Everyone at Wenlo RDA is an unpaid volunteer, including the coaches. Our volunteers assist in a range of activities, which help both disabled and riders with special needs make the most of their time at Wenlo.  If you have a few hours to spare each week or even at odd times throughout the month, do consider coming along to see what we do. You don't have to be ‘horsey’, you just need to have plenty of enthusiasm and a willingness to help.  Training will be given and you will become part of a friendly and supportive team.  Each session is overseen by a qualified RDA Coach and some helpers go on to be coaches themselves.

Our volunteers are involved in a variety of activities including:

» Getting ponies ready for rides
» Helping with games and props during rides in the indoor school
» Looking after equipment used by the group
» Fundraising
» Taking part in training sessions
» Helping with special events, and competitions including RDA competitions & Special Olympics

At Wenlo RDA Group, we are proud to have an incredible team of volunteers, each with something different to offer.
Our volunteers range in age from 12 years old upwards (we couldn’t possibly disclose the age of our oldest volunteer) and every volunteer plays a vital part in enabling us to offer the best possible experience for each rider.
It is also very important to us that our volunteers are enjoying their experience with Wenlo and we love to hear about the positive impact volunteering with us can have on them as individuals.

 Becoming A Volunteer

If you are aged 12+ years and would like to find out more about volunteering with Wenlo RDA Group, please do not hesitate to contact us to arrange an initial visit to meet us, the ponies and see what we do. Following a visit, should you decide to pursue volunteering with Wenlo RDA Group, upon completion of a simple application form and a short induction process you will be ready to join the Wenlo team of volunteers.

(All volunteers aged 16+ will also be asked to complete a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check in line with RDA National policy). 

Volunteers are asked to familiarise themselves with our list of policies below (please click the link to download or read each policy.)

• Policy 1: Volunteer Policy
• Policy 2: Working Together Code of Conduct and Safeguarding Code of Conduct
• Policy 3: Health & Safety Policy
• Policy 4: Safeguarding Children Policy and Reporting Procedures
• Policy 5: Safeguarding Adults at Risk Policy and Reporting Procedures
• Policy 6: E-Safety Policy and E-Safety Code of Code of Conduct
• Policy 7: Privacy Notice and Data Protection Policy

 Once you have read all of the policies you will need to sign and date the Policy Checklist and hand to Dawn to file.  All hard copies of the policies are also available upon request at the yard. 

 Note: If you are a member of The Pony Club, you can start volunteering as part of your Pony Club Achievement Badge.

RDA volunteering can help towards your Duke of Edinburgh Awards at all levels and time spent helping with RDA on a regular basis qualifies for the service element of the award. 

One of our volunteers wrote about her experience:

"Whenever I see a smiling face after a lesson it certainly makes all of the running worth it. Particularly, though, when it is a disabled rider as you know that their lesson will benefit them both mentally and physically even more than other riders." Read more...

 One of our riders wanted to put in to words what riding means to her:

 "the psychological benefits, the ones that maybe not so many people can see, far outweigh the physical ones in my opinion. Not only am I ridiculously happy after a good lesson, but it makes me feel like I can do anything. I can achieve anything I set out to do. A year ago, I couldn’t walk. I didn’t know what activities I would be able to do. I didn’t know if I’d be able to do simple things, like standing in the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea, and now I’m beginning to canter on a horse."  Read more...