1. Application: This gives Lambert House staff basic information about your qualification and interests in volunteering with us. This allows us to determine if you might be a good match for a volunteer role and will be followed by an interview if there is a potential for a good fit. Please complete and return your application as soon as you can.

  2. Interview: All potential volunteers will interview with the Program Director or Program Manager, sometimes accompanied by other staff as appropriate depending on the volunteer role. Interviews may be online or in-person at our Drop-In Center and tend to be be 60-90 minutes long.

  3. Shadow Shift: Volunteers wishing to work directly with youth must complete a 3 hour “Shadow Shift” with current volunteers in our drop-in center. Potential volunteers have the opportunity to meet youth and other volunteers during drop-in hours to get an idea of what they may expect before making a commitment to Lambert House youth. Volunteers & youth may also give feedback about how the potential volunteer would fit in the role.

  4. References Check: Lambert House staff will conduct checks of all references provided via email or phone. Including both pieces of contact information for references, as well as talking with your references in advance, is helpful in completing this step in a timely manner.

  5. Seven Year National Criminal Background Check: This step is required by the City of Seattle and will be completed prior to volunteers being invited to training. This will be followed by an annual Washington state check each year a volunteer stays with the organization. An additional driving record check will be done for staff-approved volunteers wishing to transport youth to and from off-site programs and events.

  6. Training: Any volunteer applicants who will be working directly with youth must complete Lambert House volunteer training. This training is approximately 20 hours long, and will be delivered in an online and in-person hybrid model (a mix of self-paced online training training, and required in-person training sessions). Topics include Adolescent Development, Active Listening, Building Allyship with Transgender Youth, Youth-Adult Boundaries, Drug/Alcohol Abuse Among LGBTQ Youth, Homelessness Among LGBTQ Youth, Suicide & Crisis Intervention, and Internalized Oppression. Additional training may be required depending on volunteer role and skills or previous experience.

  7. Commitment: So that Lambert House may continue to offer a wide variety of robust services on a small budget, we ask volunteers to make a 1-year minimum commitment. The average length of stay for adult volunteers is beyond 4.5 years.

Application

Have questions? Send an email to our Program Manager.