We are DC Values

Education

  

Mission: There’s a dearth of African-American women in science, technology, engineering and math professions, an absence that cannot be explained by a lack of interest in these fields. Lack of access and lack of exposure to STEM topics are the likelier culprits. Black Girls Code provides young and pre-teen girls of color opportunities to learn in-demand skills in technology and computer programming at a time when they are naturally thinking about what they want to be when they grow up. Our vision: To increase the number of women of color in the digital space by empowering girls of color ages 7 to 17 to become innovators in STEM fields, leaders in their communities, and builders of their own futures through exposure to computer science and technology. To provide African-American youth with the skills to occupy some of the 1.4 million computing job openings expected to be available in the U.S. by 2020, and to train 1 million girls by 2040.

Website: http://www.blackgirlscode.com/volunteer-signup.html
Volunteer Form: http://blackgirlscode.ivolunteer.com/
Phone: (510) 398-0880

What volunteers do: 

  • Assist as tech instructors, tech assistants, classroom assistants
  • Contribute on social media
  • Provide general office/admin help and general IT/tech support

FYI:

  • Time commitments include weekend workshops (4 or 8 hours shifts), weekday workshops, or one week summer camp, as well as on-going weekday commitments.

Mission: The mission of Empower DC is to enhance, improve and promote the self-advocacy of low and moderate income DC residents in order to bring about sustained improvements in their quality of life. We accomplish our mission through grassroots organizing and trainings, leadership development, and community education. Empower DC is a citywide, multi-issue, membership-based community organizing project. Empower DC builds campaigns to address key issues that directly-impact our membership.

Website: http://empowerdc.org/leadership/become-a-member/
Email: frances@empowerdc.org
Phone: (202) 234-9119

What volunteers do:

Instead of a volunteer program, Empower offers a membership program (membership costs $10/annually, though this amount can be reduced if an obstacle). As a member, you can:

  • Host a house party
  • Volunteer during office hours to help with fundraising, research, graphic design, social media, etc.
  • Help with community outreach
  • Take video or pictures
  • Distribute fliers on your block
  • Bring updates to your ANC
  • Help with phone banking
  • Provide transportation

Mission: Our mission is to provide educational and enrichment activities for inner city Washington, DC, school-age children and youth in Southeast DC. We believe that this is best accomplished through one-on-one mentoring and tutoring, in a safe place, with nutritional support, through after school and summer programs.

Website: http://www.janstutoringhouse.org/home/Volunteers.html
Volunteer form: http://janstutoringhouse.org/Volunteer_files/JTHapplication.pdf
Email: twoods@janstutoringhouse.org
Phone: 202-547-1345

What volunteers do:

  • Tutor one child (age 5 to 15), weekly, with occasional weekend outings

FYI:

  • Volunteer tutors are asked to commit to one night each week for a minimum of one year, but understand that most student and tutor pairs establish long term friendships.
  • Volunteers may schedule tutoring one of three nights: Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, between 6:30 and 8:30 pm.
  • Volunteer application link is available on the website. You will also need three references and undergo a background check.

Mission: The Petey Greene Program supplements education in correctional institutions by preparing volunteers, primarily college students, to provide free, quality tutoring and related programming to support the academic achievement of incarcerated people.

Website: http://www.peteygreene.org/volunteer/
Volunteer form: http://www.peteygreene.org/volunteerapplication
Contact: http://www.peteygreene.org/contact/
Phone: n/a

What volunteers do:

  • Work one-on-one or in small groups with students in correctional facilities in order to support their academic achievement.

FYI:

  • All tutors are required to be over the age of 18, and have or be working towards a Bachelor's degree. Additionally must be able to provide a social security number and government-issued ID.
  • This opportunity requires a 3-4 hour weekly commitment.
  • Shift times and locations listed here (note: program follows academic calendar, so runs between Sept-Dec and Jan-April): http://www.peteygreene.org/washington-dc/.

Mission: Reading Partners mobilizes communities to provide students with the proven, individualized reading support they need to read at grade level by fourth grade. We know that reading is the foundation for all future learning, and the ability to read transforms lives and empowers children and communities to reach their full potential. Research shows that students who read at grade level by fourth grade have a greater opportunity to succeed in school and in life.  We partner with under-resourced schools and engage volunteer reading partners to work one-on-one with students who struggle with reading. An evidence-based and community-driven organization, we recruit and train volunteers to work one-on-one with students following a structured, research-based curriculum. Our program model works and is backed by evidence-based research which proves that our students make significant gains in reading. On average, Reading Partners’ students more than double their rate of learning while in the program.

Website: http://readingpartners.org/location/washington-dc/
Volunteer form: https://wdcvol.my-trs.com/
Phone: (202) 701-9110

What volunteers do:

  • Work with one student on literacy curriculum for a minimum of one hour per week, preferably two 45-minute sessions (generally M-Th during school hours).

