Enhancing Therapy-Based Programs Through Virtual Volunteer Training

Abstract

GiGi’s Playhouse is a non-profit organization that serves individuals with Down syndrome from infancy through adulthood. GiGi’s supports the development, acceptance, and achievements of those with Down syndrome alongside their families. Due to the limited number of paid staff members at GiGi’s, they rely on volunteers to lead therapy-based programs. However according to the Executive Director of GiGi’s Playhouse Indianapolis, volunteers are not comprehensively trained during their in-person orientation. This capstone project involved transitioning orientation from a one-time in-person training to an enhanced e-learning training. There are multiple heightened components of the online training including the addition of supplementary resources, a glossary of terms, and a quiz about Down syndrome. This project is sustainable for the Playhouse as well as time-saving for site staff who no longer have to coordinate and implement volunteer training. The capstone student gained advanced skills in both education and program development during the doctoral capstone experience (DCE).