What volunteer opportunities are available?
There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available such as classroom assistance, tutoring and mentoring in literacy or math, library assistance, reading aloud, giving career and enrichment talks, bringing the arts into the classroom, etc.

Where can I tutor? 
Boston Public Schools need volunteers throughout the schools in all grades, K-12. Boston Partners in Education places volunteers in nearly 70 of Boston's public schools.

Can I choose the school at which I tutor?
Typically, you can choose to volunteer at a participating school that is conveniently located near your home or work. The choices depend on your availability and interests, as well as the needs of the school.

Do I need a car in order to volunteer?
No. Most schools are accessible by public transportation. We can place you at a school that is conveniently located near a T or bus stop.

What hours can I volunteer? 
Most volunteers work during school hours (7:30 am- 3:20 pm, depending on the school). There are also some after school, evening, and weekend programs.

How often do I need to volunteer?
Although volunteers in some programs volunteer on a biweekly or monthly basis, most volunteer weekly, and commit through the end of the academic year. 

How long of a commitment is necessary to begin tutoring?
We have a variety of programs with different commitment levels, including one-time speaking engagements. It is preferable for volunteers of our on-going programs to commit through the end of the school year due to the mentoring component included in these initiatives. The longer a student is paired with the same academic mentor, the greater the benefit to the student. Due to class schedules, some college volunteers are only able to commit on a semester-long basis and we do our best to accommodate.

Is a college education necessary?
No.

How do I get started?
Complete the Volunteer Registration Form on the "For Volunteers" section of the website and a staff person from Boston Partners in Education will contact you. If you prefer, you can call the office at 617.451.6145 and ask for Barbara Harris. Barbara is also available by e-mail at bharris@bostonpartners.org.  She will be happy to schedule you for an interview.

How long does the interview take?
One hour, plus transportation.

Is training available?
Yes. Training is required before being placed as a volunteer in the Boston Public Schools. Although it depends on the type of volunteer service, most volunteers receive four hours of training prior to placement (two 2-hour sessions).

When does the training take place?
Boston Partners in Education holds training sessions throughout the year.  For a current training schedule, please call Corry Banton at 617.451.6145, or email her at cbanton@bostonpartners.org

Where does the training take place?
Most training sessions take place at our offices at 44 Farnsworth Street, Boston. Please click here for directions. Training may also be available off site for large groups (greater than 10 people). Please call Corry Banton at 617.451.6145 for details, or email her at cbanton@bostonpartners.org

Are there any requirements to volunteer?
Yes. We also require an annual criminal background check (CORI) for all volunteers. Boston Partners in Education processes these CORI checks.

Are there any summer opportunities?
Yes, there are summer opportunities, but they are more limited than those offered during the regular school year.

How does Boston Partners in Education know which schools are in need of volunteers?
We place volunteers in response to written requests from teachers and principals. Thus, a volunteer will always know that the teacher is in need of help.

How does a parent get a tutor/mentor for his/her Boston Public School child through Boston Partners in Education?
Because we place volunteers in response to requests from teachers, parents should speak with their child’s teacher if they feel their child could benefit from having an academic mentor.  The teacher will need to fill out a "Teacher Request" form, which can be found either online (in the "For Schools/Teachers" section of this website) or at the school office.  After the teacher returns the completed form, we can begin recruiting a suitable volunteer. Please keep in mind that Boston Partners in Education only services the public schools within the City of Boston.  Also, while we try to fill every request, it is not always possible to do so.