The Barrie Literacy Council appreciates and values the contribution of every volunteer who joins our organization.
You will find that adult literacy tutoring is an immensely rewarding volunteer activity. You are assisting your student to gain practical, every day skills and knowledge that most of us take for granted.
The Council holds volunteer tutor training workshops several times a year, offering both daytime and evening sessions. The training takes a total of 18 hours and prepares you to work one-on-one with an adult who wants to learn..
Click on one of the the videos below to watch an interview with one of our dedicated volunteer tutors.
Please note that a small fee is assessed to cover tutor training workshop materials.
After successfully completing the tutor training, you are matched with a student. The Tutor- Student Coordinator will work with you and the student to clearly establish the student’s goals and recommend the best type of learning approach to use. Staff is always available to assist with questions or concerns as you and your student work towards his or her goals.
All tutor-student matches meet at the Barrie Literacy Council offices for tutoring sessions. The length of the sessions and frequency are set between you and your student. Typically, students and tutors meet once a week for sessions of one to two hours. As a tutor, you will want to do some prep work prior to a tutoring session.
We ask potential tutors to think in terms of at least a one-year commitment to tutoring. There are several reasons for this, chief among them is the issue of student self-confidence. Our students have often dealt with major self-confidence issues as they have struggled with their lack of basic literacy in every day life. Once they have made the decision to improve their skills, they need someone who is willing to work with them to increase not only their knowledge, but their confidence and self-esteem. If a tutor cannot continue tutoring (for whatever reason) soon after a match is made, the student typically blames themselves; "I'm not smart enough and my tutor didn't want to tell me". Your commitment of time and patience is amply rewarded when your student realizes that their goals are within reach and their lives have been changed forever.
If for any reason you cannot commit to taking on a student right away, there are a number of other ways you can assist the Council. The Board of Directors has numerous committees that require volunteers with a variety of skills and experience. Perhaps you can assist with one of our public events throughout the year?
We know that you lead a busy life with many demands on your time. Your desire to volunteer with the Barrie Literacy Council is truly appreciated and the time that you have available to volunteer with us will be respected.
