such as divorce, AIDS, disability awareness, child abuse, etc.  Volunteers must be able to learn the presentation script and puppetry techniques as well as commit to a presentation one time a week throughout the school year and/or summer.

Safe Place:
Volunteers are trained to respond to youth in  crisis that are requesting help at a Safe Place location in our community.  Volunteers respond within 15 minutes after they are called to talk with the youth and to access the situation.  Although all Safe Place volunteers are required to attend a 6-hour session, the additional time commitment is minimal.   Most volunteers are called less than once a month.  There are additional opportunities to conduct presentations to school and/or community groups.

Bridging the Gap:
BTG staff are looking for reading/homework mentors for the children (typically 4-10 years old) of program participants. 

Interested in volunteering?  Contact the Human Resources Department at (865) 524-7483 for further information.