Do you have an artistic or athletic hobby?
Will you teach it to a kid impacted by chronic illness?
Getting matched with a kid is easy (SEE THIS 1-MINUTE VIDEO).
You don’t have to be a professional to share your hobby or skill!
Through our CoachArt Connect app, volunteers are matched with a young person based on similar interests (like painting, basketball, yoga, guitar, and more). The starting commitment is just four 1-hour lessons, either online or in person. CoachArt covers the cost of materials. And don’t worry… our team will help you feel confident and inspired to get your first lesson off the ground!
Start by filling out the volunteer registration below. For more info, see our Volunteer FAQ.
The CoachArt Connect app makes it easy and fast for volunteer coaches to get matched with kids — watch:
CoachArt children have chronic, physical illnesses and conditions that require ongoing treatment. These are children living with arthritis, cancer, cerebral palsy, diabetes, heart disease, HIV, kidney failure, Spina Bifida, craniofacial anomalies and various orthopedic disabilities, among other conditions. See a list of qualifying diagnoses here. Not all chronic illnesses are accompanied by physical symptoms, and many times CoachArt kids look and act just like their healthy siblings. All chronically ill children who participate in our program receive a medical consent from their doctor before participating in any CoachArt lesson so that we can be aware of any special needs or limitations.
CoachArt lessons take place both online and in the communities where children live. One-On-One Lessons can be a great opportunity for immunocompromised kids or for those who would benefit from individual attention; they can happen online or in the child’s home. Group Lessons and Clubs take place online or in community locations depending on the activity. Each CoachArt lesson is approximately one hour long, and can occur during the week or on weekends. CoachArt requires a parent or guardian to be on-site during the lessons.
Volunteers do not need to be experts and no formal training is required. We ask that volunteers possess enough knowledge to teach a four-week session of beginner-level lessons and feel confident enough to provide an activity without support. That’s easier than you might think — we have lesson plans, activity ideas, templates and other resources you can use.
Our core program requires a four-week commitment of one hour per week. It’s important that volunteers sign up for opportunities they can commit to. Therefore, CoachArt staff will work with you to determine the best fit. Please email volunteer@coachart.org to learn more.
All prospective volunteers complete an online application and attend an online training where they learn about health and safety requirements of the program and are given tips for how to best work with CoachArt kids. Volunteers are required to pass a background check before they are matched in a lesson with a CoachArt kid. All regular CoachArt volunteers must be 18 years of age or older to participate in the program; find out more on our Volunteer page. If you’re between the ages of 14 and 17, you can participate in our Junior Volunteer program; find out more here.
Volunteers can submit their receipts from their lesson materials purchase to receive reimbursement. Reimbursement typically takes 1-2 weeks. If a volunteer is unable to pay out of pocket, CoachArt can purchase lesson supplies directly. See details here.
Contact us and we’ll get back to you in 1 business day.