► Volunteering with Us < top>

Join our team: 
Become a Literacy Coach

Refugee Transitions is looking for committed and culturally sensitive volunteers to become Literacy Coaches.  Coaches provide support to refugee and immigrant families and play a critical role in helping the agency service its mission.  Volunteering with Refugee Transitions is a great way to help your community and have a real impact on the lives of others.

As a Literacy Coach, you have the option of working with clients in either our adult or youth program:

ESL Civics Education and Orientation Program: This program provides adult clients with home-based ESL instruction and civics education. Adult Literacy Coaches help students acquire the language and literacy skills needed to engage more actively in their communities, and to access important civic institutions and public resources.

Bridge 2-Success Youth Development Program:  This program provides immigrant and refugee youth with the support they need to succeed academically, develop career-readiness skills, form healthy attachments, and maintain supportive relationships with adults and peers.  We match Youth Literacy Coaches with refugee youth aged 6-18 for one-on-one tutoring and mentoring. 

What we're looking for

Refugee Transitions is recruiting Literacy Coaches for both our youth and adult programs in San Francisco, the East Bay, and the South Bay.  RT will provide you with extensive training and resources; no knowledge of a second language is required.  Literacy Coaches work in the family’s home, which makes our program accessible to clients who have difficulty commuting to outside classes due to physical difficulties, childcare and work obligations, fear, and lack of familiarity with the city and its services. 

We require a minimum six month commitment for Coaches working with adults, and a minimum nine month commitment for those working with youth.  As many of our clients have endured considerable upheaval in their lives, we stress this obligation in order to provide a stable and supportive learning environment. 

RT welcomes Coaches to extend this commitment, and find that long-term volunteer-student relationships are particularly beneficial.  Although Refugee Transitions' core focus is providing home-based ESL instruction, Literacy Coaches have the opportunity to go above and beyond this role, engaging students as mentors, cultural ambassadors, and advocates.

Volunteer Requirements

Mandatory requirements

• Attendance at two initial trainings before being matched with a client, plus one additional training within the first 6 months
• Ability to meet with your student 2-4 hours per week  
• 6 month minimum commitment for volunteers working with adults
• 9 month minimum commitment for volunteers working with youth
• Cultural sensitivity 
• Dedication, patience, and the ability to provide your student with reliable support
• Enthusiasm and a desire to help refugee and immigrant families

Useful skills (but not required)

• Knowledge of a second language
•  Cross-cultural experience
•  Prior experience working with refugees or immigrants
• Teaching experience

Benefits for Literacy Coaches

• Develop valuable teaching, mentorship, and advocacy skills
• Gain substantial cross-cultural experience
• Receive training on a range of topics relevant to refugees and immigrants
• Strengthen your community and acquire leadership skills
• Improve your ability to problem solve
• Expand your network of socially-active individuals
• Make a difference in someone’s life!

 

►The Application and Orientation Process             < top>

How to apply

Refugee Transitions requires a multi-step application and orientation process in order to ensure that our Literacy Coaches are confident, committed, and capable.  Below is a step-by-step walk through of the process and its components.

 ►Step 1:  Fill out a Literacy Coach application

Download an Application
Please follow all directions on the application.  We have both Word and PDF versions, as well as an online version below.  Please choose the format that you prefer.

>> Volunteer Application - Microsoft Word Format .  >> Volunteer Application - Adobe Acrobat PDF Format  >> Volunteer Application - Online

 ►Step 2:  Attend a Refugee Transitions Orientation

All volunteers are required to attend this mandatory Orientation, which will help you better understand the resettlement process of refugees and asylees in the United States, as well as Refugee Transitions' mission, the services that we offer, and our clients. Please visit our calendar page for upcoming Orientation dates in the East Bay, South Bay, and San Francisco.  RSVP to reftrans@reftrans.org or 415-989-2153. 

 ►Step 3:  Interview with one of our Staff Members

After attending the Orientation, our Volunteer Coordinator will contact you to set up an interview.  Here you will discuss your volunteering preferences and we'll have a chance to learn a bit more about you.  This will enable our Volunteer Coordinator to match you with an appropriate student.

 ►Step 4:  Attend a Youth or Adult Training

After your interview, we ask that you attend a mandatory 3 hour training session where we provide you with curriculum material and teaching resources relevant to refugees and low-income immigrants.  You are welcome to attend both Youth and Adult Trainings, but we only require that you attend one of them.  You can find upcoming Training dates on our calendar page.   

►Step 5:  The Match

Once you have been trained and oriented to the organization, our Volunteer Coordinator will match you with a student.  Depending on the specificity of your preferences and the availability of clients who meet your preferences, this can take anywhere from a week to several weeks.  Once a student has been selected, a staff person will accompany you on your match date to meet the student at his or her home.  Here you will establish a schedule and finalize any last details.    

►Step 6:  You're ready to start!

Now you are ready to assume your role as a Refugee Transitions Literacy Coach!  Our Volunteer Coordinator and staff are always available to answer any questions and to provide you with whatever support you need.  Additionally, we ask that you attend one supplementary training of your choice during the first six months of your service as a Literacy Coach.     

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