Qualifications and Responsibilities

• No previous teaching or youth experience necessary - only life experience needed!
• Volunteers of all ages welcome - must be committed to developing intergenerational relationships and strengthening the Experience Corps team
• Attend initial trainings and ongoing workshops to develop skills for working with youth
• One full school year commitment

Benefits

• Attend free workshops to expand knowledge on best practices for helping youth
• Receive educational awards, Elderhostel scholarships, and stipends for those who qualify
• Develop rewarding relationships with children and fellow volunteers
• Make a real difference in your community

Application Process

Helping to build reading skills in students who are having difficulty, giving students the extra encouragement they need, and fostering communication between older and younger generations are just a few of the ways in which Experience Corps volunteers touch lives. Here are some of their stories and what people are saying about the program:

Volunteer Stories

Jump down to: Oakland or San Rafael

San Francisco

Year of Experience Corps project launch: 1998

Students served: 1,220

Grades served: K-8th grade

Experience Corps participants: 73

Participant hours logged last school year: 15,140

Schools and neighborhoods served:

• A.P. Giannini Middle School (Sunset)
• Everett Middle School (Mission)
• Francis Scott Key Elementary School (Sunset)
• Hillcrest Elementary School (Portola/Excelsior)
• Lafayette Elementary School (Richmond)
• Malcolm X Academy (Bayview Hunters Point)
• Marshall Elementary School (Mission)
• Paul Revere School (Bernal Heights)
• Sanchez Elementary School (Mission)
• Sunset Elementary School (Sunset)

Requirements for volunteers: Application, interview, background check (fingerprinting), TB test, 8 hours of pre-service training, monthly team meeting