Animal Welfare Professionals

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  • 1.  Ice breakers for rescue volunteers?

    Posted 05-03-2024 05:20 AM

    Hi all~ 

    In a recent FAST-15 survey, we learned our foster families want more training and behavior-geared education,  so we're going to conduct our first foster family workshop in a few weeks.  Whoop, whoop!

    We're looking for ways to keep the training fun and interactive. We'll probably do door prizes or give out goodies throughout the session, which will be about 20 people. 

    Do you have a good idea for an ice breaker to help us kick off the meeting?  I know we'll have some introverts, so I don't want to make them TOO uncomfortable. 

    Any other thoughts, ideas, advice?

    Thanks so much for your help! 


    #EducationandTraining

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    Deirdre Jack
    Lone Star Bulldog Club Rescue
    dfwbulldogrescue.org
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  • 2.  RE: Ice breakers for rescue volunteers?

    Posted 05-05-2024 06:55 PM

    As an introvert,  I can think of no icebreakers that I would enjoy. I would like it if you opened with a couple jokes or memes.  Something to make people smile.



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    Patti Gorby
    Director
    North Country Pet Adoption Services
    NY
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  • 3.  RE: Ice breakers for rescue volunteers?

    Posted 05-06-2024 03:13 AM

    At the Community Cats Podcast Events- Cat Trivia is a big hit!   



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    Stacy LeBaron
    Head Cat
    The Community Cats Podcast
    Warren VT
    978-239-2090
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  • 4.  RE: Ice breakers for rescue volunteers?

    Posted 05-06-2024 05:37 AM

    Stacy~  do you just ask random questions about cats and see who in the group knows the answers?



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    Deirdre Jack
    Lone Star Bulldog Club Rescue
    dfwbulldogrescue.org
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Ice breakers for rescue volunteers?

    Posted 05-07-2024 06:03 AM

    Hi Deidre- during our virtual events we just read the question and the first person who gets the answer correct in the chat wins.  We usually offer digital prizes, but our TNR workshops have one lucky winner who gets a trap compliments of Tomahawk.  If you do this in person you would need to think of another way of doing this..maybe just do the cat trivia without prizes just to warm up the audience.  I usually have a mix of topics, from things like what is the name of Taylor Swift's cat to breed questions to health question(at what age can you spay a cat) or what is the campaign that advocates spaying at an early age(Feline Fix by Five).  I am happy to share a batch of questions with anyone... we have lots. 



    ------------------------------
    Stacy LeBaron
    Head Cat
    The Community Cats Podcast
    Warren VT
    978-239-2090
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Ice breakers for rescue volunteers?

    Posted 05-06-2024 07:21 AM

    I agree that ice breakers don't have to be personal. For brainstorming sessions, I've heard that it's good to open with creative exercises to get people's juices flowing. For a foster workshop, trivia sounds great! It's something to get people participating and interacting. Something that jumps to my mind would be breed ID, but you could do something like organization stats or history too.



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    James Pawlowicz
    Humane Rescue Alliance
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  • 7.  RE: Ice breakers for rescue volunteers?

    Posted 05-06-2024 07:36 AM

    Unless you want to drive away all your introvert volunteers, the goal should be to not make them uncomfortable AT ALL. People will naturally talk amongst themselves. You don't need to force them to do so. So please don't. The presenter can do something to make people laugh and put them at ease. 



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    Maria Saucedo
    GIS Analyst
    Pets for Life at HSUS
    Baltimore, MD
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