We’ve talked about Universal Design for Learning (and we’ll talk about it again in the fall!) but now we want to talk about how a universally designed program can welcome and keep more tutors and staff. 

 

When was the last time you signed up to be a volunteer tutor? It’s probably been a little while so you might not know how accessible your program really is. Often adult educators get their start in the field as volunteers - which means the volunteers of today are the teachers and administrators of tomorrow. Are we discouraging great future staff with complicated or unclear volunteer pathways?

In this training, we’ll share how we can think critically about:

• intake processes

• training schedules

• onboarding

• tutor/learner matches 

 

We’ll go over the basics of Universal Design and discuss how it can be applied in all aspects of volunteer engagement. And, recognizing that volunteers often become staff, we’ll discuss the impact of sustained volunteers on staff retention. This is a great opportunity for new coordinators or for an organization that is noticing a lot of volunteer or staff turnover. 

​This training is part of our Program Operations series. Content is designed with coordinators and adult ed administrators in mind, although everyone is welcome! 

Tutors and teachers are doing an incredible job supporting adult learners as they learn new skills - but what about the kids at home? Many of our learners have children in their lives and those children can play an important role in the education of their adults. Reading is reading - whether it's a news article or a children’s book. Involving their kids can be a great way for adult learners to practice their skills and build an environment of learning and togetherness at home - win-win! 

In this training, we’ll share techniques for encouraging more family reading at home and discuss the importance of families learning together. We’ll practice how to read with children and how crafts and games boost reading skills. (Yes, we’ll have some fun craft ideas!)

​This training is part of our Instructional Techniques series. Content is designed with tutors and teachers in mind, although everyone is welcome!