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Man with headphones in front of laptop learning English

BECOME A LITERACY VOLUNTEER

As a literacy volunteer, you will have the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of others by empowering them through literacy skills. You will join a community of passionate individuals who are committed to helping others achieve their goals, and you'll gain personal satisfaction from knowing that you're making a difference in the lives of those around you.

NO PRIOR TEACHING EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!

Please Help Someone Learn English

LVSSC trains and supports community volunteers to be effective teachers of English as either classroom Instructors or one-on-one tutors.

Real-life communication is stressed in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) with attention to the student's speaking skills and their ability to listen and understand.  Progress is measured by increased life skills and reaching personal goals. 

Basic Literacy students learn to read and write using training materials appropriate for their skill level and everyday reading materials such as newspapers. A flexible approach to tutoring is designed to help individual learners in a manner appropriate to their learning styles, goals, and literacy proficiencies.

Become a volunteer today and complete the Volunteer Profile form:

Change Lives Through Literacy

We are a member of ProLiteracy, a national non-profit organization.   We believe that the ability to speak, read, and write English is critical to achieving personal freedom, enhancing personal economic well-being, and fostering a democratic society.   Our focus is to help adult residents of South Sarasota County improve their abilities to speak, read, and write English at no charge to them and with their privacy respected at all times. 

If you can read, write, speak English, and have the ability to be flexible and patient with an adult learner, you can become a trained tutor.

  

Prior teaching experience or knowledge of a language other than English is not required.

By the Numbers

449

ACTIVE STUDENTS

LVSCC Logo

204

ACTIVE TUTORS

208

STUDENTS WAITING

27

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

By the Numbers

449

ACTIVE STUDENTS

LVSCC logo

204

ACTIVE TUTORS

208

STUDENTS WAITING

27

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Make a Difference in Someone's Life and Enjoy These Benefits!

Fun & Engaging Training

Scheduling Flexibility

On-Going Support

Meet New People & Make New Friends!

Common Questions

  • You can choose how you wish to contribute!  We have on-going needs in the following areas:
     

    • Classroom Learning

    • Student Chats

    • Literacy Tutoring Services

    • Online Learning Coaching

    • Other opportunities are available depending on your talents and interests

  • New volunteers ask, "How much time is required?" 


    There is no set time requirement to become a Literacy volunteer. Most of our volunteers donate 2 to 3 hours per week.
    Volunteers set up a schedule that works for them to meet with their adult learners online or in a public place…usually one of the South Sarasota County or the State College of Florida in Venice.
     

    Online reporting makes it easy for tutors to report their volunteer hours and their student's achievements.

  • We offer in-person training throughout the year which is designed to provide you with strategies to help you become an effective Literacy volunteer. Training includes valuable background information on our organization and uses an interactive approach to learning. Sharing ideas and hands-on activities make this training both fun and educational. Ongoing training and support are offered through our tutor mentor program, networking networking socials, Tutor Chats on Zoom, the LVSSC Facebook group, and Volunteer Online Resources.

  • Recommended ESL and Basic Literacy books designed for adult learners and teacher manuals are available to check out in our office in the Venice Library and our office in the North Port Library.


    Resources are provided at no cost to our Literacy Volunteers and adult learners.

Common Questions

  • You can choose how you wish to contribute!  We have on-going needs in the following areas:
     

    • Classroom Learning

    • Student Chats

    • Literacy Tutoring Services

    • Online Learning Coaching

    • Other opportunities are available depending on your talents and interests

  • New volunteers ask, "How much time is required?" 


    There is no set time requirement to become a Literacy volunteer. Most of our volunteers donate 2 to 3 hours per week.
    Volunteers set up a schedule that works for them to meet with their adult learners in a public place…usually one of the South Sarasota County or the State College of Florida in Venice.
     

    Online reporting makes it easy for tutors to report their volunteer hours and their student's achievements.

  • We offer in-person training throughout the year which is designed to provide you with strategies to help you become an effective Literacy volunteer. Training includes valuable background information on our organization and uses an interactive approach to learning. Sharing ideas and hands-on activities make this training both fun and educational. Ongoing training and support are offered through our tutor mentor program, networking socials, Tutor Chats on Zoom, the LVSSC Facebook group, and Volunteer Online Resources.

  • Recommended ESL and Basic Literacy books designed for adult learners and teacher manuals are available to check out in our office in the Venice Library and our office in the North Port Library.


    Resources are provided at no cost to our Literacy Volunteers and adult learners.

Our students disproportionately come from places plagued with chronic dysfunction:

Crime. Poverty. Limited Freedom. War. Corruption.

Some of the ‘Troubled Countries’ represented from our student intake include Cuba, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Venezuela, Russia, and Ukraine.

are RUSSIAN, UKRAINIAN, and HISPANIC.

OF STUDENTS

80%

are HIGHLY MOTIVATED 
and DISCIPLINED.

MOTIVATED

100%

MIDDLE-AGED people make up most of our student profile and 62% LIVE IN THE NORTH PORT AREA.

MIDDLE-AGED

62%

They are EDUCATED. 90% are high school graduates from their home countries and many have college degrees.

EDUCATED

90%

FEMALE

70%

They are MAINLY IMMIGRANTS with 70% being FEMALE because their husbands work.

cuban flag
honduran flag
guatemalan flag
ukranian flag
russian flag
venezuelan flag
haitian flag

Please Apply! 

Over the last 3 years - student applications have TRIPLED!  We now have 450 students with over 200 on a waiting list....

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN ALL AREAS!

girl reading

READING

girl writing

WRITING

girl speaking

SPEAKING

LVSCC logo

Meet Our Students

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