Volunteer
ACADEMIC SUPPORT
- *Tutor: Work one-on-one supporting a student with one or more subjects. Training provided. Commitment: At least one semester, preferably entire school year. Meetings are one hour each week. Download the Tutor Application.
- Field Trip Chaperone: Join us in taking a group of students to a local museum, college, plays, or other event. Assistance in obtaining free or discounted tickets and transportation also desired.
COLLEGE PREPARATION
- Mock Interviews: Give our students the opportunity to practice interviewing in advance of their college admissions interviews or entrance to other academic enrichment programs.
- *Scholarship Research: Help us build a database of scholarship opportunities for our students!
- *College Access Coach: Coaches work one-on-one to support students throughout the college application process, and specifically with writing admissions essays. Training provided. Commitment: One school year, approximately three hours per week. Download the College Access Coach Application.
CAREER EXPLORATION
- *Mentor a High School Intern: Host one of our committed students at your organization for 2-5 days a week for at least six weeks over the summer.
- Internship Research: Aid us in identifying and approaching potential internship sites, increasing the number and breadth of companies where our students can gain work experience.
- Career Day or Panel: Expose our students to a range of professions by serving as one site on our annual career day or coming to speak on a panel about the highlights of your job and career path.
TEACHER SUPPORT
- Teacher Appreciation Dinner Host: Ensure our extremely hard-working teachers feel appreciated by sponsoring an end-of-summer dinner at a local restaurant.
PROJECTS AND ADMINISTRATIVE
- Summer Program Set-Up Day: Help us set up the summer program site for the arrival of 100 students! Paint posters, organize supplies, arrange classrooms, and help prepare to welcome our wonderful scholars.
- Office Projects: A range of administrative projects arise for which we need additional hands including mailings for families, newsletter distribution, and organizing portfolios of student work to share with interested visitors and supporters. Some projects can be done off-site.
- *Homestay: Have a spare room for the summer or looking for a house sitter? Host one of our talented, responsible college-age teachers for 8 weeks over the summer. We rely on members of the broader “Breakthrough family” to provide summer homes for our out-of-town staff.
EVENTS
- Night of Volunteers: Assist with set-up, registration, clean-up for our three annual events; 1) Breakthroughs in Education on December 2nd, Springfest in early April, and Celebration on August 11th.
- *Event Committees: Help shape our important annual events by finding venues, creating marketing plans and spreading the word, selecting food and décor, acquiring silent auction items, creating event materials and more!
- Host a House Party: Host a small group at your house or a local venue and introduce them to Breakthrough Cambridge. We’ll be on hand to lead a conversation about the need for and impact of our work in Cambridge – and beyond!
- Summer Wednesdays Student Lunch Host: Each Wednesday during the summer, our students enjoy a special meal provided by some of our community partners. You and fellow volunteers will bring and serve the meal and then sit and chat with our dynamic students and teachers.
DRIVES
We are often seeking donations of school and office supplies to ensure our students have what they need. Organize a drive at your office or out in the community!
SPECIAL SKILLS
For those with professional-level skills to share, we always need assistance with web design, photography, videography, graphic design and printing.
*Starred volunteer opportunities are ongoing as opposed to one-time.
For further information on any volunteer opportunities, please call our office at (617) 349-6647, or e-mail volunteer@breakthroughcambridge.org. Thank you in advance for your help!
