Frequently Asked Questions
For Volunteers
Interested in becoming a volunteer with Whatcom Literacy Council? Find answers to the most common questions below.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs) FOR VOLUNTEERS
We ask pairs to commit to meeting two times a week, 90 minutes per session, for one year.
We will place you in a classroom that works with your schedule. We ask that you commit for at least one full school quarter.
Pairs meet at public locations throughout Whatcom County including the community colleges, libraries, grocery stores, coffee shops and more. Coordinators will assist in finding a mutually convenient location.
You may be placed in a classroom at Whatcom Community College, Bellingham Technical College, or in Small Group Classes for the Whatcom Literacy Council, which are held all over Whatcom County. Let us know what your preferred location is.
No. Tutors must be over 18 years old and have obtained a high school diploma or a G.E.D.
During the interview with our staff person, you can discuss the different programs and how your interests and skills would fit in each program. However if you are flexible, we can place you in the program with the highest need.
Tutors and Small Group Classroom Facilitators complete two rounds of training: the first is conducted online; the second is conducted in person. After you have been placed, we provide full ongoing support, training, and ready access to our Program Coordinators for consultations.
The matching process for one-to-one tutoring takes time and coordination. Our Program Coordinators take many factors into consideration, including availability schedule, preferred location, gender, personality traits, work experience, and personal interests, among other aspects.
Tutors and Small Group Facilitators are often placed within a few weeks after attending training. At times it may take longer, especially if you have limited availability. Your Program Coordinator will communicate with you to help you understand why the placement process may be taking longer than expected.
We will place you in the classroom with the most need for volunteers. This will likely be at the start of the next school quarter.
After training, it is up to the Tutor to prepare appropriate lessons based on their learner’s goals. Your Program Coordinator will make recommendations for online/print resources and techniques that can be used with your learner, all of which are available through the Whatcom Literacy Council's in-house library or the Whatcom County Library System.
Our Program Coordinators are available for ongoing support as needed. If you have questions about lesson planning, resources, or would like to troubleshoot an issue you or your learner(s) are having, simply contact your Program Coordinator by e-mail, phone, or set up an appointment to meet in person.
No. Our learners are studying basic skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening and computing. No expertise in grammar tutoring is necessary.
Absolutely not! During our training sessions, you will learn instructional methods that do not require using the learner’s first language.