There is a misconception that RDA is staffed and run only by people with specialised knowledge of horses and/or the disabled. RDA welcomes volunteers, of any age or background, who wish only to help. Training is provided at all levels from new helpers to instructors and there is ample opportunity to gain in depth knowledge within the organisation.
We would like to involve greater numbers of the Hong Kong community, particularly Cantonese speakers, in our work. It is vitally important that we continue to grow and expand to enable us to offer more riding opportunities to the disabled people already on our waiting lists, who are precluded largely because our facilities and manpower resources are limited. More space and more volunteers would enable greater numbers to ride and benefit from this activity.
RDA is very grateful to its dedicated volunteers and all those who have helped both financially and practically over the past 25 years to bring us where we are today. Together we have made significant strides forward since 1975. In facing the future we remain committed to our quest and will continue to build our programme throughout Hong Kong, confident that growth and expansion will come. Horses and people are a great combination for both health and happiness - ask some of our riders.
By offering your time. Although riding experience or knowledge of horses is an advantage, it's NOT essential. Just the desire to help our riders enjoy the many benefits riding has to give.
The range of services we provide depends almost entirely on our volunteers. With more manpower, we could provide lessons for many more disabled people.
Provided you are aged 18 or over, you can volunteer at RDA even if you have no riding experience, or are not really a “horse-person”. We need help during lessons, but also behind the scenes, on the administrative side. Ideally, you should be able to commit at least ?? hours per week/month, but we are grateful for whatever help you can offer.
Obviously our group instructors must undergo rigorous training to become qualified and they usually have some experience of riding. Volunteer helpers are also given full training, but need not have any previous experience of riding or of working with disabled people.
We are especially keen to recruit Cantonese-speaking volunteers. For more information on volunteering opportunities at RDA, please contact us, or fill in the form on the right and we'll get back to you. An annual subscription fee of HK$30.00 is payable on joining and thereafter every September.
