Volunteers Make the Difference

Volunteers are an integral part of the Washington Literacy Center (WLC). Whether teaching, tutoring, planning events, or helping with the day-to-day needs of the center, our volunteers are vital to our success. New volunteers join a vibrant and supportive community, dedicated to adult basic education.

Our Volunteers
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Get Involved

Our Volunteers

Beth Philips

Mary Beth Phillips first contacted the WLC about serving as a volunteer teacher two years ago, drawn to the center by a desire to give back to her community. Since then, Beth  has taught a class every semester since. Students know her for her encouragement, infectious smile, and her challenging classes. To new volunteers she says, “Teaching is a big commitment, but so rewarding. I feel like I get as much out of it as the students do.”

Haley Adams

Haley Adams is the 2011-12 Literacy*Americorps volunteer at the WLC. A recent graduate from University of Virginia, Haley graduated with a degree in English Literature. Haley joined the WLC in January, one-third into her year of service, and leapt into ongoing projects and classes with ease. Haley also manages WLC’s social media.

Get Involved

The WLC is presently refining the instruction approach and materials. As a result we are not recruiting new tutors or instructors until September, 2012 and again in January, 2013. However, we are recruiting administrative support volunteers for days and evenings to start in July, 2012. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us at info@washlit.org.

If these are not the volunteer opportunities you had hoped to find, please follow the links below for a complete list of adult education providers in Washington, DC:

DC Learns.org, (202) 331-0141

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library’s Adult Literacy Resource Center, (202) 727-1616

One-to-One Tutors

Tutors work with students to support classwork and students’ personal learning goals. Tutors meet with their students once a week and are asked to make at least a six-month commitment. Training is conducted twice a year.

In-Class Tutors 

In-class tutors work with students in small group classes (between 4-8 students) in basic literacy skills. They work closely with the group instructor to target students’ needs. The commitment is once a week for at least one semester, as well as attending professional development hosted by the WLC.

Literacy*Americorps Volunteers

Through a partnership with DCLearns, the WLC hosts two Literacy*Americorps volunteers each year. The volunteers work 32 hours-a-week teaching and tutoring at the WLC for 11 months.  Applications become available through DCLearns in mid-April.

Administrative

The WLC is looking for help with everyday operations. Administrative volunteers can sign up for a weekly shift in the office, either during business hours or between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us at info@washlit.org.