Become a Mentor: Seattle Music Partners

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Seattle Music Partners provides a free after-school music program with a keen focus on quality instruction, youth development and social justice.

Seattle Music Partners cultivates a diverse and vibrant music-making community by providing youth with free music instruction and one-on-one mentoring to eliminate racial and economic barriers to quality music education. We recruit, train and support skilled high school, college-aged and community musicians as volunteer music tutors and mentors who lead one-on-one music lessons each week. These lessons are supplemented with a second afternoon of group instruction and ensemble work. We also provide instruments to participants and transportation where needed. Students showcase their new skills by performing in several recitals each year. In addition, SMP is dedicated to partnering with school staff to bring music enrichment programs into the schools, including hosting touring musicians and arranging for field trips to music performances.

One hundred percent of our funding comes from the generosity of our community - we do not charge students to participate in the program or for the loan of instruments.

Seattle Music Partners provides a unique opportunity for musicians to give back by teaching elementary school students to read music and play an instrument in our after-school program. Volunteers work one-on-one with the same student once a week throughout the school year, instructing them on their instrument and forming a mentoring relationship. Each visit is supervised by a staff member, and takes place at the elementary school. Volunteer opportunities are available Monday- Friday from around 3:00PM to 5:30PM.

All tutors should possess these qualifications:
1. Strong music skills
2. A passion for working with children
3. An interest in community service
4. Clear background check
5. Strong communication skills
6. An interest in building community with staff, tutors and students
7. No prior teaching experience necessary, but a commitment to growth is a must

The goal of our tutoring program is to engage and inspire a beginning music student in learning to play an instrument and read music through one-on-one music lessons. We expect our tutors to be a positive role model and mentor. In order for our tutors to be well-prepared, safe, and effective in their role we require that tutors commit to attending after-school sessions each week on the day they are assigned and have consistent attendance. We also expect that all tutors comply with rules regarding conduct in public schools and safe supervision of students.


Seeking Female Volunteers: Yes

Seeking Male Volunteers: Yes

Minimum Match Commitment (in months): 9 months

Type of Mentoring: One-to-One, Group

Youth Population Served: Academically At-Risk, Foster, Residential or Kinship Care, General Youth Population, Gifted/Talented/Academic Achiever, Homeless/Runaway, LGBTQ Youth, Low Income, Opportunity Youth, Recent Immigrant/Refugee, Single-Parent Household, Special Education, Youth with Disabilities

Mentoring Program Goals: Education/Academic Support, Friendship/Socialization

Ages of Youth Served: 8-10, 11-14