Help Atlas Clients Train Their Service Dog
An Atlas Team Facilitator is a volunteer who works directly with our clients and helps them get through our certification program. Facilitators are paired with a client in their geographical area to provide support and guidance during the critical stages of their service dog’s training.
Team Facilitators receive free extensive training and mentorship from Atlas staff and Certified Trainers.
All facilitators must complete a series of online courses and attend the next intensive virtual workshop. You will get hands-on, practical experience while working with your first client under the mentorship of your Team Facilitator Lead, an experienced service dog trainer.
Facilitators will gain knowledge and skills on service dog training, disabilities, and how to help our clients advocate for their rights.
Is this for you?
- You are 18 years or older
- You have strong general pet dog training experience
- You may have professional pet and/or service dog training experience
- You may have general service dog handling experience
- You may have teaching or coaching experience
- You may be directly or indirectly affected by disability
- You want to help people and make a difference
- You are a people person AND a dog person
- You enjoy collaborating and problem solving
“I highly encourage anyone thinking of getting into service dog work to consider the Team Facilitator program. I was assigned a client with full support from the Atlas Assistance Dog team. I got hands on practice and it made the course content applicable in real life. Thank you Atlas Assistance Dog Team for helping me make this dream a reality.” – Linda Keehn, Atlas Team Facilitator and Atlas Certified Trainer
Learn More About Our Program
Read our Atlas Team Facilitator Program to find out how it all works.
Read our Atlas Trainer Policies that all Team Facilitators need to follow to ensure our clients and their dogs are treated ethically and with respect.
Applications for our Spring Cohort are no longer being accepted.
Please check back in September 2023 for new cohort dates.
Feel free to contact info@atlasdog.org if you have any questions.
FAQ
- You must be at least 18 years of age
- You must have at least two years’ experience as a dog trainer
- You must complete our online courses and workshop
- You must commit to at least one year as a facilitator
- You must commit to using only positive training methods and treating all dogs and people ethically
No. All training is free. If we have in-person workshops, all fees associated with travel and lodging would be the responsibility of the individual.
We require that you complete a series of 16 online courses prior to the workshop. You can take the courses at your own pace and some may take longer than others. Typically people spend one to three months going through the courses.
There are then four workshop sessions spread out over four weekend days which are roughly 6 hours each with breaks included.
We ask for a one-year commitment during which time you will work with a minimum of two Atlas clients. Each client takes approximately six months to complete our program.
You will meet with your client at least twice a month during the initial stages. In person lessons may get more spread out later in their training, though you will still be doing phone/video call check ins bi-monthly.
You must have have completed our Team Facilitator training program, have professional level service dog training experience, and have a reference from an existing Team Facilitator Lead recommending you for the role. From there, simply email us (info@atlasdog.org) stating you wish to be considered for a lead role. You will be contacted, and an interview will be set up. Upon acceptance, additional training will be provided as needed.
You will be present at initial assessments for assigned Atlas clients and help put the training plan in place. You will be present at the first 4 training sessions and then will then be available on an as-needed basis, largely by email or phone, to support the Team Facilitator and client. In some cases, you may be needed to be present at additional training sessions or remote training video calls to help the client through trickier training situations.