Docent_responsibilities

Question 1

Q: Summarize a docent’s job in one word.

Answer 1

Education.

Question 2

Q: Summarize a docent’s job in one sentence.

Answer 2

Enhancing SF Zoo visitors’ understanding and appreciation of animals and nature.

Question 3

Q: What are the responsibilities/goals of a docent? (not talking about scheduling/logistics here)

Answer 3

-Advance the SF Zoo’s mission: connecting people with wildlife, inspiring caring for nature, and advancing conservation action
-Provide accurate information about SF Zoo animals, exhibits, and conservation issues.
-Explain the various roles of the SF Zoo in a positive manner and encourage public support
-Convey a positive image of the SF Zoo to the public

Question 4

Q: Once a docent passes their final exam, what, if any, further steps are involved?

Answer 4

-Docents are provisional for the first year- until the anniversary of the first date of their docent training class.
-Provisional docents must fulfill all scheduled assignments during the provisional period to be considered for Active Docent status.

Question 5

Q: Describe the docent uniform and associated rules.

Answer 5

-‘Docent Uniform’ must be worn when participating in educational and interpretive activities.
-Docent Zoo Vest worn on the outside of all clothing.
-See-through ponchos are available in lounge.
-Shirt: non-patterned; white, black, zoo green, or shades of brown.
-Pants: plain; pants, skirts, or knee-length walking shorts; black, tan, or shades of brown.
-No blue jeans or sweatpants.
-Hats: plain or have the current Zoo logo
-Uniform flair: nothing but nametag, “ask me” button, docent council approved pins, one animal button.
-NO logos from other institutions!!
-You may borrow a vest if you forget yours.

Question 6

Q: Docent minimum time requirements.

Answer 6

-10 total hours per month
-‘6 interpretive’
-Must use biofacts at least once per month.
-‘4 benefit’
-4 Continuing Education (CE) Units per year
-Attend one of the two general meetings each year, spring or fall. (Counts as one CE credit)

Question 7

Q: Docent scheduling logistics?

Answer 7

-Typically pick one day of the week that you prefer to work on and give your preferences for that day during the month.
-Once a month you will be asked for your conflicts or the preferred days for the following month.
-Docents responsible for recording hours worked, looking at schedule, and keeping commitments.
-Record hours in binder in docent lounge.
-Important to sign/out. (Zoo staff use this info in emergencies.)

Question 8

Q: What counts as ‘interpretive’ hours?

Answer 8

-Touring, bone carts, exhibit assignments, and roaming.
-Interpretive hours are the first priority.

Question 9

Q: How long should docents wait for a scheduled tour group to arrive?

Answer 9

-After 30 minutes, if the tour has not arrived, check with the Education Department to determine tour status.
-May roam as alternative to fill hours.

Question 10

Q: What counts as ‘benefit’ hours?

Answer 10

-Anything that benefits the Docent Council or the Zoo in general.
-Tour preparation & paper work.
-Special projects done at home.
-General Meetings.
-Zoo classes or lectures.
-Volunteering at events.
-Helping with mailings.
-DEC service.

Question 11

Q: What are the continuing education requirements?

Answer 11

-Active touring docents are required to accumulate 4 CE units yearly.
-General meetings in spring or fall count as 1 unit.
-Brown Bags.
-Zoo lectures or keeper talks.
-New docent class training.
-Special zoo/docent trainings.
-Presenting a Brown Bag talk.
-Writing a Docentinel article from a trip or a class.

Question 12

Q: What is the Docentinel?

Answer 12

The docent’s bimonthly newsletter.

Question 13

Q: What if you can’t make your scheduled tour?

Answer 13

-You must find your own replacement.
-Call the Education Department with any changes to the schedule before the day of the tour with replacement docent info.
-Notification of illness or emergencies on day-of must be made to the Education Department by telephone as early as possible.

Question 14

Q: What should a scheduled volunteer do in the case of (potential) inclement weather?

Answer 14

-Call the Education Department for Zoo closure or tour cancellations
-Unless the group cancels, we give tours rain or shine; if you are scheduled you must complete the tour.

