Tutor or Mentor a Young Person
Simpson’s approach to working with families is strength-based, responsive, and holistic. All parents in our program work directly with a Family Advocate who focus on locating and retaining stable, affordable housing, and attaining personal goals related to financial stability, education, or employment.
The mission of our Children and Youth Services programs is to break the generational cycle of homelessness by partnering with parents to support children’s academic success, stability, and well-being. Adults age 21 and older are invited to become a tutor or mentor and make a positive and lasting impact in the life of a young person.
Volunteering during COVID-19
Simpson prioritizes in-person contact in relationships. However, during the pandemic it may not always be safe for volunteers and students to meet in person. Following state and local guidelines, Simpson mentors should be prepared to transition to virtual meetings if necessary.
It is the policy of Simpson Housing Services to require all volunteers working with children and youth to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Volunteers must present their vaccine card to their program coordinator prior to matching to confirm their vaccination status. Simpson will not keep copies of volunteer vaccine cards on file.
Literacy Tutor
Passage Community is a 17-unit apartment building serving families that have experienced homelessness. The tutoring program at Passage serves children from Kindergarten – 6th grade. Tutors are matched with a student and work on reading skills with that student one day a week from 5 PM – 6 PM during the school year.
Literacy Mentor
Literacy Mentors are matched one-to-one with a Kindergarten – 5th grade student and commit to meeting weekly for a literacy tutoring session at least 3 times a month, and a monthly field trip outing throughout the school year (September-June.) Literacy Mentors are given prepared lessons based on the students’ reading level, interests, and the monthly outing destination. Lessons take place at a library near the student’s home. Mentors provide transportation for the student to and from the library and schedule their sessions directly with the parent.
Middle School Mentor
If you are interested in nurturing the unique interests and abilities of a middle school student, this may be the opportunity for you! Mentors are matched one-to-one with a 5th to 8th grade student and commit to meeting weekly (approximately 3 visits/month throughout the year.) As a mentor you will plan activities with your mentee ranging from going out for ice cream to volunteering together. Group outings or learning opportunities are offered approximately every other month.
Other Opportunities
If you cannot make an ongoing commitment to tutor or mentor but would still like to support the children and youth in our programs, we welcome donations of bag lunches for outings and other items for our education programs. Contact volunteer@old.simpsonhousing.org for information on additional ways to help.
Intro Sessions for Prospective Volunteers
Ready to get started? Join us for a virtual Introductory Session where you’ll learn about becoming a mentor or tutor!
2022 Intro Sessions have not been scheduled – this page will be updated when sessions become available.
Prospective Mentors and Tutors
You can get started by attending one of the sessions above or by completing the Volunteer Application. Select Literacy Mentor, Middle School Mentor, or Literacy Tutor from the drop down menu.
Current Mentors
Please complete your Mentor Activity Log online
Or, complete a paper version