Volunteer Opportunities

Share Your Time and Talent! Be a Part of Something Life Changing!

• Join a group of enthusiastic, dedicated volunteers who build Wheelchair Ramps for the Wheelchair Ramp Accessibility Program (WRAP) in and around Linn County
• Volunteer as an individual or a team
• We have opportunities to match your skills and interests
• Start making a difference in your community today

Qualifications

Welcome Volunteers!

• Ages 16 and up
• Men and women
• No construction experience required
• Be willing to learn and work with others, we will train and mentor you for your desired role
• We work hard to incorporate every willing volunteer regardless of skill level

We need your help!

Volunteer Roles

Choose from a variety of positions, from manual labor to administrative support.

Designers

CRITICAL NEED!

WRAP needs Designers to lead the construction of our projects.

• Meet with client via phone or at their home (masked and socially distanced)
• Evaluate the location
• Design the wheelchair ramp or extra-wide steps
• Develop the list of building materials
• Obtain building permits
• Manage the construction project
• Oversee the cleanup after the build

Prior experience is not needed. During training, you will follow a current designer on several builds to learn the process and follow our design guidelines. We provide training classes, including Design 101, Design 201, Wide Steps, and Aluminum.

You should enjoy working with your hands, be detail-oriented, and tolerate outdoor work.

Build Lead

• You will be responsible for overseeing the project
• Planning the project
• Managing the project
• Tracking the progress of a one-day ramp build
• You will collaborate with the designer who has worked with the client to finalize the ramp blueprint and ordered the materials
• At the end of the day, you will know that you have changed someone’s life through improved home access.

Requirements include:

• Ability to plan and see the “Big Picture”
• Read and interpret blueprints, plans, instructions, and specifications to determine work activities
• Ensure availability of tools, materials, and equipment
• Oversee volunteers and their respective duties
• Solve problems
• Follow established safety rules and regulations
• Maintain a safe and clean environment

Carpenters

As a carpenter for WRAP:

• Study specifications in building plans to prepare project layout
• Shape or cut materials to specified measurements, using hand tools, machines, or a power saw
• Measure and mark cutting lines on materials, using ruler, pencil, chalk, and marking gauge
• Install structures and fixtures using hand and power tools

General Laborer

As a General Laborer for WRAP

Your duties may vary and could include:

• Cleaning and preparing a job site, being a runner, digging, sweeping, loading, and delivering materials
• Using a variety of tools and machines such as levels, power drills, grinders, and saws
• Materials you may work with may include wood and aluminum
• Bring any tools you have to the site
• Training is provided

Business Support

Duties vary with changing needs but may include:

• Webmaster support
• Marketing
• Public speaking engagements
• Promotional material development and distribution
• Fundraising
• Social media support

Board Member at Large

• Help determine organizational policies regarding issues such as participant eligibility, program requirements, and program benefits

Groups/Teams

Join WRAP on a one-day build that will change someone’s life!

• Bring your group!
  • Work groups, school groups, church groups, friends, families, or any group, is welcome
  • Support WRAP with your time and talents serving as volunteer laborers
• Teams of eight to ten are ideal
• The WRAP coordinator will match your team size and skill level with the project and WRAP mentors
• If your group is smaller, we will add more volunteers to make a full team
• If you’d like to know more about serving your community as a group, contact us at (319)270-7294

Client Intake Intern

• The client intake intern is enrolled in a college program studying Social Services, or a related program and will be involved in a hands-on, semester-long field experience for school credit. The course of study will have a strong focus on exploring and understanding human behaviors, social policy, social programs, communication, record keeping, interviewing, observing, group resources, and problem solving.

Design Intern

• The design intern is an advanced student in a college program such as engineering, physics, or architecture
• Will gain hands-on experience working with the public and problem-solving home access issues
• Will be responsible for creating, fashioning, executing, and/or constructing according to plan, the design of a residential wooden wheelchair ramp or extra-wide steps for home access
• Responsible for following guidelines set by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) for slope and length under the supervision of a WRAP designer
• This will enable WRAP to reduce client wait times (more than 20 projects are always in queue for design needs)

United Way Day of Caring

• WRAP builds three to six ramps on this day each year with teams from the community

Social Work Intern from Mount Mercy University

• The intern is enrolled in a college program, such as Social Services, and will be completing a hands-on, semester-long field experience for school credit
• The course of study will have a strong focus on exploring and understanding human behaviors, social policy, social programs, communication, record keeping, interviewing, observing, group resources, and problem solving
• This position works closely with the WRAP intake coordinator

Volunteer Expectations

• Must stay until the ramp is finished (some ramps take longer than others due to size, complexity, and amount of onsite customization so if you must leave at a certain time, please make this known to the WRAP coordinator in advance)
• Be prepared for safe construction work, no flip-flops or open-toed shoes allowed. No loose clothing allowed.
• Please bring snacks, work gloves, eye protection, and plenty of water.

See a Build

Check out this WRAP team in action! See a build before you jump in and take part! Our time-lapse video of a wheelchair ramp build will give you an idea of what we do and what to expect.