Question 15

Q: For non-tour volunteering, how must a docent handle schedule changes?

Answer 15

-Notify the Education Department that they cannot come in on that day and when they will be making up their hours.

Question 16

Q: Gorilla World docent protocols?

Answer 16

-Remove vest and keep it out of sight while in exhibit.
-Give talk to group before you go to exhibit. Don’t spen significant time at the exhibit.
-Leave Gorilla World if silverback seems agitated.
-Avoid low window station on far end of exhibit.
-Do not engage with gorillas.
-Goal: Silverback to be indifferent or oblivious to your presence. Not to like or acknowledge you.
-Do not bring rowdy tour groups to GW.
-Do not stand in front of him; view him at a distance. (If he is at the first viewing station on the east or west side of GW when you arrive, do not stop; walk past him and view him from the other side of the grotto.)

Question 17

Q: How often do volunteers receive safety training?

Answer 17

Once per year.

Question 18

Q: Which important phone numbers should docents have in their phone?

Answer 18

Education department. (Call ED first before security.)
Security.

Question 19

Q: Found child without parent procedure?

Answer 19

-Call education dept, communicate situation, name of child, description of child, name of adult.
-Wait for instructions from security to move from location.
-Do not hand over child to another guest. Wait for security or zoo employee.

Question 20

Q: Found parent without child procedure?

Answer 20

-Call security.
-Give location, last place and time child was seen, description of the child (name, age, gender, physical description).
-Await instructions from security before changing locations and stay with the parent/guardian.

Question 21

Q: First aid procedures

Answer 21

-If someone is requesting minor first aid (band-aid, ice pack, etc):
-Contact education/security via cell phone and give them your location and the request.
-Security has first aid kit that they will bring to location. Do not offer any opinions.
-If someone is experiencing a major medical emergency:
-Contact education/security via cell phone and give them your location and specify the type of emergency.
-Stay near your cell phone for follow up information and instructions from Security.

Question 22

Q: Earthquake procedures:

Answer 22

-Duck/cover/hold.
-If safe, go to the playfield lawn where Education or other staff will meet you with further instructions.
-If ANY Zoo staff directs you otherwise, follow their instructions.

Question 23

Q: What is a code red? Procedures?

Answer 23

-Potentially very dangerous animal has escaped.
-Listen to announcement or instructions from ANY Zoo staff and seek an indoor location to shelter in place.
-While the first priority is your safety, if you can safely direct guests to the nearest indoor location, please do so.
-Listen carefully to your radio and any further announcements.
-Shelter in place until the “All Clear” is called.

Question 24

Q: What is the Zoo Docent Council?

Answer 24

-The collection of all docents with a primary purpose of providing educational services in conjunction with Zoo’s education department.
-Program established in 1968.

Question 25

Q: What is the The Docent Executive Committee (DEC)?

Answer 25

-Made up of seven elected active docents with alternating terms of two years.
-Oversees docent program and provides the leadership and direction for all active and sustaining docents.
-Provides input to education dept.
-Involved in recruiting and training new docents, providing continuing education for current docents, and publishing the bimonthly newsletter, “The Docentinel”.
-Organizes special field trips to other nature-oriented organizations.
-Runs the two general meetings each year.

Question 26

Q: What is the money that docents raise used for?

Answer 26

Animal enrichment and supporting the Zoo in any way we can.

Question 27

Q: What is the name of a larger association of zoo volunteers from multiple institutions? What is it?

Answer 27

-The Association of Zoo and Aquarium Docents and Volunteers (AZADV)
-A growing international not-for-profit association.
-Purpose is to facilitate communication and the exchange of information between zoo and aquarium docents and volunteers.
-Gives unique opportunities to learn what is going around the country in other education departments and bring ideas back to the zoo.
-SF Zoo has an organizational membership.
-Sends a docent as a voting delegate to the annual Delegates Meeting held during the annual conference.
-Consider joining as an individual member. Benefits of an individual membership include: an information network, a subscription to the newsletter Symbiosis, continuing education workshops, regional & national conferences, AZADV merchandise and AZADV sponsored international & domestic travel opportunities.