Volunteer Opportunities
Community Educational Outreach invites you to join the team in order to help tutor students in reading, writing, math, social studies, science, work readiness, job searches, computers, and life skills. A lead teacher coordinates each class and is assisted by trained, volunteer tutors. Volunteering is a great way to gain experience working with community correction clients while working in an academic capacity. On occasion, paid positions are available and volunteers are invited to apply.
Time Commitment
Volunteers typically commit to either one or two sessions per week for 6 months. Sessions generally run two–three hours and students benefit the most from tutors who are able to offer consistent, long–term service. Therefore, a tutor better serves students by volunteering two hours per week for three years rather than six hours per week for six months. Each site has a diverse student population and some sites may have additional volunteer hours or opportunities available.
Qualifications:
- 18 years of age or older
- High school diploma or GED
- Caring attitude
- Creative, patient, and understanding
- Open to new experiences
Responsibilities
- Be on time & maintain set schedules
- Honor the commitments you make. Staff and students depend upon you to provide instruction and assistance during the sessions that you have chosen. Your reliability is valuable to the work of the agency and you are a role model for our students. (The lead teacher will give you a phone number to call in case of a last minute emergency.)
- Respect the confidences entrusted to you. There may be information you learn about a student through our records or through conversations with your students and we trust that this information will not be shared with others.
- Follow all agency policies and procedures. Each site must maintain accurate records pertaining to student activities, progress, and attendance. Your role in this may vary from location to location. CEO also asks that you set appropriate boundaries in your relationships with students and remember that your primary purpose is to assist students in the attainment of their educational goals.
- Always remain open–minded and respectful of the differences you may encounter. You probably will have students who have made different choices than you have made and whose values are different from yours. Please recognize that this may be as much of an educational experience for you as it is for our students.
Training
CEO will make sure that all volunteers receive the training necessary to do their job. All volunteers are required to attend tutor orientation and training session as well as to observe class prior to placement. In–service training is held throughout the year and the lead teacher at each location also serves as a resource for you.
You will receive feedback on the work you perform. As time permits, the lead teacher will informally observe your interaction with students and offer suggestions as needed. If you would like additional feedback and assistance, the lead teacher and administrative staff are available.
For more information about volunteer orientation and training opportunities, please go to: www.literacyjeffco.org or email:jbeckman@ceocolorado.org
20 Tips to Effective Volunteering!
- Both students and volunteers are nervous at the beginning; it is important to be yourself.
- Flexibility is the key to working with adult students.
- Respect students as adults and teach them like adults.
- Create a relaxed atmosphere that is open to questions.
- Always de–emphasize what students don’t know and emphasize what they do know; recognize student knowledge and experience.
- Refer to learning disabilities as learning difficulties.
- Identify and incorporate student goals into the learning objectives.
- Be sure to provide feedback and praise and remember, things take time, be patient!
- Use a variety of methods and materials to accomplish learning objectives.
- Vary the type and pace of teaching techniques.
- Allow students to get involved, work on the board, and work together.
- Invite students to actively participate; movement will aid in the student’s ability to stay focused.
- Be sure to ask students if they are comfortable with different approaches before implementing them. (Such as flashcards, writing on the board, answering questions in front of others.)
- Have students read out loud or read silently depending on their preference.
- Ask open ended questions to aid in critical thinking – Teach proactive skills.
- Ask about outcomes and what the student thinks might happen to aid in prediction skills.
- Keep in mind that volunteers are not expected to know all the answers; learning is achieved when volunteers and students find answers together.
- Teach by example. Demonstrate respect, interest, and enthusiasm at all times.
- Avoid using the words can’t and don’t during instruction and have realistic expectations.
- Begin every lesson with a review!
Volunteer Job Descriptions
Volunteers can add to the curriculum by creating new learner objectives and designing worksheets to assist students achieve academic goals. As a Curriculum Developer, volunteers are requested to review and analyze current curriculum in order to improve and create materials.
CEO invites volunteers to specialize in different subject areas by offering small group instruction in the form of workshops. The workshops run 1 _ hours long, once a week, for a total of 4 concurrent weeks. Workshops can be offered in the mornings and evenings, Monday through Thursday, allowing instructors flexibility in choosing a day and time. Workshops have been offered in reading, writing, math, science, social studies, graphic information, test taking and study skills, computers, and budgeting. Workshops can be held in any of the specified subject areas or new workshops can be created and implemented to assist students pursue other academic, employment, or life skill goals.
There are numerous administrative duties associated with running three programs. Volunteers can assist by making photocopies, organizing printed materials, updating curriculum notebooks, and entering data. In addition, Administrative Assistants can assist during student orientations and assessments as well as grade practice GED tests. On occasion, CEO may require assistance with sending emails, creating flyers, and helping to organize events. Moreover, the ability to review, edit, and troubleshoot new materials is always useful to CEO.
Fundraising is a constant element in maintaining the programs. CEO looks to volunteers to aid in fundraising efforts. Both money and supplies are needed and can be obtained from many different sources within the community. We appreciate and value the creativity and networking abilities of volunteers who work to raise funds and in–kind support. Recently, with the help of volunteers we were able to upgrade our computer lab following a large donation of computer equipment from a local business.
CEO is always looking to diversify funding through grant opportunities in order to support the current programs and to introduce new programs in the future. In addition, CEO would like to outreach to new sites and provide educational opportunities to at risk adults at facilities that currently lack access to education. Volunteers are always welcome to participate in grant research and writing in order to strengthen current programs and aid CEO in organizational expansion..
Volunteers are community representatives and are able to contact and approach legislatures and politicians in order to promote education and rehabilitation for offenders and at–risk adults. Advocacy is an essential part of creating awareness, obtaining community support, and ensuring that funds will always be available to adult literacy programs..
CEO is currently in search of volunteers with strong marketing skills who are interested in securing strategic partnerships and corporate sponsors. In addition, CEO is always in need of up to date marketing materials and relevant statistics to utilize in our marketing efforts.
CEO is looking for volunteers who are able to focus on volunteer coordination for all CEO sites. The job requires excellent communication and organization skills and knowledge of CEO’s outreach sites and schedules. Coordination will include recruiting new volunteers, organizing volunteer schedules, completing the match between tutor and student, and scheduling workshops..
The computer lab is an integral part of our programs. Previously, we had the luxury of having a volunteer provide technical support for the lab. We continue to look for assistance in this area. There is always a need for volunteers to troubleshoot problems as they occur with the computers and network as well as perform general upkeep on the equipment..
CEO welcomes all professional volunteers who are interested in providing consultation or pro–bono assistance. Currently, consultants with accounting, nonprofit management, strategic planning, and marketing experience could greatly benefit the organization. Professional assistance on every level is always welcomed and appreciated. Volunteers are encouraged to contact CEO to discuss ideas which may benefit CEO.
CEO collaborates with volunteers in order to provide specialized, one–on–one instruction for students. Volunteers work with students to help them improve reading, writing, math, science, social studies, employment readiness, computer, and life skills. Tutors work one–one–one with students or in small groups. Volunteers are matched with students who are in need of tutoring or they make themselves available to students in the classroom and provide help as needed.
