Wanted: Volunteers to help schoolchildren

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17: A programme aimed at helping schoolchildren achieve their goals is critically short of volunteer education coaches, organisers said yesterday.

The Mirrors scheme designed to support youngsters in two middle schools has just 12 “Coaching for Success” volunteers – but they need a total of 100.

Mirrors volunteer enrolment manager Carla Zuill said: “Many of the coaches say they get a great sense of satisfaction – it’s very rewarding, particularly when they see the growth of a young person they have coached.”
She added: “For the young people involved, there are different things which may hinder them from attaining their goals.

“Sometimes people take for granted that every young person has a strong support system – but that isn’t always the case.

“At least with their education coach, they know this person will be committed to their success and will be there for them for eight months. That’s got to be a positive feeling.”

Volunteers will work at either the Whitney Institute in Smith’s or Sandys Middle School, Sandys, working from October this year to the end of the school year next summer – a total of eight months.

Ms Zuill said: “Volunteers meet with a young person for up to 30 minutes a week, either first thing in the morning, during their lunch break or from 3.40pm to 4pm.

“They help the students to realise the goals they have set themselves, which can vary. It’s about things like better grades or being more assertive in class – anything which will make them more successful.”

Volunteers, who must be over 21, undergo a two-and-a-half day training course and meet four times a year with Mirrors to discuss progress, plus one mid-term meeting.

And she stressed: “It’s not about volunteers teaching – it’s about helping young people to learn by supporting them.”

She added: “One of the big barriers is that people don’t feel they have the time to volunteer, but I’d urge them to find that time. It amounts to around an hour a week – people should think about what equates to in terms of productivity for the young person involved.”

Ms Zuill said: “We are appealing for any former coaches to come forward, for new coaches, parents of former participants – anyone who is committed to giving back to the community.”

And she appealed for employers to support Mirrors by making it easy for staff to take part in the volunteer scheme.

Ms Zuill said: “Commitment is key; volunteers will be the support for a young person through that eight month journey. The last thing we want is for people to drop out because that will affect that young person adversely.”

Mirrors also runs a variety of other programmes for older youngsters and also needs volunteers for residential programmes and a nine-month follow-up scheme.

For more information, call 294-9291 or e-mail [email protected].