Mentor or Instruct a high school student in SF!

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Support low-income high school students on their path to college through weekly, in-person mentorship or instruction. The people we meet expand what we believe is possible. Join us as we broaden students’ worldviews, build lasting relationships, and prepare them for college and beyond.

Looking for volunteers for the 2025-2026 school year. To learn more and apply, visit: http://www.mindsmatterbay.org/join

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM

Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBay) is an educational non-profit that provides low-income high school students access to mentorship, academic instruction, and a community of support to help broaden their worldview and prepare them for college and beyond.

VOLUNTEERS

At Minds Matter Bay Area, our mentees come first, followed closely by our amazing community of volunteers. Many volunteers form lasting friendships and socialize outside of Saturday sessions. Whether we’re discussing the latest trends in education over dinner or picnicking in a local park, our volunteers know how to get things done and have fun while doing it. We invite you to join our community and support our mentees.

At the heart of our organization are volunteers committed to making an impact in the lives of young people. We’re looking for volunteers to help us execute our program as mentors, instructors, and volunteer leaders.

VOLUNTEER COMMITMENT

The opportunity to make an impact on a student’s life comes with important responsibilities. One of the key components of working with youth is building trust, which volunteers do by showing up consistently. As a volunteer, your presence, proactive communication, and dedication are what makes Minds Matter Bay Area so successful.

Weekly Attendance Volunteers have a minimum attendance of 80% of Saturday sessions (approx. 20 of 25 weeks from August through May) and are required to notify leadership in advance for absences. Sessions are in-person and volunteers must be present for the entire block of either instruction or mentoring.

• Instruction is 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
• Mentoring is 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
  
  

Length of Commitment Building strong relationships with a student is vital for their success and growth. This requires consistent attendance over a period of time. As such, each volunteer commits to a role for a specific length of time. Many volunteers enjoy their experience and stay several years beyond the minimum.

• Instructors - minimum 1 year, 2 preferred
• Mentors - 3 year commitment
  • The vast majority of our mentor positions require a 3-year commitment. Mentors are matched with mentees for the entire 3-year program.
  • Occasionally we have openings for 1 or 2 year commitments if we need to replace a mentor.
• Leadership roles - minimum 1 year, 2 preferred

INSTRUCTORS

Instructors serve as guides and role models for our mentees, encouraging them to deepen their knowledge base and to enjoy the process of learning.

Instructors, along with their co-instructor, lead a small group of 4-6 students in a single subject area (math or verbal) to build academic confidence and prepare students for the SAT. Instructors are provided with role-specific training, lesson plans, and ongoing support from an experienced Instruction Lead.

Instructors exemplify MMBay’s core values:

• We show up Instructors commit to showing up on-time and prepared.
• We do the hard work Instructors use their passion to inspire others while executing lessons in a small group and/or classroom setting. Instructors know/learn the format of the SAT.
• We believe and persist Instructors take complex concepts, simplify them, and can explain in mulitiple ways so that everyone learns.
• We priortize communication Instructors execute lesson plans in a way that supports the individual learning needs of each mentee. Instructors ask leadership for guidance and speak up when they have concerns or questions.
• We practice emotional courage Instructors let their guard down and are honest about their fears in a way that makes students feel safe to let their guard down too.
• We are the culture Instructors work collaboratively with their team. Instructors are open to giving and recieving feedback and willing to navigate ambiguity alongside their fellow volunteers.
• Prior tutoring or teaching experience is a plus.

MENTORS

Each mentor, along with their co-mentor, is matched to two mentees. Working together, mentors guide their mentees as they explore their interests, potential majors, and different career paths. Along the three year journey mentors and mentees learn a variety of skills including writing resumes, editing personal statements, time and stress management, and having conversations that move beyond small talk. Our mentors serve as positive role models and catalysts for their mentees, influencing the boundaries of what they believe is possible.

Mentors exemplify MMBay’s core values:

• We show up Mentors commit to showing up on-time and focused.
• We do the hard work Mentors engage with their mentees both during session and beyond, taking initaitive to keep mentees on-track, motivated, and engaged with the program. Mentors are optimistic-but-realistic, collaborative, and, above all, reliable.
• We believe and persist Mentors understand forming a trusting relationship, especially with low-income teenagers, can take time and sustained effort. Mentors are willing to invest in their mentees for all three years of the program.
• We priortize communication Mentors are highly responsive to communication from their mentees and leadership. Mentors are optimistic-yet-realistic, collaborative, and, above all, reliable. Mentors ask leadership for guidance and speak up when they have concerns or questions.
• We practice emotional courage Mentors are genuine, let their guard down, and are honest about their fears in a way that makes mentees feel safe to let their guard down too.
• We are the culture Mentors are at the center of their mentees’ experience and as such they take a lead role to coordinate support efforts between the various volunteer roles including co-mentor, program leadership, and specialized support teams.
• Previous experience working with high school students or low-income youth is a plus.

To learn more and apply, visit: http://www.mindsmatterbay.org/join