- Who are volunteer tutors?
- What qualifications should volunteers have?
- Where are volunteers needed?
- Can I choose which age group I would like to tutor?
- Will I have special materials to use?
- What kind of training is required?
- How much time will I be asked to commit?
- What are the benefits of volunteering?
- How do I get started?
- They are community members just like you. They are professional men and women, college students, homemakers, retired citizens - people who wish to have a positive impact on the community.
2. What qualifications should volunteers have?
- Training is provided at all literacy programs. You do not need to have any previous experience.
- Volunteers should have good reading and writing skills in English.
- Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older to tutor at most of our literacy programs. Limited opportunities are available for people under 18 years of age.
- A love for reading and helping people are good traits for a volunteer tutor to have.
3. Where are volunteers needed?
- Literacy Programs throughout the county need volunteers. Click here for a list of locations
4. Can I choose which age group I would like to tutor?
- Yes, we have programs for all ages. Our youth programs provide service from age 6 to 18 and our adult literacy programs are for people over the age of 18.
- We also have family literacy programs that include ages 0-5.
5. Will I have special materials to use?
- Most literacy programs provide materials for you to use. These materials are specifically designed to meet the needs of the individuals being tutored.
6. What kind of training is required?
- The training required for literacy programs varies for each individual literacy program. Once a volunteer is placed at a literacy center it is the program’s responsibility to provide the volunteer tutor with the proper training.
- Generally most of the children's programs require 3 to 10 hours of training.
- For the adult programs training requirements range from 5 to 15 hours.
- Training length depends greatly on which population of learners you choose to tutor.
7. How much time will I be asked to commit?
- The time commitment required varies for each individual literacy program.
- Generally, for the adult programs there is a minimum time commitment of 6 months, tutoring 3 hours total a week. This time is usually split up into 2, 1 ½-hour sessions per week.
- For the children's programs it is usually a minimum time commitment of 6months, tutoring 1 to 1 ½-hours per week.
8. What are the benefits of volunteering?
- More than 450,000 adults in San Diego County read at or below a 4 th grade level. By devoting just a few hours a week, you can help improve your community and build a stronger, more literate San Diego.
- Tutoring a parent that has younger children makes an even larger impact by helping to stop the cycle of illiteracy. Research shows that parents who read are more likely to raise children who read.
- Volunteering gives a person the opportunity to become involved in the community and to interact with people.
- If you are a college or high school student, volunteering is always a great asset to an application or resume.
- If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities in San Diego County fill out our easy online registration form. The Volunteer Coordinator will contact you within 24-48 hours after submitting the form.