YouthFriends is a school-based mentoring effort that links caring adult volunteers from the community with students in schools and is open to all students, grades K-12, within participating school districts. All activities take place on school grounds before, during or after school hours. YouthFriends volunteers typically visit a school for one hour each week to do things like have lunch with a student, help with reading or academic tutoring, share an interest or a hobby or simply listen.

View the Kansas City, Kansas District schools that participate in YouthFriends.

Reading Buddy
Read to or listen to one child read.

Mentor
Help one child develop the skills and confidence necessary to succeed in school.

Lunch Buddy
Come eat lunch with one child or a small group of children and participate in an activity of mutual interest, discuss a book, or just chat.

Classroom
YouthFriend volunteers are matched with classrooms by teacher request. Volunteers work with an individual child or a small group of children.

Special Projects
YouthFriends actively encourages the development of any new programs that link positive adult role models from the community to students in our schools.