FYI:

Mission:  TEALS pairs computer science professionals from across the industry with classroom educators to team-teach CS in high schools throughout the U.S. Started in 2009 by Microsoft employee Kevin Wang, who developed and ran the program in his spare time, TEALS was embraced by Microsoft in 2011 and has been supported by the company ever since as part of its global YouthSpark initiative, which aims to increase access to CS education for all youth around the world. TEALS helps high schools teach computer science by providing trained volunteers – industry professionals in CS – to partner with a classroom teacher and work as a team to deliver CS education to students who would otherwise not have the opportunity to learn CS in their school. Over two years, the classroom teacher gradually takes over the responsibilities of teaching the course without volunteer support. The team-teaching and volunteer system of TEALS creates a strong ripple effect: it empowers teachers who can multiply the impact by providing computer science education to hundreds more students over the years.

Website: https://www.tealsk12.org/volunteers/
Contact: https://www.tealsk12.org/contact/
Phone: n/a

What volunteers do: 

  • Serve as part of a team led by a partner classroom teacher & help prepare a classroom teacher to teach: Intro to Computer Science Principles, AP CS A (Java Programming), or an AP CS Principles course on their own. TEALS has different volunteer tracks, outlined below, meant to accommodate different levels of availability.
  1. Co Teaching Model: Volunteer teachers serve on a teaching team led by a classroom teacher, 2-3 classes/week, often first period from 7:30 a.m.- 9:30 a.m. (answer student questions; grade assignments; inspire students to continue pursuing computer science in college or career; meet as a team to track student progress and plan upcoming classes; adapt lesson plans from the TEALS curriculum for use in your class and deliver lessons)
  2. Teaching Assistant Model: Assistants help students with lab work, grade assignments, deliver guest lectures (1-2 classes/week).
  3. Consultant Model: Consultants support teacher remotely by discussing class, assisting with curriculum and grading, delivering guest lectures, inspiring students via visits or video conference to continue pursuing computer science in college or career.

FYI:

  • Volunteers expected to commit for full school year, and attend the required info sessions and mandatory summer training program (20 hours of online and in-person training sessions, plus 20 hours working with teaching team and preparing for the school year).
  • CS degree or equivalent job experience required
  • Check out FAQ and Volunteer Overview for more info: https://www.tealsk12.org/volunteers/faq/.

Mission: Writopia Lab fosters joy, literacy, and critical thinking in children and teens from all backgrounds through creative writing. We provide young people with the creative inspiration and intellectual environment that may not be available to them at school. We help students become comfortable expressing themselves on paper and to ultimately cultivate (or maintain) a love of writing in each of them. We create and sustain a diverse community of young writers who find commonalities in a shared passion for ideas and expression. We provide an open, safe, and nurturing space for young people who are highly engaged in creative and intellectual endeavors. We provide an open, safe, and nurturing space for young people who struggle with verbal and written expression. We identify ways that creative youth who struggle academically can use their gifts to further their academic success.

Website: http://www.writopialab.org/who-we-are/join-the-team#volunteer
Email: registerDC@writopialab.org
Phone: (202) 629-9510

What volunteers do:

  • Joy and Literacy Afterschool Program: Mentor within creative-writing workshops in afterschool programs for low-income youth (60-90 minutes once a week on M, T, W or F)
  • Write to Recognition Program: With degree in English or education: mentor and support young writers (nine month commitment, 2-10 hours/week plus monthly meetings and professional development sessions). 
  • With experience in Regents and test prep: GED, resume building, admissions essays, work with older teens transitioning out of foster care or treatment facilities for incarcerated youth.

FYI:  Application and training session required.

Mission: Year Up envisions a future in which every urban young adult will have access to the education, experiences, and guidance required to realize his or her true potential. Our mission is to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. We achieve this mission through a high support, high expectation model that combines marketable job skills, stipends, internships and college credits. Our program combines hands-on skills development, courses eligible for college credit, and corporate internships to prepare students for success in professional careers and higher education. Our holistic approach focuses on students’ professional and personal development to place these young adults on a viable path to economic self-sufficiency.

Website: http://www.yearup.org/get-involved/ways-to-help/?location=national-capital-region/
Volunteer form: http://www.yearup.org/get-involved/#form
Email: volunteer@yearup.org
Phone: (703) 312-9327

What volunteers do:

  • Mentor: Email or call mentee weekly; meet face-to-face monthly for 8 months; help mentee build professional network; review resume and college forms; encourage continuous learning and problem-solving; attend Year Up graduation and recognize your student.
  • Tutor: Be there to provide students academic guidance and help them hone their technical skills.
  • Guest Speaker: Inspire young adults with your story, and share your insights on building a career.