Volunteering for Joy Rides

Thank you for your interest in volunteering to be a trishaw guide and/or a support escort for Joy Rides. There are few volunteer opportunities that offer as much fun and satisfaction. Indeed, our guides are often as moved by the experience of giving the trishaw rides as the guests are in receiving them. However, as enjoyable as they are, the first priority is for the guests and guides to have a safe experience every time out. Volunteer training is the key to achieving this goal.

Before engaging in training, volunteers must be able to commit to a 3-hour window for each assignment. Typically, these are weekdays 9:30 AM-12:30 PM. This allows our residence facility partners to schedule a full morning or afternoon of rides without having to interrupt a session to swap out volunteers.  Preferably, guides can be available for the same weekly time slot to encourage friendships with the guests and their families over the course of several rides.  Once training is completed, pilots should complete rides regularly to maintain "active" status.  You do not need to be a member of the church to be a volunteer with Joy Rides Dunedin.

To ensure the safety and peace of mind of our passengers and their families, volunteers must be certified to perform in the role of trishaw guide and/or support escort.  

In order to become a certified volunteer pilot, candidates must:

1. Be at least 21 years of age and possess a current driver's license.

2. Complete a Volunteer Information form.

3. Pass a background check. (Click here to download the form.) Return the completed form along with a photocopy of your driver's license. Applicants will be disqualified if they have any criminal records, sex offenses, and/or repeated motor vehicle violations in their report. (Joy Rides Dunedin will assume the cost of the background investigation.)

4. Read completely, sign and submit the Joy Rides Volunteer Waiver Agreement.*

5. There are two online bicycle training options available.  Only one must be completed and certification should be submitted with application*.

The first option is the Cycling Savvy Basics course. (Trainees are responsible for the registration fee.) This course introduces the basics of safe traffic cycling techniques. Although it is a "basics" course, even experienced cyclists will learn about conflict zones on streets and trails, proper lane control, communication with motorists, and situational awareness.

The second option is  Florida Bicycle Safety Quiz (flbikesafetyquiz.com)   The "adult cyclist" section should be satisfactorily completed at the "Gold" certification level.  There is no fee associated with this course/ quiz, however you must have a Google account set up for this option.

6.  In order to fully understand our procedures and the requirements of being a volunteer pilot with Joy Rides Dunedin, we ask all interested candidates to complete a "Ride Along" on one of our facility tours.  On the ride along, you would be able to follow along on your own bicycle during one of our routes, observe interactions and safety protocol, and ask questions of our trained pilots.  When you submit your application packet, the Training Coordinator will contact you to set this up based on your availability and our current schedule.

7.  In-person instruction will be offered and is typically a 2-3 hour long training that covers handling and traffic skills with the rickshaw.  The trainee should satisfactorily perform all skills and be tested after training is completed and sign off that they have competently demonstrated skills. 

8. Following in-person training, the trainee must log a total of 6 hours of road time supervised by one of our trained volunteer pilots.  This must be completed within 30 days of the in-person training. 

*All completed forms, copy of driver's license, and certificate of completion of required online training should be submitted to Hello@JoyRidesDunedin.org or delivered to the First Presbyterian Church Office during business hours.

Once all requirements are satisfactorily met, qualified volunteers will be listed on the Joy Rides Approved List of Volunteers and be eligible to sign up as guides or escorts.