Frequently Asked Questions
Sessions
What qualifies a child for participation in the session program?
Our mission is to empower children aged 4-18 through our mentoring programs, with a special focus on supporting foster and adoptive children. We aim to help them develop essential life skills like confidence, empathy, leadership, and resilience. However, we believe these skills benefit every child, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status. We strive to make our services accessible to all, offering sessions as availability allows. While age restrictions typically apply, we consider flexibility in certain circumstances.
How much does a session cost?
Thanks to the kindness and support of our sponsors, donors, and volunteers, we’re able to provide our mentoring sessions completely free of charge to every child who participates. Their generosity makes it possible for us to offer this valuable resource at no cost, ensuring every child has access to the support and guidance they deserve. While we don’t require any payment from the families we serve, we are always grateful for any voluntary donations that can help us continue to grow and support even more children in the future.
What does a session look like?
Each child is unique and so each child’s session will look different. Our goal at LOA Youth Ranch is to meet each and every child where they are at and work with them to encourage confidence and growth. Our sessions are youth-driven, meaning that kids get to choose their activities for the day. Often, children choose to spend time riding or otherwise working with the horses, but they do not have to. Children and their session leaders may choose to work in the garden, spend time with other ranch animals, play games, or walk around the ranch. Ultimately, each session leader will work with the child to determine the plan for the day.
Sessions are 60 minutes long and will always include a 10-15 minute chore at the beginning of the session to teach youth about responsibility and educate youth on the work it takes to maintain a ranch. Children and session leaders are always paired at a one-to-one ratio so each child gets 90 minutes of undivided mentorship.
Will my child learn to ride a horse?
Many children choose to spend their time on the ranch riding horses. We are dedicated to equine education and teaching horsemanship skills to each child who would like to learn, however, we are not a riding school. Our ultimate goal is to develop confidence and character skills in our youth and not necessarily to create competitive riders. A session may not always include riding a horse. Children will also learn groundwork and equine safety. If you are looking for riding lessons, we recommend contacting one of the many excellent trainers in our area at a traditional stable.
What should my child wear to a session?
All children should wear shoes with a closed toe and heel such as boots or tennis shoes. If the goal of the session is horseback riding, boots are recommended and long pants are required. In the spring and fall, layers are also recommended as the weather can change quickly and unexpectedly.
An equestrian riding helmet will be provided and required when riding on LOA property. Bike helmets will not be permitted.
Please wear sunscreen and bring a water bottle.
What should I do while my child is participating in a session?
We are dedicated to building up and supporting families at LOA Youth Ranch. For this reason, a parent or guardian is required to be on-site at The Ranch for the entirety of their child’s session. You are welcome to bring siblings and spend time together spending time with ranch animals, joining volunteers around the property, visiting with the Greeter, or bring a good book and relax. We just ask that you do not enter into any animal enclosures or feed any animals without an LOA staff member’s help and supervision. We hope that the time you spend with us at LOA is restful and encouraging and we are just as excited to meet and spend time with you as with your child.
Please feel free to take photos of your child’s session and watch from a short distance. However, we do ask that you respect your child’s time and privacy with their session leader and allow them the freedom to navigate their session on their own. This helps promote independence, responsibility, and confidence in our youth.
Volunteering
How do I become an LOA Youth Ranch volunteer?
It’s easy! Head to the volunteer application under our “Get Involved” tab on the website. Fill it out and an LOA Staff Member will get back to you shortly with your next steps. If you find yourself having technical difficulties filling out the form, give us a call and we can help you.
I don’t feel comfortable working with horses, can I still volunteer?
Absolutely. We need all kinds of volunteers and many of our volunteer tasks have nothing to do with our horses. When you are filling out your volunteer application, there will be space for you to specify what your interests are and how you believe you can best serve at LOA Youth Ranch.
What is the difference between a volunteer and a session leader?
Volunteers can spend as much or as little time at The Ranch as they’d like. There are a wide range of fields you can volunteer your time in, ranging from maintenance to office work. Volunteers also will likely not be working directly with our youth. In contrast, Session Leaders are volunteer mentors that are paired with the kids who come to LOA Youth Ranch to lead a 60-minute session. We require that our Session Leaders serve with us a minimum of twice a month for a full season (3 months) of programming. Session Leaders will go through an additional interview process, and additional training, and must complete a session leader application that includes a statement of faith. If you have more questions about session leading, feel free to give us a call or send us an e-mail and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Can my kids volunteer with me?
We welcome volunteers of all ages with open arms! While we adore our younger volunteers, we do require that those aged 14 and under be accompanied by an adult during their time at The Ranch. This ensures a safe and supportive environment for everyone to thrive.