Friendship Circle of Greater Fort Lauderdale provides very special and unique opportunities for volunteers, special friends, and their families to enrich the lives of each other. In doing so, most participants will encounter new and sometimes challenging situations. Thus, it is imperative to set expectations at the beginning so that volunteers, special friends, and parents understand what they can expect. Therefore, volunteers, special friends, and their families each certify and agree by signing below that they:

As a Parent/Guardian of a special needs child of Friendship Circle or as a volunteer:

• I understand that Friendship Circle will match my child with a teenage/ young adult volunteer.
• I understand that it is necessary for me as parent(s)/guardian(s) to assume full oversight and supervision responsibilities with respect to all activities Friendship Circle’s assigned volunteer(s) share(s) with my child in connection with his/her participation in the program;
• I understand that as a volunteer, I agree to be bound by the Rules and Regulations and Standards of Conduct of the Friendship Circle and that I am a volunteer without payment or expectation of payment or reimbursement of expenses except when advised in writing prior to any such expenditure.
• I understand that participation in this activity is entirely voluntary and requires participants to abide by applicable rules and standards of conduct;
• I understand that participation in Friendship Circle activities involves a certain degree of risk, both physically and emotionally demanding. I have considered the risk involved and have given consent as indicated below for my participation
• I will not use or possess any illegal drug, alcohol or controlled substances at any time, including at Friendship Circle events or programs;
• I will not bring any weapons, firearms or other dangerous items to any Friendship Circle event or program and I will not have any unsecured firearms in a home in which hosts a Friends at Home program;
I have not and do not have any individual that has been convicted of a crime, other than minor traffic violations, living at or visiting a home that hosts a Friends at Home program and have not themselves been convicted of a crime;
• Do not themselves have and do not have any individual that has a history of violence or abuse of any kind living at or visiting a home that hosts a Friends at Home program;
• I acknowledge the risk of injury from activities involved in Friendship Circle events and knowingly and freely assume all such risks. In the event I observe any particular hazard that I believe could cause injury to a participant, I will immediately inform Friendship Circle staff of such hazard.;
• I will not participate in any activity that you believe you and/or your child cannot perform in accordance with the Friendship Circles activities’ instructions or in a safe manner;
• I understand that as a volunteer, Friendship Circle expects me to behave responsibly. I agree to utilize my best judgment and sense of responsibility when spending time with the participant with whom I am matched;
• I understand that the use of a cell phone during a Friendship Circle event does not promote a healthy friendship and should only be used in case of emergency;
• I agree to respect the privacy of all participants of the Friendship Circle and to keep personal information confidential;
• I understand that once I commit to attend an event, the Friendship Circle staff and special friends expect me to be there. I agree to attend and give it my best effort;
• If someone gets hurt or some other incident occurs while I am volunteering, it is my responsibility to immediately report the occurrence to Friendship Circle staff;
• I understand the importance of open communication and will try my best to maintain it, by ensuring that In the case a Friendship Circle staff member contacts me, I will do all I can to return the contact in any form within 24 hours;
• I agree Friendship Circle is not responsible for any damage or injury to myself, my child/participant or my property in regard to my participation in any Friendship Circle activity;
• I acknowledge that Friendship Circle is an independently owned, operated and controlled local corporation.


I have carefully read and agree to abide and be bound by all additional rules and policies in the Friendship Circle Handbooks and any additional rules pertinent to specific events. THE FAILURE TO ABIDE MAY, IN THE EXERCISE OF FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE’S SOLE AND ABSOLUTE DISCRETION, RESULT IN THE TERMINATION OF ALL FURTHER PROGRAM-RELATED VISITATIONS WITH YOUR CHILD.