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Volunteer Center

Children and Teens

Children and Teens

See also: Families

Alphabetical list

Big Brothers Big Sisters

Spend time and get to know a Little Brother or Little Sister. Be a friend not a parent or babysitter, go on group outings, and spend 3-4 hours a week with them. (Must be 19 to volunteer)
Sisters Plus- a program through Big Brothers Big Sisters designed to help growing girls 13-21 who are facing challenging new responsibilities and choices. (Must be 21 to volunteer)

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Boy Scouts of America

Be a volunteer leader. Do a service to your community while helping youth become better citizens.

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Boys and Girls Clubs

Interact with children through sports, arts, theater, snack time chats, and homework help. Help promote leadership, character, health, and career development to Pierce County’s youth.

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Brookdale Elementary

Help out in the classroom, tutor children in various subjects, do filing, copying, and work on special projects for the teacher and/or with the students.

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Camp Make-a-Dream

This camp for children and teens with cancer offers volunteer Cabin Counselor positions. Assist children with activities and other camp responsibilities.

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Child Abuse Prevention Resources

Volunteer in their core programs:
  • Parenting Plus: A parenting education experience for the entire family.
  • Home Visitor Program: Work with a paraprofessional to assist parents in their own homes to develop skills that will allow them to face the day-to-day challenges of parenting.
  • Esteem Teams: Promote healing and growth for children that have been sexually abused.
  • Prevention Education: Provide community education and training on issues related to child abuse, prevention, intervention, and treatment.

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Child Developmental Center

A family centered education program for all children, birth to three, including those with developmental delays.

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Child Reach

Volunteer to be a Child Reach Screener. You will be responsible for administering developmental screenings to children, ages birth to six. You will receive training.

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Children’s Museum of Tacoma

  • Be a playguide: Play with visitors and engage them in the six different exhibits.
  • Program Materials Preparation: Help prepare components for art projects.
  • Special Events: Help us with birthday parties on weekends and after hours.
  • Clean Air For Kids: Perform home environmental assessments for families in Pierce County. Use a checklist to identify environmental triggers and recommend ways to reduce or eliminate exposure.

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Collins Elementary School

Tutors are needed at Collins Elementary School in the areas of reading and math. Meet with student at least once a week but very flexible with scheduling and a possibility to meet at PLU's library. (Which is extra convenient!)

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Community Youth Services

  • Youth Advisory Committee Member: Help plan programs and make suggestions to meet the needs of the youth in the community (3hrs /mo.).
  • Community Accountability Board Member: Interview teens who have committed misdemeanor offenses and determine how they can repay the community for their actions (3hrs/mo).
  • Merchant Accountability Board Member: Interview teens who have committed shoplifting offenses and determine how they can repay the community for their actions (3hrs/mo).
  • Diversion Agreement Monitor: Update files regarding clients’ compliance with diversion contracts (2hrs/week).
  • Lunch Buddy: visiting on a regular schedule with children on their lunch hour or during extra curricular activities with the youth.
  • MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES

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Covenant House

Work with the homeless and/or runaway youth, as you live at the covenant house for a year. Room and board are covered, and a small stipend will be provided.

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Diamond Vision

Volunteer Positions Available:
  • Director of Mentoring Relationships
  • Director of Structured Activities
  • Director of Marketable Skills
  • Woodbrook Middle School Campus Life Director
  • Kids Church Director.

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Easter Seals Camps

Volunteer at a nearby Easter Seals camp and work with children and teens with disabilities.

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Education Opportunities and Resource Center

Only a few of their several programs with which you can get involved:
  • Talent Search: Help teens understand and find information about future and higher education opportunities.
  • Upward Bound: Academically help teens and adults prepare for higher education. Several programs within the program, to focus on different subjects, incomes, and even veterans.
  • Student Support Services: Helps all students stay in college.

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First Place for Children

A program of United Way, within walking distance from PLU. Volunteer in the fields of community child care, therapeutic child care, childcare for teen parents, and Head Start (designed to develop academic skills for low-income 4 year olds).

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FIRST (the Foundation for Individual Responsibility and Social Trust)

Designed to make the voices of the young adult generation heard, To engage this generation in citizen deliberation about important national issues, and to develop permanent deliberative forums that empower all citizens to work together to resolve national issues.

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First Book

Volunteer with community-based mentoring, tutoring, and literacy programs. Help make it possible that children frequently receive free books for their personal library collection.

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Franklin Pierce School District

  • GATES Alternative High School: Science and Math volunteers
  • Washington High School: Various
  • Ford Middle School: Attendance phone callers
  • Brookdale Elementary: Reading tutors and 1st grade helper

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G.A.T.E.S. (Greater Alternatives to Education for Students) High School

  • Classroom assistant: help students with work
  • Gates Childcare: Caring for infants of Gates Students

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Generation YW Volunteer Mentor

Girls who grow up in the presence of strong, positive role models are more likely to develop a sense of purpose and power in their lives. Many girls in our community lack that influential presence. The YWCA’s Generation YW program pairs girls in juvenile detention with adult women mentors with the goal of reducing illegal activities and increasing positive decision-making through continuing support. The girls also attend classes that focus on healthy relationships and positive gender identity.

