If you think you might be interested in becoming a tutor, please come to one of the scheduled one-hour information sessions. You’ll learn more about the programs and can then decide if tutoring is for you. Call (265-9339) to register for the next orientation.

You don’t have to have a background in education and you don’t have to know a second language to tutor. A desire to develop a relationship with an adult learner and to help him help himself is a good starting place. You need to be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or GED, and know how to read, write, and speak English. We will help you with the rest.

The professional staff at Literacy Volunteers provides tutor training for all new volunteer tutors. During a five-week training (meeting three hours each week), you and other new tutors will learn to help your learners set goals, select material, and plan lessons. The tutor training is free, but there is a $25 fee to cover the cost of the book that is used during the tutor training.

Non-tutoring volunteer opportunities include:

• Newsletter mailing – at the office
• Spiral book binding with a manual binder machine – at the office
• “Adopting” a library – keep LVRV brochure displays stocked
• Representing LVRV at local festivals – sit at a table, hand out information, answer questions
• Volunteering at fundraising events (Scrabble tournament, etc.)
• Translating or interpreting to help us communicate with new non-English speaking learners
• Assisting with group assessments – at class locations

Contact us (265-9339) if you would like to help in any of these ways.

During the training you will be matched with one or more learners depending on your comfort level. (Many tutors have volunteered to work with a group of two or three learners.) The Literacy Volunteers staff is available for on-going support, including helping you find the materials and coming up with ideas that will help you help your learner(s) reach their goals.

Each tutor-learner pair or small group meets two hours each week, usually in one of the public libraries. You continue to meet with your learner(s) for as long as each has the desire. Some of our tutor-learner pairs have been together for many years.

You and your learner(s) will talk about what your learner(s) want to learn, study, and/or practice in the tutoring sessions. You will help the learner(s) set realistic goals. Your lessons will address the skills and knowledge that the learner(s) need in order to reach these goals. You may choose to use books from our library or materials that a learner brings to you. For example, a learner might bring a form from work and ask you to help him understand and complete it.