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.

Lunch Buddy
Eat lunch in the school cafeteria with an individual student or group of students during their lunch period. During your time together, you may also serve as a mentor by playing a board game, reading a story, playing on the playground or working on a special project. This is a time to build self-confidence and let the student know he/she is important.

Read With Me Program
Join adult YouthFriends volunteers as they listen to, and read to, elementary school students. This practice helps students gain "reading mileage" and reading confidence.

Academic Tutor
Choose your favorite subject - math, reading, writing, science, social studies, computers, music or a foreign language - and work with a student who needs extra attention in that area. You may choose to mentor your student before, during or after school to help give him/her advice and direction in tasks such as completing everyday assignments or developing a challenging project.

Mentor
Time with a positive adult role model is something kids ask for over and again. Have fun getting to know a student through a variety of activities including sharing a hobby, working on an assignment, playing a game or sport, or just "hanging out." A mentor is a friend and a good listener and helps build the self-confidence students need to succeed in school.

YouthFriends Corps
YouthFriends Corps provides an opportunity for high school students to volunteer with elementary school students in their own school districts. YouthFriends Corps promotes community service among youth in the hope of making volunteerism a lifelong commitment. Note: Many high school students use YouthFriends Corps hours for service hours.

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

YouthFriends e-Mentoring™
Busy professionals from YouthFriends Employer Partners help connect schoolwork to the "real world" for middle and high school students by exchanging weekly e-mails via the Internet. Students e-mail from school and adult e-Mentors e-mail from their places of work. At least one face-to-face meeting required. Specialized training provided free-of-charge.

Special Projects
If we haven't listed an activity that appeals to you, let us know. We will be glad to design something that suits your desire to be a mentor to a young person. You choose the time and day of the week that fits with your busy schedule and we'll select the student or group of students who can most benefit from your experience.