Why should my company get involved with the Education Volunteer Initiative?

Students Benefit: Recent research proves what people have anecdotally observed over the years: reading, tutoring and mentoring make a difference in the lives of young people. Education volunteers can help children enter school ready to learn, read proficiently by 4th grade, make a successful transition into and out of middle school, graduate from high school on time, and be ready for success in college, work and life.

Employees Benefit: Employees who volunteer through their workplace report more positive attitudes toward their employer and their coworkers. Further, those who volunteer are more positive about their own physical and emotional health than non-volunteers.

Companies Benefit: Top-level executives recognize the bottom-line value of corporate citizenship because it enhances a company’s reputation and image, is valued by customers and helps recruit and retain employees, among other benefits.

America Benefits: Reducing the number of high school dropouts would have significant economic benefits. Workers with at least a high school diploma earn more throughout their lives than those who drop out. Moreover, well-prepared high school graduates continue their education, serve in the military or develop workplace skills that strengthen our economy and society.

• Types of Volunteer Opportunities
• We're Ready to Get Started
• What Can We Expect?

Types of Volunteer Opportunities

What can employees do, in an hour or so a week?

Volunteer readers read stories to individual students or to groups. To be a reader, all a person needs is to be able to read aloud, commit to visiting a classroom or after school location on a regular basis and share the joy of reading.

Tutors work one-on-one with students, reinforcing what is being taught in the classroom so students keep up with their peers. When students fall behind, they often stay behind - but tutors make a difference.

Mentors connect with students beyond the classroom, providing advice, guidance and friendship. At the most basic level, mentoring is invaluable to show students that adults care about them and want them to succeed.

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Not ready to commit to a weekly volunteer opportunity?

There are also one-time activities that your company can be a part of. For example, you could host a shadowing day at your office or manage a Saturday SAT prep course. Contact your United Way representative for more information and ideas.

 

We're Ready to Get Started

So you want to get your company involved, but aren’t quite sure where to start?

No problem! We’re going to walk you through a simple step-by-step process to engage your company and employees in the Education Volunteer Initiative.

Download your step-by-step guide.

Fill out the Education Volunteer Questionnaire and share with your United Way contact or submit to educationvolunteers@uwsepa.org to get your organization involved.

Resources for conducting an internal meeting:

United Way Education Town Hall Highlights

 

 

What Can We Expect?

Now that your organization has pledged to be a part of the Education Volunteer Initiative, what’s next?

Step 1: Making the Match
First, your United Way representative will use the information from your Education Volunteer Questionnaire to find the best match for your employees. They will coordinate with you to share details and confirm interest before connecting you with the nonprofit agency contact.

Step 2: Screening Typically, when working with children, some level of screening is required. Sometimes, agencies will perform reference checks on volunteers, but in almost all cases, criminal background checks are a necessary component of screening. This check provides a concrete method for mentoring programs to ensure that the child will be protected and safe with his or her reader, tutor or mentor.

Step 3: Training
In some cases, organizations offer training for their education volunteers. United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania also offers training for education volunteers. You can view and register for available training sessions at the Community Impact Training Institute.

Click here for the Fall 2011 to Winter 2012 Mentoring Training Schedule.

Step 4: Begin Relationship
Once you have completed any necessary paperwork, screenings and trainings, you will be introduced to the child or children you will be working with. There are a number of resources with advice and tips on volunteering as a reader, tutor and mentor, but the most important thing to remember is to be yourself and enjoy building this important relationship!

 

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