Volunteer FAQs
Why should I volunteer?
In many cases, the time our students spend with our tutors is the only time they will spend one-on-one with an adult during the course of the day. Between teachers with crowded classrooms and parents who are holding down multiple jobs and raising several children, our students benefit greatly from developing strong personal relationships with, and modeling their behavior after, successful adult tutors from the community.
Our volunteers choose to work with our students for a variety of reasons. Some or all of these may apply to you, or you may have reasons of your own:
- Be a role model and mentor to a child who may not have a supportive adult figure in his life
- Give back to the community
- Witness the spark in a child's eye when she finally grasps a concept she has been struggling to understand
- Feel good about yourself
- Surround yourself with the energy of youth
- Help a child, just the way an adult in your life helped you when you were young
Who are the volunteers in NCFC's programs?
Nearly 50 volunteer tutors and mentors participate in our programs. Because our programs operate in the evenings, the majority of our volunteers are professionals working or living in the metropolitan Washington, DC area who enjoy the convenience of tutoring and mentoring after work. New Community for Children also benefits from the large number of colleges and universities in the area which are our second largest source of volunteers.
What happens once I apply to be a volunteer?
Volunteer applicants are screened to ensure our students' safety. Prior to an initial interview, applicants are required to submit three references, a resume, and a release granting New Community for Children's permission to perform a criminal background check. During the interview, a potential volunteer and our program staff come to a mutual decision regarding which program best suits the candidate's interests and schedule. Before the interview is finished, applicants are asked to make a time commitment to the students: one evening (1 hour) per week for the L.E.A.P. Program, ASAP Program, A.B.L.E. (Adolescents Building Literacy through Expression) and Teen Center.
All volunteers then participate in a preparatory orientation and training, which is mandatory for beginning service in the programs. Afterwards, tutors may begin their service in our programs.
What is required of me as a volunteer?
In the L.E.A.P., ASAP, Middle and Teen Programs volunteers are asked to commit to one evening per week (one - two hours) from the time they start through the end of the school year. Volunteers in those programs should plan to volunteer on the same evening every week, to provide the most stable environment for the students in our programs. As a tutor in each of these programs, you will work with one to three students each evening (typically the same student(s) each week), providing homework support and academic skill development. You also may be asked to lead or assist with an enrichment activity should you have experiences, talents or skills that you would like to share with the students.
Click on the programs below to learn more and see which program matches your interests and availability.
Program Schedule:
Elementary Program: Monday through Thursday 3:15 - 7:00pm and Fridays from 3:15 - 6:15 p.m. (September through June). NCFC, also, operates a full-time summer program from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
A.B.L.E. (Adolescents Building Literacy through Expression): Monday through Friday, 4:00 - 8:00pm year-round (September through June). Summer schedule varies
Teen Center: Monday through Friday, 4:00 - 8:00pm year-round (September through June). Summer schedule varies
L.E.A.P. (Learn, Excel, Achieve, Progress): 1.5 hours per week year-round (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m., September through June).
If you are interested in volunteering with New Community for Children, please fill out an online application or print the application for faxing or mailing. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@ncfc-dc.org.
Tutoring has helped me to understand my schoolwork. 