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 North Kansas City schools that participate in YouthFriends.

Lunch Buddy
Come eat lunch with a group of students and participate in an activity of mutual interest. This might include games, reading a story, playing a game at recess, or conversing.

Tutor
Assist students with class assignments and/or other supplied academic work to enable them to succeed on a given task or subject. This can be done one-to-one or working with an entire class one student at a time.

Guest Reader
Read a story to a classroom or listen to children read one at a time in a classroom.

Before- or After-School Coordinator
Share a skill such as crafts, drama, or coaching a group of students in a sport.

Morning Greeter
Visit with students in the morning as they wait for their day to begin.

Classroom Helper
Work with a classroom teacher helping an individual or small group.