Volunteer Tips for Adult Education or Job Readiness Projects
Adult students have many reasons for joining New York Cares' Adult Education or Job Readiness projects. As a volunteer, it is your job to guide them as they seek to improve their lives. Please keep these tips in mind when you are on a project:
Get to know your student. Find out how much he or she knows about what you are trying to cover, and then set specific goals together.
Use positive reinforcement. For example, when working on a resume, take time to go through the student's interests, hobbies, job experience, community service, and career plans. People are most relaxed when talking about something they know, so be positive about past experiences and special skills, and highlight the importance of continuing education.
Communicate clearly. Working from your discussion about how much the student knows, take time to explain yourself while working together; what may be second nature to you could be new to the student.
Listen. It's easy to get caught up in how you want a résumé to turn out, but remember, you are there to help the student meet his or her goals.
