Family Literacy Workshops: Translators & Support Volunteers Needed!

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HIGH NEED FOR SPANISH AND HAITIAN CREOLE SPEAKING VOLUNTEERS!

Ready to develop best literacy practices, read good picture books, and create art while having fun with children and families ages 4-8? A Words Alive Family Literacy Program Teaching Artist, through ZOOM, delivers high-impact programming in a way that is most accessible by the parents, families, and partners we serve. Teaching Artists help families with small children learn why exploring books is important for child development and ways to make it a fun family habit while ensuring families build their home libraries. Words Alive Teaching Artists meet children and families where they are, with engaging programming and valuable resources that will set them on a path to become a life-long learner.

The purpose of our Let's Read with Words Alive Family Literacy program is to nurture book-sharing habits at home by celebrating the power of play as we explore books, talk, write, and create art anchored in a new story each week. Parents learn research-based strategies to make reading aloud interactive and joyful. This program is developmentally appropriate for kids ages 4-8 years old, delivered in English and Spanish and includes copies of the books for each child to keep.

A Teaching Artist is:

• A positive, playful person who can command, virtually or in-person, a room of adults and their children.
• Friendly, likes helping people and loves to learn. The ideal candidate loves watching children’s faces light up during a well-told story and getting adults to those ah-ha! moments that help them feel empowered as their child’s first teacher.
• Easy to talk to and can explain just about anything to anyone.
• Well-organized and pays attention to the details. They stay focused and can think on their feet. As far as the ideal candidate is concerned, anything worth doing, is worth doing right, every single time.
• Reliable and always on time, since consistency is key when helping families build new habits.
• Committed to eyes-wide-open focus on inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.
• Deeply motivated by the power of reading!

How You Will Make a Difference:

"Now reading is more fun and interactive at home. I ask more questions and now we talk about the pictures of the book first and then we read together." - Family Literacy Program Participant

"Before, my kids did not treat their books with respect. They used to flip through all the pages and mess them up but the books we get from the program are like magic. They take care of them and hug them and cuddle with them before bed." - Family Literacy Program Participant

"My daughter connects the stories with experiences and moments of life more. I learned to go back to time and be a child again to get to the level of my son." - Family Literacy Program Participant

"I learned a lot. Before I just was reading a story, and ask for pointing. Now my son has more vocabulary and I learned here to ask 3 magic questions. This helps my child think and answer more. We have more conversation and discuss the book." - Family Literacy Program Participant

"I learned to try new things, and don't give up. What’s most valuable is that my daughter is happy. After attending our first class, the first thing my daughter said when we got home was 'thank you mama.’" - Family Literacy Program Participant

Requirements:

To become a volunteer:

· Submit a Volunteer Application

· Attend a Volunteer Orientation (1 hr)

· Complete a background check

· Submit a negative TB Test

· Attend Family Literacy Program Training (3 hrs)

In the role:

• Submit Volunteer Application
• Attend Volunteer Orientation and program training
• Computer literate
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to work well and collaborate with others
• Accountable, dependable, and organized
• Submits background check

When we return to in-person programs:

• Proof of negative tuberculosis test (TB) results
• COVID requirements: provide proof of vaccination card, complete COVID waiver, wears a mask during in-person sessions.

Winter: January 28 th, 2022-March 18 th, 2022 (includes a 1/2-day volunteer training and 1.5 hours per week for 6 weeks)

Spring: April 1st, 2022 -May 26 th, 2022 (includes a 1/2-day volunteer training and 1.5 hours per week for 6 weeks)