About the Aquatic Volunteer Instructor Program
Interested in volunteering for LDWF? Become a volunteer under the Aquatic Volunteer Instructor Program! As a volunteer, you will play a critical role in helping the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries promote fishing and aquatic education in Louisiana. Even if you aren’t a highly experienced angler, you can come to one of our training courses to learn all about fishing and fisheries science.
This is a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in sharing their passion for Louisiana’s aquatic resources. Whether you want to hold your own fishing event, incorporate fisheries science into your classroom or even assist LDWF at their events, join Aquatic VIP today!
As an Aquatic Volunteer Instructor, you will go through a workshop that will prepare you for holding your own fishing clinic, volunteering at an LDWF event or teaching your students about fisheries science. Some of the topics covered are fishing basics, fisheries management, fish identification, invasive species, knot tying and fishing/boating safety. All volunteers that attend this training will be supplied a binder with lesson plans, activity guides and other educational resources. You will also have access to our loaner kits that will contain the materials needed to teach these different topics. The loaner kits range from dissection kits to arts and crafts to fishing poles with tackle. Check the upcoming dates section to see when you can attend one of these hands-on workshops!
How to Become a Volunteer
If you are interested in joining our Aquatic Volunteer Instructor Program, then please complete the volunteer application. We will contact you with more information after the application has been reviewed and we’ll get you signed up for a workshop. Please note that all applicants must pass a criminal background check.
Frequently Asked Questions for Future Volunteers
Q: What requirements are there for Aquatic Volunteer Instructors?
A: To become a certified Aquatic Volunteer Instructor, you must attend one Aquatic VIP workshop and pass the test at the end of the course. A background check will be run after completion of the workshop to check for any major offenses. All certified instructors will have two years after the workshop to participate in at least one aquatic education program.
Q: What counts as participating at an aquatic education program?
A: Participation at an aquatic education program can count as hosting your own fishing clinic, tournament or fishing festival. If the lesson plans are used in the classroom to teach students, then those hours will be put towards the requirement. Also, any fishing related events that you volunteer at (no hosting required) will count towards your requirement. All certified instructors will have access through this online platform to view all potential volunteer events that will count towards the required aquatic education program.
Q: I’m all signed up, what’s next?
A: Once you complete the application and choose the workshop you’d like to attend, you’ll receive an e-mail confirmation. Once you’ve been confirmed for a workshop, submit your registration fee to reserve your spot. As the workshop nears, you will receive an e-mail with workshop instructions. Your registration fee will be refunded to you after attending the workshop.
Q: Where do I submit my registration fee?
A: You will be emailed instructions to pay online once you sign up for the workshop.
Q: What happens if I’ve sent in my registration fee but don’t show up to the workshop?
A: Your registration fee will turn into a donation to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation. A notice of one week prior to the workshop must be given to receive a refund.
Q: I just looked at the upcoming Aquatic VIP workshops and I can’t make any. Can I still be trained?
A: If you are unable to make any of the scheduled workshops, then you may still be in luck. We can come to you for a workshop if you have a group of 10 or more interested people. Alternatively, if a pop-up workshop like this opens up near you, then we can contact you to let you know about it.
Q: What can I expect from this workshop?
A: Each workshop covers the following hands-on activities: knot tying, basic tackle, casting techniques, fish identification, fish anatomy, invasive species, fisheries management and more. A binder with activity guides, lesson plans and additional resources is provided to each participant for further education.
Q: What are the loaner kits I’m hearing about?
A: One of the perks of the Aquatic Volunteer Instructor Program is that certified instructors receive access to our loaner kits. That means that we’ll provide the materials needed to teach the different activities. For example, we’ll provide the rods and reels with basic tackle for the fishing station or we’ll provide the paint, paper and rubber fish for the fish prints station. Don’t let the lack of resources stop you from teaching others about fish!
How to Navigate this Online Platform
We understand that this website is new and has lots of features to it. Hopefully this will help to answer any questions you may have!
