These tools are for Senior Corps projects engaged in tutoring, mentoring, and out-of-school time. Senior Corps does not require grantees to use any of these; they are entirely optional. Feel free to adapt these tools to your own needs and particular work with children and youth.

The Senior Corps tools fall into two categories: 1) tools for project directors and staff, and 2) tools for volunteers. The first group consists of sample forms, checklists, and informational tools that directors and staff can use to help run their projects effectively. The second set of tools can help orient, train, and support Senior Corps volunteers. For ideas about how to use these tools to train volunteers, contact the LEARNS partners by e-mail at learns@nwrel.org or learns@bnkst.edu, or by phone at: 1-800-361-7890.

See the list of available tools below! More tools are under development and will be posted soon.

Tools for Senior Corps Project Directors and Staff

• Mentoring Children in Foster Care: Considerations and Partnership Strategies for Senior Corps Directors - DRAFT
  This document is designed to help Senior Corps project directors and staff partner with and place volunteers in high quality programs that offer mentoring to foster youth.
• Assessing High-Quality Education Placement Sites - DRAFT
  A tool to help directors assess whether a prospective station will provide a high quality experience and be a good fit for RSVP/FGP
• Interview Questions for Prospective Volunteers (RSVP) (FGP) - DRAFT
  Sample interview questions to help directors recruit and place the right volunteers for education settings
• For the Classroom Teacher: Realizing Results with Your Senior Volunteer - DRAFT
  To share with teachers when placing a new volunteer, a sample letter of introduction and helpful tips for establishing a productive relationship
  • Helpful Tips for Teachers
  • RSVP Cover Letter: Word template, Contact sheet
  • FGP Cover Letter: Word template, Contact sheet
• Mentoring Children of Incarcerated Parents
  This document is designed to help Senior Corps project directors and staff partner with and place volunteers in high quality programs that offer mentoring to children of incarcerated parents.
• Planning Annual FGP Inservice Training - DRAFT
  A guide to help project directors effectively plan, deliver, and evaluate ongoing FGP training.
• Volunteer Tutoring Toolkit This toolkit is designed to help Senior Corps project staff recognize the characteristics of strong tutoring stations and ensure that volunteer tutors are most effective. It includes strategies for recruiting, training, placing, and supporting volunteers at tutoring stations. Also included are sample volunteer interview questions and a wealth of additional resources.

Tools for Senior Corps Volunteers

• Strategies for Working in Out-of-School Time - DRAFT
  Ideas and strategies to help volunteers make the most of their involvement in out-of-school time
• Tips for Motivating Struggling Students - DRAFT
  Effective language and strategies to help volunteers keep students engaged
• Ready-to-Use Activities for Volunteers - DRAFT
  Simple, learning-rich activities for volunteers who read to and with children
• Working with Children at Different Stages of Development - DRAFT
  Key characteristics of different developmental stages and ideas and approaches for working successfully with children and youth
• Volunteering in Today's Schools - DRAFT
  A look at how schools have changed since volunteers were children