by Kyle Flood & Tricia Thompson of HandsOn Network;  Julie Moriarty of GenerationOn; Bonnie Andrews of Volunteer Center of Greater Milwaukee; and Devorah Vineburg and Anne Charneski of  Volunteer Center of Brown County

If you wish to become a full time or part time volunteer, these 10 steps will help start you off on the right path.

1.    Determine What You Can Contribute

• How much time are you able to volunteer?

• What time of the day are you able to volunteer?

• Make a list of the skills you have that you could contribute to the school –this might include artistic, athletic, interpersonal, scholastic, organizational, mathematical, technological, or any other personal skill you have.

• Make a list of things you’re passionate about. What issues interest you? This might include a passion for animals, the environment, health, safety, crime prevention, eliminating poverty, mentoring, tutoring, and so on.

• Make a list of the kinds of work you’d like to do. In what ways can your skills and passions transfer to working with a school?

2.    Find Out What The School Needs

Are there already pre-determined opportunities for volunteers to help?

If not, find out where the school needs support:

• Gather parents, community members, teachers, and/or staff to brainstorm school issues/needs.

• Approach community members and parents and ask them to share their dreams for the school. What can a volunteer do to help make these dreams a reality?

• Visit the school and discover ways to contribute. Observe a classroom and notice how a teacher works. Watch how a teacher structures the day and how he/she interacts with students. Where could a volunteer help?

• Hold a meeting with a teacher and ask how you might be able to help in his/her classroom.

• Hold a meeting with the school principal and ask in what ways you can volunteer.

• Meet with a single student or a small group of students and ask about their dreams for the school.

3.    Outline a Volunteer Plan

Work with a classroom teacher, school principal, staff member, or club/sports leader to create your plan and determine ways to make the strongest impact.

4.    Outline Goals

• What need are you addressing?

• What does a successful end result look like?

• What data can you track to establish success (ex. grades/test scores)?

• What do you hope to achieve, both personally and for others?

5.    Share Your Plan and Goals

By sharing these details, you may learn of specific tricks, tips, or further ideas on how to make an impact.

6.    Use Community Resources

Schools are often under resourced; therefore, you might need to get creative about soliciting additional resources to make your project a success.

Where might you get donated materials?

7.    Follow Through on Commitment

Teachers, staff, parents, and students will become dependent on your work, especially if you are a full time or part time volunteer.

It is important to carry through with your promises and commitment.

Never bite off more than you can chew and be honest about your time commitment and availability.

If you begin to feel overwhelmed, remain open and honest about it.

8.    Evaluate Outcomes and Measure Success

Success is measured in many different ways.

Speak to teachers and school administrators beforehand to discuss appropriate benchmarks for your work.

9.    Recognize All Involved

Recognize students, teachers, staff and other volunteers.

10.    Reflect, Evaluate, and Move Forward

Reflection is strongly encouraged after every service experience.

While volunteers think about their experiences independently, a conversation among all participating students/volunteers creates a stronger sense of accomplishment and establishes a deeper connection to the school and community.

A group conversation provides structured time to think and talk about what occurred during the project.

This group conversation can often deepen student/volunteers’ understanding of the social issue your project addresses and increase their commitment to service and learning.

Here are some sample reflection questions to help facilitate a reflective discussion about the service project:

• What issue(s) is being addressed? What did you notice happening around you during the project? What were the results/outcomes of the project?

• So what? What did you think about during the project activity? How has it affected you?

• Now what? What are the larger issues that caused the need for you to participate in this service activity? How did your efforts help? What else needs to be done to improve these problems? How will you apply what you learned in the future?

Now it is time to put your desires and passions to work!

Approach your local school and find ways to contribute.

Working with a school is one of the most rewarding experiences a volunteer can have.

For more information, check out the Adult Volunteers in Schools Resource Guide.