If you’re looking for a way to help young people in your area—and strengthen the community, too—the answer might be as close as your local schools. School systems are the backbone of many communities, and often need volunteers to help students in various ways. Whether you’re a high-school student looking for a way to meet community service requirements, a parent or grandparent with a little extra time, or a community member who wants to lend a helping hand, local schools are great places to start. Here are some ideas to get started:
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The National Center for Safe Routes to School advocates to improve the health and well-being of children by enabling and encouraging them to walk and or ride their bike to school. It offers resources for local law enforcement officials to get involved, as well as information you can share with teachers, school administrators, and community members to get their support.. If your community already has a program in place and if the positions are available for volunteers, you can sign up as a crossing guard or bus assistant.
Contact your local school district for details and security protocols. When interacting with children, a background check is generally required.
According to the Institute of Education Sciences 94% of public-school teachers spend their own money purchasing school supplies for their students. On average, they spend $500, which often goes unreimbursed. And, with almost 11 million children in the U.S. living in poverty, many parents can’t afford the cost of their children’s school supplies.
You can help by organizing a #CleartheLists project, collecting requests from teachers that community members can purchase. DonorsChoose.org lets you automate the process—you simply need to get the word out to community members. Or organize a school supply drive to support families in your community that need a little help during back-to-school season.
Do you have skills and interests that can help in the classroom? Reach out directly to your local school for opportunities. If you have a student in the school, teachers may be grateful for your help as a “class parent” or an extra set of hands during school year events. You can also reach out to the school’s parent-teacher organization (PTO) or parent-teacher association (PTA) which may need volunteers.
The Citizen Teacher program lets you help turn kids into young scientists, architects, lawyers and business owners by being a mentor. Interested in school nutrition? You can join over 120,000 volunteers and constituents committed to promoting good health, undernourishment, and physical inactivity with Action for Healthy Kids.
Are you an ace at math or reading or well-versed in history? Many students need a little help with their class work. You can reach out to your local school directly to see if there are after-school programs that may have opportunities for tutors. You can also check out organizations like Reading Rockets, which provides materials to help young people develop a love of reading. For volunteers age 50 and over, AARP Foundation’s Experience Corps offers opportunities to volunteer as a reading tutor. Finally, consider sharing your skills with students through organizations like Learn to Be or your local library. If you have other talents, knowledge or experience, talk to your local school administrators: there may be other opportunities to share your skills or talents to help students learn.
Ready for more volunteer opportunities? Visit www.createthegood.org for more ideas and specific volunteer roles.