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Girl Scouts

Several opportunities:
  • Girl Scouts Beyond Bars:  work with girl who’s parents are incarcerated.
  • Focus: a program for girls in foster care. Help with or lead your own troop.

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Head Start

Work with four year olds of low-income families to keep them up to pace before they even begin kindergarten. This program is within walking distance from PLU.

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Homework Connection

Provide mentoring and tutoring, affirm relationships and life skill building opportunities to culturally diverse and at-risk youth from Tacoma’s Eastside.

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HOSTS (Help One Student To Succeed)

Volunteer in the Puyallup School District. Help teachers with lesson plans and be a mentor to a youth in need.

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James Sales Elementary

Volunteer in the classroom or as a tutor with the Franklin Pierce School District at James Sales Elementary (within walking distance from PLU).

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Keithley Middle School

Within walking distance from PLU. Be part of the program, Role Models Unlimited, as you inspire youth to live their best life and be a good role model for them. Also help with their ASB program, volunteer in the classroom, or become an after school tutor.

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Kid Reach

Tutor elementary school children in reading, writing, spelling, and math. Volunteer at Brookdale (within walking distance from PLU) and Christenson Elementary, and Tahoma View. Chose your day according to your schedule.

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Late Nite

YMCA logo Late Nite is open to all youth grades 9th-12th from 9:30 pm until Midnight every Friday night. Teens have the opportunity to play basketball, use cardio and weight machines and play X-Box or Wii. Volunteers are asked to commit to once or twice a month to supplement our normal Late Nite staff.

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Lincoln High School

Volunteers are needed at Lincoln High School to assist in the science classrooms. You can volunteer any day of the week from 11:10-12:05pm. Great opportunity for education or science students! Also, a tutor is needed at Lincoln High School four hours a week in areas of Algebra/Geometry, U.S. History, World Cultures, Language Arts, Plant Sciences, or Biology. Intermediate or higher speaking proficiency in Spanish desired. Great for Spanish or Education majors!

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Lions Club

Start a new Campus Lions group and volunteer in shelters and mentor young children, and access to leadership training.

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Lutheran Social Services

Foster Care Volunteers: help kids by driving them to appointments, or being a mentor.

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Male Involvement Project

Put on by Tacoma Urban League, the goal of this project is to reduce minority youth violence and gang related issues. Males of color (African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, or Asian/Pacific Islander) are needed to work with parents and middle-school students to provide mentorship and support.

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Mentoring Program

School-based mentoring programs are being set up at McIlvaigh Middle School and Gault Middle School through Northwest Leadership Foundation, a faith-based organization in Tacoma. They are looking for mentors and are hoping to find some interested volunteers at PLU.

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Teen Center

YMCA logo The Teen Center is open to members ages 13-18 years only. This area has a Foozeball Table, a Pool Table, Ping Pong and various video games as well as a Study Area and access to pick up basketball games in the gym. This area is open Monday-Friday from 3:30 pm until 8:30 pm. Volunteers are asked to commit to once or twice a week in order to supplement the Teen Center Coordinator.

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World Vision Mentoring/Tutoring Program

Volunteer for World Vision's mentoring and tutoring program at Portland Avenue Community Center. Program serves K-12th graders and meets on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3-5pm. Males are especially needed as mentors! Great for Education, Psychology, Math, and Business Majors.

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Young Life

Young Life is starting in Fife and volunteer leaders are needed for Columbia J.H. and Fife H.S.

Leaders: a time commitment of 18-20 hours per month. The purpose of this position is to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ incarnationally to teenagers. Work with the leadership team, gain friendships with middle school and Jr. High school students, minister to kids! Responsibilities include: contact time, club time, campaigns, and leadership meetings.

Sr. Leader: a time commitment of 7-10 hours per week. The purpose of this position is to manage and maintain the volunteer leadership team and be responsible for the club and contact ministry. Work with the Area Director, the volunteer leadership team, and gain friendships with high school students. Responsibilities include: leadership meetings, preparation of events, meeting coordination, contact time, and club time.

Calling all those who have a servant’s heart and a desire to communicate with Junior and Senior High students!

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Index

- Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Boy Scouts of America
- Boys and Girls Club
- Brookdale Elementary
- Camp Make-a-Dream
- Child Abuse Prevention
- Child Developmental Center
- Child Reach
- Children’s Museum
- Collins Elementary
- Community Youth Services
- Covenant House
- Diamond Vision
- Easter Seals Camps
- Education Opp. & Res. C.
- First Place for Children
- FIRST
- First Book
- Franklin Pierce School D.
- G.A.T.E.S.
- Generation YW
- Girl Scouts
- Head Start
- Homework Connection
- HOSTS
- James Sales Elementary
- Keithley Middle School
- Kid Reach
- Late Nite
- Lincoln High School
- Lions Club
- Lutheran Social Services
- Male Involvement
- Mentoring Program
- Teen Center
- World Vision Mentoring/Tut.
- Young life


For more information, please contact the Volunteer Center.
Phone: 253-535-8318
Email: volunteer@plu.edu