Without the generosity, care and hard work of our dedicated volunteers, our program would not exist. Working at Brady not only brings strength and healing to our program participants and helps our horses thrive, it inspires our volunteers. There are a variety of tasks from horse care and grooming, preparing for lessons, grounds maintenance, and more where you can fulfill your desire to give.
Our volunteers come to work but stay for their own life changing experiences.
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS:
Brady provides student volunteers opportunities for leadership, mentoring, and apprenticeship. Students learn basic horse husbandry e.g. feeding, grooming, leading horses, equine behavior management, and sidewalking therapy horses. They work in an inclusive setting, interacting closely with youth with developmental or physical disabilities and/or systems-impacted youth. Students also have opportunities to plan and facilitate special holiday events. Many have expressed that the Brady program has helped them deal with their own mental health struggles—especially during the pandemic. Alumni of the Brady volunteer program have established lasting friendships, and several have continued to pursue careers focused on animals or the special needs community.
ADULT VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
Brady is proud to work with Job Corps, the parents involved with Service Corps and National Charity League (NCL) as well as other local adult volunteer organizations to provide adults with opportunities to learn, lead and serve by:
receiving training in all aspects of animal husbandry, and barn management and maintenance
working with differently abled and systems-impacted youth, through equine assisted therapy, horsemanship, and animal husbandry
supervising and training other volunteers, including teams of youth volunteers
This promotes local community building and engagement, giving back, mentorship and raises awareness of the wide ranging benefits of equine assisted therapy.
In 2020, several high school volunteers from Stuart Hall High School, St Ignatius High School, and the Cub Scouts came together to write several grant proposals to fund the construction of a Riding Trail, equine obstacles, and the development of several holiday parties from horse back. They then created and built the trail, obstacles, and parties so that Brady clients would not miss out on Trick or Treating, a visit with Santa, a Valentines exchange, and even a visit with the Easter Bunny. The video below is a summary of their efforts.