Each week, our Volunteer Center highlights three high-need opportunities in the areas of education, income and health: the building blocks for advancing the common good.
This week, we share some great opportunities from the Specialized Language Development Center, Goodwill Industries, and the Visiting Nurse Association of West Michigan.
Education - Specialized Language Development Tutor
The Specialized Language Development Center provides one-to-one tutoring to children and adults with learning differences. Participants will learn to develop multisensory, sequential lesson plans for use as a tutor. The SLD Center also provides professional training to parents, teachers and tutors in this teaching approach.
Volunteers are asked to be available for two one-hour sessions per week and commit to 50 hours of tutoring one student.
Contact Maura Race - (616) 361-1182, [email protected]
Income - Youth Services Presenter
The Workforce Investment Act Youth Program seeks volunteers who present workshops to at-risk youth ages 14-21 living in Kent County. Potential topics for workshops include (but are not limited to) financial literacy, computer skills and writing resumes or cover letters, conflict resolution, problem solving, teamwork, time management, leadership and communicating effectively.
Youth Services presenters should be comfortable with presenting in front of a group, possess a strong knowledge of the material they are presenting, and have good public speaking skills. Teaching experience and experience with youth ages 14 to 21 is desirable, but not required.
Contact Tim Parker, Volunteer Coordinator, Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids
(616) 451-8800 ext. 1244, or [email protected]
Health - Friendly Visitor Volunteers
Friendly Visitor volunteers have the opportunity to positively impact the life of a lonely or home bound senior citizen. Volunteers spend about an hour per week visiting elderly clients in their homes. These special seniors often feel isolated from their community due to illness or limited resources and benefit greatly from the presence of a caring visitor. A volunteer may spend time talking, reading, playing games or even just taking a walk with their client.
If you would like to provide friendship and companionship to a senior in our community, please contact Sondra Lienesch, Volunteer Coordinator, Visiting Nurse Association of West Michigan:
(616)486-3956 or (800)774-2702 or [email protected]
If you have any questions or suggestions regarding our weekly highlights, please contact Teresa Zbiciak at (616)459-6281 ext 664 or [email protected]
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