Those who wish to volunteer must complete an application and interview with the OAR Volunteer Coordinator. You must be prepared to make a time commitment of at least 10 hours per month for a year. You must not be currently on parole. You must successfully complete the OAR training program, and be approved by OAR staff and by the Sheriff's Department. OAR and the jail staff keep all information about volunteers in strictest confidence, including last names, telephone numbers, etc.
OAR staff can provide letters of reference and other kinds of recommendations for volunteers.
Each semester several students from local colleges work with OAR for academic credit or work-study. Interns work at least 8 hours per week for two semesters or more, and their responsibilities are broader than those of our regular volunteers. For more information, please speak to an OAR staff member. We realize that we ask a great deal of our volunteers. We are always grateful for the efforts and dedication of OAR's volunteers.