Reset San Francisco How To's

The San Francisco Education Fund, in partnership with the San Francisco School Volunteers, merged to form an organization dedicated to improving the San Francisco public schools. The branch of this all-inclusive effort, which focuses on volunteerism in San Francisco schools, is an attempt to harness the great creativity, expertise, and talent available in our city and make it available to our students to enhance their education. The Fund works to prioritize schools that demonstrate the most need, and once the needs of those schools are met they look to other schools with less pressing demands.

Recent budget cuts have increased the call for the work of organizations like the SF Education Fund, and now more than ever the SF Education Fund needs members of the community to help bridge the gap between what the SFUSD can offer and what the students need. Members of the community can individually reach out to the San Francisco Education Fund and arrange to work with the students in a wide range of capacities.

The different types of volunteers needed:

  • Tutor/Enrichment Volunteer: Volunteers will read with a student, play chess, teach math, create art projects, edit college applications, help with science projects, play music, garden, set up computer labs, and check out library books.
  • Mentor: Mentors will build a lasting friendship, play a board game, discuss life goals, be a positive influence, go to the movies, lead by example, talk sports, and above all, listen.
  • Literacy Volunteer: Volunteers will help struggling 2nd graders, and teach phonetics skills as well as work to improve students’ reading comprehension.
  • Interpretation Volunteer: Volunteers will use Spanish or Cantonese skills to enhance student achievement, increase parent involvement in schools. Volunteers will also receive free interpretation training.
  • Career Speaker: Speakers will share career experience with classes to motivate students and be a real life example of a given profession. Speakers also will participate in a Career Day.

For each type of volunteer, except for those who wish to be career speakers, there is a detailed application process, which includes the following:

  • An online application process
  • A commitment of at least one hour per week during the school day for the duration of the semester
  • A mandatory volunteer orientation session (dates will be provided soon for the coming school year)
  • Two references, either personal (but not family members) or professional
  • Proof of a negative TB test after July 1, 2008 or a note from a doctor stating that you do not currently have TB
  • A photo ID (driver’s license, passport, state ID card)
  • Participation in fingerprinting for a background check

For the career speaker, you are only required to complete the online application process and provide a copy of your photo ID (by email) to Lianna Wright, [email protected].