Well, finally, and maybe permanently, good weather has arrived. How much nicer to train and certify in good weather. Makes it all much easier.
A few notes about what’s happening and what’s coming next:
- As you could infer from the sign-up procedures for July, the new CAC will open sometime between July 27 and August 1. We will be doing our current tours from CAF at 224 S. Michigan Avenue from now until July 26.
- We will keep you up to date as we hear about progress as to when we switch from the old to the new tours and schedules
- Click here for a look at the Core Tour Schedule (to start when tours depart from the CAC)
- August is sooner rather than later. Remember that you must be certified to do the new tours, so please schedule your certification dates as soon as you can
- Two new dates have been added for the Illinois Center Pedway tour – June 4 and 12, both at 2:00 pm. Contact Caroline to RSVP
- Many have asked about the time spent on training and whether docents will receive service hours for time spent. The answer is that, yes, docents will receive service hours for training. There is no need for docents to enter those hours, though. After all the training sessions have been completed, Caroline will go through the lists and give service hours to those who have attended. You will get credit; you do not need to add it yourself. Docents participating in 1-day training programs will be automatically awarded 10 service hours. 2-day training will receive 20 service hours.
- Those docents who conduct the new versions of Masterworks, Art Deco, Millennium Park, Food and Architecture, Historic Treasures are expected to offer to walk guests back to the CAC where they themselves are headed. Docents will return the GTS devices to the CAC as soon as the tour is over and if guests are going back to CAC, docents are expected to escort them. This is the same procedures that we now use for the Must See tour.
- Again, here are the numbers. More than 275 docents have taken training. Since many of us are learning multiple tours we have 401 certifications to be achieved between all the tours so far. 156 of those certifications have happened to date. That means we have many more certifications to go. Please remember you have six weeks from the end of training to complete certifications. And, if possible, try to make it even sooner. Set up your certification NOW. Thanks
- We will be scheduling various orientations at the CAC to go over procedures to meet your groups, get the GTS and exit the building, etc. We will keep you posted as those dates are set. We know you want to walk around the new Center. So do we all. It will all fit into place soon. Thanks for your patience.
Visitor Experience Volunteer Update
We are focusing recruitment efforts for Exhibit Hosts but we will still have opportunities in our guest services areas. At this time, we will not be offering any volunteer opportunities in the Design Studio. We hope that our regular volunteers in this space will explore the current opportunities while we figure out the best way to utilize our Design Studio.
Exhibit Hosts: These volunteers will be stationed throughout the CAC’s dynamic gallery and visitor spaces. Exhibit hosts will provide more specific information about our current exhibits, orient guests around the Chicago Model, be available to highlight specific exhibition components and answer questions, share exhibition themes, stories and components to engage visitors; and help guests interpret current exhibits
Guests Services: These volunteers will be in the box office/GTS station welcoming guests, answering common visitor questions about the CAC, tours, programs, exhibitions and Chicago and provide critical support for guest wayfinding.
If you know of anyone who might be a good fit, please have them contact Erin or Caroline.
Training Expectations
We want to ensure that you are equipped with all the knowledge to have a meaningful volunteer and guest experience. All current volunteers will be expected to retrain due to the new space and the new opportunities our expanded exhibitions program will offer our guests. These session will cover a CAC Orientation, Exhibit Overview, Guest Services, and VolunteerMatters. Volunteers wanting to become an exhibit hosts will be expected to attend 2 additional half-day training sessions. These sessions will cover a more in-depth take on the exhibits, stories to share with guests and ways to best engage our guests. An announcement with training dates and additional details on these trainings will be coming out in the next week.