Volunteer Tutor Description
The role of the volunteer tutor is to provide hope and educational assistance to a homeless child through one-on-one tutoring.
Responsibilities
- Commit to tutor your student one hour a week on a consistent basis.
- Inspire your student to develop a positive attitude towards learning and provide academic assistance to him/her.
- Log all your tutoring hours weekly via our online tracking system.
- Notify School on Wheels when your student needs a backpack, school supplies, uniforms or books.
- Maintain an open line of communications with your student and his parents, shelter staff and your School on Wheels’ Coordinator.
- Talk to your student’s teacher to determine how to work best with her/him.
Qualifications
- Must be 18 years old and have a High School diploma.
- Commit to being a positive influence on your homeless student’s life by tutoring consistently.
- Exemplify School on Wheels’ values, ethics and integrity.
Family Volunteer Tutor Description
School on Wheels is proud to offer our family package for young people (12 and older) who would like to be a positive influence in the life of a homeless child. Youth who are interested in tutoring have to complete an application, view the Online Orientation, attend a Tutor Training, and tutor with an adult family member or an adult group coordinator who is approved by School on Wheels. The adults who accompany the youth tutors have to complete our regular application process. This is a great way for young people to get involved in their community and learn what it means to give back.
Volunteer Tutor Coordinator Description
Do you want to help School on Wheels serve more homeless children and practice your leadership skills? Why don’t you become a Tutor Coordinator and lead a group of tutors!
Volunteer Tutor Coordinators match new tutors with homeless children and provide support and assistance to our tutors. They are critically important to our program and allow School on Wheels to provide services to more homeless children. If you would like to have an even greater impact in your community, this volunteer position is for you!
Responsibilities
- Communicate with, support, and encourage your volunteer tutors by email, telephone and personal visits.
- Match your tutors with children who need them and reassign tutors when their students move.
- Communicate with School on Wheels and request supplies when your tutor or student needs them.
- Communicate with shelter staff to: Identify new children who need tutors. Ensure children are provided with tutors in a timely manner. Ensure that all parties (shelter staff, students, tutors, and SOW) know the days and times of tutoring assignments. Update our online tracking system with your tutor and student data.
Qualifications
- Must be 18 years old and have a High School diploma.
- Commit to being a Volunteer Tutor for at least six months in order to understand the role and responsibilities.
- Exemplify School on Wheels’ values, ethics and integrity.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
If you have additional skills that would help contribute to our mission such as administrative, fundraising, public speaking, event planning, technology, workshop facilitation, etc. – please contact the Regional Coordinator for the area where you would like to volunteer (view our Location Map).
Mandatory Policies and Procedures
We have formulated simple but mandatory policies for School on Wheels volunteers.
The policies and procedures are geared towards one-on-one tutoring, but they also apply to group tutoring situations. The policies come from our experience in working with homeless children and are created for your protection and assistance.
1. Work with your student(s) only in a public area.
2. Ensure the confidentiality of students, their families, and all other families at the
location(s) where you volunteer.
3. Immediately report any information that would suggest child abuse occurring at this time in your student’s life.
4. Strictly follow the School on Wheels Field Trip Procedures if you would like to
participate in an activity with your student outside of the regular tutoring session.
5. Record the details of your tutoring sessions via the School on Wheels online database.
Please refer to our Tutor Handbook for more information about our policies and procedures.
