Guiding Principles to Help Homeless Children

There are more homeless children in California than any other state. Our ultimate goal is to fulfill our mission of providing a volunteer tutor to every homeless student in this state which, at the moment, means we have to find 200,000 tutors. We currently have 800. We have much work to do. For this reason, the Board of Directors has decided we should focus our energies and resources in California. At this point in time, we will not pursue other chapters or affiliates or allow the use of our name outside this state, with the exception of the two existing programs in Indiana and Massachusetts.

There are, however, over one million children who are homeless in the United States. They need help. We have compiled the following Guiding Principles to assist you if you are considering starting a program for homeless children in your area. These are not all-encompassing or developed to fit every situation; they are based on our experiences, learning and understanding of working with homeless children. We invite and welcome your input and feedback and wish you much success. The need is so great; the reward is even greater.

Helping Homeless Children: Guiding Principles

1. Identify the Need

      • Research the need in the community. (e.g., homeless statistics; available shelters)
      • Identify and network with other agencies, organizations and groups providing help to homeless children, particularly educational assistance.

Is anyone else providing a similar service already that you can partner with or share resources?

      • Contact Homeless Liaison Officers at schools in the community to identify the scope of the homeless population.
      • Identify where homeless families and children live. (e.g., shelters, cars, motels, group homes, streets)

Research and understand the challenges that homeless children face and the barriers they encounter to a quality education.

2. Decide your Direction

      • Know what your focus is and what you want to do.
      • Decide if you want to offer your services in partnership with a local shelter or agency or are planning to become a nonprofit organization.

There are many ways to help homeless children with their education, such as volunteering to tutor at your local homeless shelter or after-school program.

Decide how you will define homelessness.

      • There is much information on the internet providing step-by-step advice on how to start a non-profit organization in your state. It is not our intent to do so here. However, if you decide to obtain 501(c)(3) non-profit status, start the process immediately. It can take up to one year to obtain it.

3. Design the Program

  • What are the specific mission and goals of the organization?
  • Review School on Wheels’ website to identify how our program works and the materials and resources we use.
  • Start recruiting volunteers – a majority of volunteers use web sites to identify volunteer opportunities

Set up an application process for volunteers that includes a background and fingerprinting report, references, and tutoring preferences. 

  • Develop  an orientation training program for volunteers that includes the organization’s mission and focus; mandatory policies and procedures; volunteer expectations; and most importantly, an understanding of the homeless children they will be working with.
  • Develop training workshops for volunteers on how to tutor homeless children, with emphasis on specific types of issues and needs (e.g., dealing with ADHD children; how to tutor math or reading, etc.).
  • Work with shelter or agency partners to determine what will work for them and how the program will look at their site.  Start slowly at a new shelter so that the shelter gets to know and observe how the organization works and you get to know the ways of the shelter.    Every shelter has its own policies and attitudes which need to be respected in return for permission to tutor the children.
  • Get feedback and input from volunteers and students (and parents) to make sure the program meets their needs.
  • Modify the program based on the input.

4. Identify Funding Options

  • Research where the money will come from

Foundations (charitable, corporate, family)
Individuals
Businesses
Government.

  • Know who will raise the funds

Will you do this yourself or hire a fundraiser?

  • Know how much money you will need for the first two years.  For example:

Will you have paid staff or all volunteers?

How many children and locations do you hope to serve?

Will you have the use of office space, copier, phones, computers, office supplies and school supplies or will these items need to be purchased/donated?

Will you have a website and marketing materials (pamphlets, brochures, newsletters)?

Will you file your tax returns yourself or hire a CPA to complete for you?

How will you pay for criminal background checks for volunteers, as well as liability insurance?

5. Three things to always keep in mind

  • The organization is about homeless children and their education.
  • Stay simple as an organization.
  • Keep focused on your mission and goals.