Experience Corps Greater New Haven

The mission of AARP Foundation Experience Corps is to engage highly trained adults, age 50+, to help children attain literacy proficiency by the end of 3rd grade so that children succeed and older adults thrive.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - EXPERIENCE CORPS VOLUNTEERING

What is Experience Corps (EC) tutoring like? EC volunteers (all age 50+):

• Tutor children in Kindergarten through grade 3 who need help improving their reading fluency - to read like they talk.
• Are assigned to 1 participating school or 1 afterschool program twice a week for an average of 6 hours, following a tutoring schedule that matches volunteer availability and site needs.
• Tutor twice weekly the same individual or pairs of assigned students (average total: 4-6 students).
• Follow a structured tutoring session that provides students with practice reading to improve fluency, using non-fiction books and tutoring materials provided by Experience Corps.
• Encourage a love of reading by spending a few minutes each session to read a fiction book to the student(s).
• Foster mentoring relationships with their students that encourage learning and confidence.

What makes Experience Corps (EC) unique?

• Most importantly, all our volunteers are age 50 or older, so they bring a wealth of experiences and skills and serve as role models and mentors.
• EC Greater New Haven is one of 22 AARP Foundation Experience Corps programs, an award-winning, research-based literacy tutoring model and a program of the Agency on Aging of South Central CT.
• EC provides opportunities for students to practice reading to improve their fluency and comprehension.
• EC volunteers receive extensive training before tutoring begins and support throughout volunteering to assure impactful tutoring and an enriching volunteer experience.
• EC measures its effectiveness using teacher and volunteer feedback and student literacy achievement scores.
• EC volunteers tutor in schools and in after-school programs.

Must I have experience teaching or working with children? No. You do need good reading skills, a love of reading, to enjoy being with young children, patience, flexibility, an open mind, creativity and dedication. Those who do have teaching experience will find that EC is a great (and less stressful) way to continue to impact children.

What is the actual time commitment?

• Training: New tutor training & site orientation is held over several weeks in October (20+ hours) and mini-conferences are held in the fall and spring (3 hours each.)
• Tutoring: EC volunteers tutor 2+ times a week for an average of 6 hours, from late October to early June; actual weekly hours vary due to half days, snow days, holidays, school vacations, etc.
• Supervision: Volunteers attend a 1-hour monthly group supervision meeting facilitated by EC staff.
• Appreciation: Two annual volunteer appreciation events - a January luncheon and a June reception.

How do I join? Contact Experience Corps about attending a volunteer information meeting.Complete an application form and attend your interview. EC will call your references and conduct a criminal history check including fingerprinting*. You are notified of the results.

Why should I do this? You are needed. You will help children learn to read and, therefore, succeed. You will learn new things. You will get to know other wonderful, caring older adults. You will make a difference. You will demonstrate the value of older adults. It will be part of your legacy. You will stay mentally & physically active. You will have fun!

I have questions. Call Sheila at 203-752-3059 x 2900 or email volunteer@aoascc.org