Website Terminology
Please note that our website/guides uses different terms than our platform's (Galaxy Digital) Help Center but they have the same meaning. Here is a list of our language override glossary:
| Galaxy Digital's Terms | Aquatic VIP's Terms |
|---|---|
| Need(s) | Volunteer Event(s) |
| Agency, Agencies | Program(s) |
| Events | VIP Workshops |
| Causes | Activities |
| Interest | Event Type |
Q: How do I sign up for an event that I'm interested in?
A: Once signed in, there are quite a few ways to view the upcoming events. Your Dashboard view will highlight any recent events that have been added. The menu to the left has a button titled "Volunteer Events" that will bring you to the complete list of events that need volunteers. Otherwise, you can click the calendar button on the top right of your screen. This will bring you to a calendar view of events. Click on the event that you're interested in helping with. Make sure to read all of the event details and if still interested in volunteering, click the green button that says "Respond". At this time you will have the option to let us know of any time constraints, any activity preference, availability to pick up materials, etc. To confirm your volunteer spot, click "Submit Volunteer Event Response". You will receive a notification and e-mail that you signed up for this event.
Q: How do I log my hours now?
A: I'm sure many of you never thought this day would come, but we're here! Those paper time and activity reports will no longer be used. Instead, you will now log your hours through this website. To do so:
- Click on the "Log Your Hours" button on the left menu.
- Scroll down to where it says "Hour Type" and select the "Volunteer Event" you are submitting hours for. Please note, that it currently shows all events that you are signed up for. Not just past events.
- Once you've selected the event, you'll notice the date pops up under the "Hour Details" area. Verify that this date is correct and change it if necessary.
- Type in the total hours you volunteered. This should include your travel time to and from the event and be rounded to the nearest .5 hour.
- Use the "Category" to select which activity you taught about.
- You'll notice a description field where you can leave any comments about the event. This is not required, but this is a good way to let us know any feedback.
- There are two required questions where you'll need to select your start and end time. This should also match the total hours you entered earlier. For example, if you entered that you volunteered 5 hours, then your start time of 7:00AM and end time of 12:00PM is correct. However, 6:00AM to 12:00PM or 8:00AM to 12:00PM is not correct.
- Click the green button "Submit Hour Entry" to submit your log.
- But wait, you're not done yet! You will be brought back to the top of the page where you'll see your new hours listed. In the status column, you'll see a green button that says "Verify". Click that button to submit the hours for approval. If you notice that there is a mistake, click edit instead of verify.
- Check back to this log to see that your hours have been approved or declined.
Q: How can I see what I've signed up to help at?
A: We've added a shortcut tool on the left menu that says "Your Schedule". Click this button and it'll show you a calendar with events that you've signed up for.
Q: What is the dashboard?
A: The dashboard is your home base. It shows you an overview of your volunteer statistics for Aquatic VIP and recent events added to the calendar.
Q: How do I view the volunteer events in order of the date they are happening?
A: The upcoming events are automatically sorted with the most recently added to the list as first. This makes it difficult to see what's happening just around the corner so there's a way to sort and view the events depending on when they are happening. When viewing the events from the "Volunteer Events" page, you'll see a "Sort By" option at the top. Click that and select the option of "Soonest first (excludes ongoing)". This will then organize the dates in the order of them occurring with the soonest first.
Q: Can I check myself in online?
A: Good question! As a volunteer who has responded to one or more volunteer shifts, you can easily check into and out of those shifts on your phone, tablet, or desktop or laptop computer. Not only is this convenient, but your volunteer hours are automatically calculated and submitted, based on your check-in and check-out times. There is no need to return to the site later to log your hours—it's all done automatically!
Q: Do I still need to complete a travel reimbursement if I want to receive money back for my traveling?
A: Yes, you'll still need to complete the travel reimbursement form like normal. This form is not mandatory to complete, but only if you'd like to receive compensation for your traveling. Forms can be found on our online portal here. You can mail it, scan it or fax it to us.
Still have questions or issues using this website? E-mail Heather David at hdavid@wlf.la.gov for help.
