Outreach Volunteer

Title: Outreach Volunteer

Objective: Outreach volunteers provide a helping hand for at-risk young people and help youth gain education, life and social skills. This empowers youth to gain the confidence necessary to become successful and independent members. Volunteers enrich the experience of participating youth by engaging with and being supportive of them and serve as support for outreach staff.

Areas of Responsibility and Accountability

• Engage with youth individually and in groups by initiating conversations and activities with them
• Assist staff with supervision of teens in order to help maintain a safe and secure environment
• Initiate and participate in recreational, educational and life skills activities with individuals and groups
• Model positive social skills and behavior
• Participate in group sessions led by staff and co-lead groups with staff and other volunteers
• Offer homework help and tutoring
• Answer phone calls
• Perform other duties as needed that relate to outreach services

Qualifications

• Self-starter with a willingness to take initiative and persistence in engaging with youth
• Outgoing and friendly personality
• Sincere interest in helping and engaging with high-risk youth
• Ability to commit to a regular schedule of one shift per week that is 2 hours in length
• Dependable and reliable
• Successful completion of background investigation

Supervision Provided to Volunteers

• Direct supervision during shifts by counselor
• General supervision by the Outreach Director

Required Training

• One training session on volunteer responsibilities, procedures and professional boundaries

Benefits

• Make a positive difference in the lives of young people
• Gain experience in the social work, psychology and counseling fields
• Develop interpersonal communication skills
• Learn best methods for working with high-risk youth
• Gain skills for working in a team-oriented environment
• Learn the dynamics of helping