Volunteer Opportunity Details:

Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House, a community-based nonprofit in Long Island City, offers free ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes to immigrant adults. We have six evening classes at IS 126, located at 31-51 21st Street in Astoria, as well as three morning classes and three Saturday classes at our main site, located at 10-25 41st Avenue in Long Island City.

We are looking for volunteers to work with our adult ESOL students during the program year, which runs from September 2009 to June 2010. We ask that volunteers commit to one two-hour session each week for the duration of one session, which generally lasts three to four months. The following opportunities are available:
I. Conversation Partners
II. Computer Lab Helpers
III. One-on-one Tutors
IV. Translators (languages other than Spanish, especially Arabic, Bengali, Urdu, and Farsi)

Conversation partners will meet with an Intermediate ESOL Class one evening per week (day to be determined) from 7:30-8:45 pm to engage with small groups of ESOL students. Computer lab helpers will also meet with a class one evening per week to help students use technology in the classroom. One-on-one tutors will meet individually with students from different levels that would like to further their skills in certain areas. We will make an effort to pair lower level students with bilingual volunteers. Volunteers that speak languages other than Spanish will assist us on an as-needed basis to interpret for lower level students (in person or via phone) and to translate short documents. We are open to discussing alternate volunteer assignments based upon volunteers’ interests.

Volunteers must participate in an orientation and a brief webinar training that will be held in early September. The Coordinator of Immigrant Services will be available to meet with individual volunteers about any questions or concerns they may have, and to provide level-appropriate learning materials on an ongoing basis.

• Experience and interest interacting with people of diverse backgrounds
• Some experience with teaching/tutoring and working with immigrant communities is a plus, but not required.
• Flexibility and patience

This opportunity is sponsored by: Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House This volunteer opportunity is available to the following types of volunteers Senior Citizens Welcome We need volunteers who are free at these times Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Morning X X X X Afternoon Evening X X X X Monthly Contact Person: Frances Hartmann, Program Coordinator, (718) 784-7447 x129, (email) View all organization contacts Address: 1025 41st Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 (See a map) Directions: Take the F train to 21 Street/Queensbridge and walk two blocks west on the north side of 41st Avenue (towards Manhattan) to arrive at the Jacob Riis Settlement House. You can also take the Q66, Q69, Q100, or Q102 buses to 41st Avenue. We are located in the Queensbridge Houses.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: F to 21st Streeet/Queensbrige,   Walk distance (in minutes): 5   Nearest Bus Stop: Q66, Q69, Q100, or Q102, 5 minute walk Details where opportunity can also be performed This opportunity can also be performed in these locations: Zip codes: 11106 Web Site: http://www.riissettlement.org Miscellaneous Information Borough Queens Volunteer Shifts One evening per week (to be determined) from 7:30-8:45, and flexible days/times.