Children's Volunteer Opportunities
Through Harvard Law School
There are various volunteer opportunities being coordinated by student organizations at Harvard Law School. To participate in these opportunities, please contact the student organizations directly, as CAP is not the sponsor of these activities.
Children & Youth Advocates (CYA)
--Tutor in Cambridge Public Schools. Through Cambridge School Volunteers, you can work with elementary school children in a homework center, help high schoolers prepare for college entrance exams, assist teachers in the classroom, or work one-on-one with English Language Learners. You can tutor as little as one hour a week, Monday through Friday, between 7:30 am and 4:00 pm. In general, we ask for a commitment of one or two hours a week, for at least one semester, although some volunteers donate more time. For more info, visit www.csvinc.org.
--Work with youth at the Brighton Treatment Center. Volunteer for a few hours each week helping in the classroom at this rehabilitation center for adjudicated youth aged 14-18.
--Become a CASA Volunteer in Suffolk County Juvenile Court. Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteers are appointed by a judge to act as guardians ad litem for children involved in dependency proceedings in Suffolk County Juvenile Court. CASA volunteers speak with relevant players in children's lives and submit written reports at court hearings advocating for the best interests of the children. A commitment of 18 months is required, along with 35 hours of training. The next training will be held in early 2006. For more info, visit www.casaboston.org .--Spend time with homeless children. Horizons for Homeless Children is seeking volunteers to interact and play with children living in family and domestic violence shelters in your neighborhood. A commitment of 2 hours a week for 6 months is required. We offer daytime and evening shifts. With over 52 shelters in our network, there is likely to be one that fits your schedule. It is a rewarding and fun experience for everyone involved. For more info, visit www.horizonsforhomelesschildren.org .
To participate in any of the above activities, please contact Caroline Rothert Caroline Rothert , CYA co-chair. Or visit: Children & Youth Advocates.
COACH Program
--Help High School Students in Roxbury Apply to College. The COACH program seeks Harvard college and graduate students to assist high school juniors and seniors in West Roxbury with applying to college and formulating plans for after high school. Harvard students work as "coaches," helping the high schoolers with applications, essays, financial aid forms and all other aspects of the college selection process. Students spend 3-4 hours per week volunteering, and the program lasts from early October through early May. Coaches are also paid a small stipend. Interested students should contact Arthur Samuels at asamuels@law.harvard.edu, or at 917-257-6876.
Big Brother/Big Sister Organization
--Become a Big Brother/ Big Sister. The HLS Big Brothers Big Sisters program works closely with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay, matching student volunteers with children in the Cambridge/Somerville area. “Bigs” and “Littles” meet a minimum of two times each month to play sports, go to the movies, do homework, bake cookies, or just "hang out" and talk. Numerous national studies prove that Big Brothers and Big Sisters can make a tremendous, positive impact on children.
Group activities have included a Red Sox baseball game, ice skating and bowling trips, a barbecue/sports day, the annual Holiday Party, whale watch, and indoor whiffle ball game. Come join the fun, and give something back to the community and to one great kid. To take the next step, please contact Lauren Weldon OR visit http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/big/ or https://www.bbmb.org/cgi-bin/volunteer/vol.pl
Through Community Organizations
Below is a limited list of children's volunteer opportunities which may be of interest to Harvard Law School students. Please note that CAP is not coordinating these opportunities and has had, in some cases, only limited contact with the coordinating organizations. This is not intended as an exhaustive list of interesting volunteer opportunities.
--Become an educational advocate for a child in state custody. Educational Surrogate Parent Program (ESPP) makes a significant difference in the lives of children with special educational needs. Volunteering 10 – 20 hours in a school year can ultimately improve a child's future. All of the children served by ESPP are in state custody and have no parent or guardian available to act on their behalf. These children cannot receive the special educational services they need until a concerned adult is willing to accept the role of an Educational Surrogate Parent. For more information, please visit http://www.espprogram.org/.
--Become a mentor for a child in out of home care. AFC Mentoring prepares children in adoption, foster care, and/or similar situations to become emotionally and socially well-adjusted adults who can define and achieve personal success. AFC Mentoring has a variety of volunteer opportunities available for those who would like to contribute towards making a difference in the life of youth in out-of-home care. Volunteers work on projects such as: activities planning for our mentor matches, research/evaluation, grant writing, human resources, and more. For further information about volunteering with AFC: email volunteer@afcmentoring.org or call 617-224-1300 ext. 3. For general information about AFC, please visit http://www.afcmentoring.org.
--Work with older youth who are transitioning to out of state custody. Rediscovery House began as a six-bed group home in the neighboring town of Watertown in July 2002. Since that time, Rediscovery House has grown and currently operates a variety of additional innovative programs including an apartment program which helps young males in the child welfare system transition to independent living; an alternative education program for older teens in the child welfare system; a social enterprise initiative which empowers youth in the child welfare system to work at their own online bookselling business. Working at Rediscovery House will expose law students to novel programs for older youth in the child welfare system. For more information about Rediscovery House, please visit http://www.rediscoveryhouse.org/ or email Emily.
--Mentor, coach or tutor youth at a local Cambridge Youth Center. The City of Cambridge supports five youth centers across the city. Volunteer at the Area IV Youth Center on Harvard Street which serves youth aged 9 – 19. The center provides area young people enrichment opportunities including academic support, recreational activities, and mentorship. For more information, call 617-349-6262.
--Provide legal research about attorney representation of children in dependency court. First Star (www.firststar.org) is a national 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to improving the lives of America 's abused and neglected children. First Star's nonpartisan, multidisciplinary approach fosters collaborative action among organizations, advocates, practitioners and policy-makers working to benefit children. The organization is currently seeking law students to volunteer their time and legal research expertise for projects relating to attorney representation of children in dependency court. Volunteers are invited to work remotely or at First Star's headquarters in Washington D.C. To volunteer, please contact Erika Germer.