[Community-service] volunteering with kids or youth

Tue Mar 1 03:53:04 UTC 2011

Hi Greg,
I like the idea of helping children and youth.  Because I’ve been to college, I have more in depth knowledge of the subjects the kids/teens are studying.
Like you, in college I volunteered with an after school program run by a nonprofit.
I was sometimes a help; other times not.  I tried the technique you used; I sat with the kids and asked them to explain what they were doing or what they were writing down.
I asked them to read their homework assignment, usually a worksheet, to me.  Other times I listened to kids read and if they had trouble, I helped them with the words; it was hard because I didn’t have a braille copy; so I asked them to spell the word and we could then sound it out.  
Sometimes, though, I knew they were reading the wrong words or mispronouncing them, but I couldn’t correct them or figure out the words; I wish I had a braille copy and then I would have been more help to them.

I might do better tutoring kids with a more structured curriculum such as a reading program they are following.
There are many summer school programs around coming up and several programs for low income children to improve literacy skills and have fun.  So I might try it again.
If I assist with reading and writing though, I’d like to have more braille matterials; perhaps I can get some ahead of time and scan them so I can read it on my braille display or hard copy braille.

Ashley

From: Greg Aikens 
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2011 12:36 AM
To: Community Service Discussion List 
Subject: Re: [Community-service] volunteering with kids or youth

Hi Ashley, 
Working with kids and youth is a great way to do community service.  In college, I volunteered at a few  after school programs for elementary schoolers.  I would usually sit with kids and help them with their homework.  Even if kids don't know how to do the problems, they can often enough read their homework assignment to you, or you can get one of their classmates to help you both understand the assignment.  Depending on the kid, just providing one on one attention can be extremely benefitial, even if you don't help with their homework.  I also helped plan an event for the big brothers/big sisters groups in our area.  That was a lot of fun and involved more group planning and running activities than one on one kid time.  So, there are all kinds of possibilities to volunteer with kids in your area I'm sure.  The Boys and Girls clubs are always looking for people to help after school, and sometimes they pay a little bit too.  

I know you are looking for volunteer experiences to build your resume, but short term pay positions would also help.  If you are wanting to work with kids you could try getting jobs at one of the numerous summer camps and summer programs for blind kids that happen all over the country.  That would give you a lot of experience, and maybe a little cash, and still build your resume.  

Just some thoughts.  

Best of luck.

Greg

On Feb 27, 2011, at 10:58 PM, <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:

  Hi all,

  This list is real quiet.
  I’d like to hear about your experiences because I am planning to volunteer this summer.
  I have a degree from Marymount university; it’s a BA in psychology/communications. But I need more experience before getting a job and I am aware that often volunteer experiences lead to employment opportunities.

  My interests include helping kids/youth in academics or anything I can help them in, outreach, event planning and anything communications driven such as writing newsletters, public relations and public affairs.  
  So have any of you helped kids or youth and if so what did you do? What accomodations did you use? If I work at a camp or recreation setting, I know they will wonder how I can manage children.

  I’ve thought about trying some nonprofit around here and seeing what I can do to assist the youth.

  Thanks.
  Ashley
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