The Literacy Council needs volunteers to tutor adult learners one-on-one and in small groups. We also need volunteers to serve on the Board of Directors, on committees and to help with projects and fundraising events.

If you would like to volunteer to become a tutor, please review our Tutor Eligibility Requirements and Tutor Job Description below, and complete our Tutor Registration form.

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When is the next Tutor Training workshop?

We have tutor trainings scheduled throughout the year. Please refer to the Events page for information on the training schedule.

Is there a charge for training?

There is a $25 Workshop Registration Fee due by the first day of training. The registration fee covers a portion of your training materials.

What is the time commitment for tutoring?

Tutors commit to tutoring for six months, with the expectation that they will meet with their student(s) for one 90-minute session per week. Tutors can expect to devote an additional 30-60 minutes per week for lesson preparation and travel.

Where does the tutoring take place?

Tutoring generally takes place in The Special Services Department at The St. Joseph County Public Library in downtown South Bend or at The Mishawaka Penn-Harris Library located in downtown Mishawaka. Tutoring may also take place at any of the library branches in our area or at other approved public tutoring sites within the county.

What if tutoring isn't for me?

We have many other important volunteer opportunities, such as performing student assessments, providing administrative support, putting on special events, serving on our board or a committee, and recruiting other volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a non-tutoring volunteer, please contact our office at (574) 235-6229.

How can I help if I don't have time to volunteer?

You can still help by making a financial contribution. Please see the Give Your Financial Support section of our web site.

• Tutors must be at least 18 years old and have a High School diploma.
  (Exceptions will be made by the Literacy Council Director on a case by case basis.)
• Tutors must be willing to commit to working with an adult learner 1 1/2 hours a week for 6 months.
• Tutors must be dependable, prompt, interested in helping others and have patience.
• Tutors must not have been convicted of a felony crime.
• Tutors must be sensitive to different backgrounds and cultures and respectful of student confidentiality.
• Tutors should be able to read, write and speak English comfortably.

Mission: The tutor will problem solve with an adult ESL or Basic student to meet the student's literacy goals.

The tutor will complete a 15-hour tutor training course and:

• meet with a student on a regular basis (once a week for at least 1 1/2 hours).
• consult with the student about his/her needs and goals.
• come to tutoring sessions with prepared student centered lesson plans.
• review work the student has done independently.
• keep up with new learning strategies and materials.
• maintain records of student progress.
• report tutoring time and lesson preparation time.
• be flexible.
• be friendly.
• be patient.

Information and practice concerning how adults learn, lesson planning, materials, learning strategies, teaching methods, and record keeping will be detailed throughout this course.