Volunteer

Volunteers provide the individualized attention students need to thrive. Join 826 Valencia as a tutor to help transform their relationship to writing.

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Want to get involved?

Who we look for

Volunteer tutors share a deep belief in the students we serve and an eagerness to learn together.

Apply nowVolunteer calendar

Regular weekday availability

Available for a consistent 1-3 hours per week, Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (because that's when most of our programs take place)

Able and willing to uphold our tutoring values

Learn more

18 years or older

An active imagination

Our students are unbelievably creative. We dare you to keep up!

Commitment to ongoing learning

Fluent in Spanish or Arabic?

We could use your expertise! Please email us to start a conversation.
Contact volunteer@826valencia.org

Other ways to volunteer

  • Learn more

    Creative Services

    Calling all illustrators and designers

  • Learn more

    Group Volunteers

    Bring your colleagues for a day of joy and connection

  • Learn more

    Youth Volunteers

    Tutoring opportunities for high school juniors and seniors

  • Learn more

    Intern with 826 Valencia

    Join our collaborative workplace focused on fun, inclusivity, and the creative process

  • Learn more

    Professional Services

    Lend your audio editing skills

  • Learn more

    Photography Services

    Help us capture the 826 Valencia magic

Where are you located?

Find opportunities
near you

We recruit volunteers at all three of our Writing Centers in San Francisco. Our needs change frequently, so check our volunteer calendar for regular updates.

<?php echo Mission High School; ?>
Secondary In-Schools
Mission High School
3750 18th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
Volunteer opportunities
<?php echo Donwtown High School; ?>
Secondary In-Schools
Donwtown High School
693 Vermont Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
Volunteer opportunities
<?php echo Everett Middle School; ?>
Secondary In-Schools
Everett Middle School
450 Church Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
Volunteer opportunities
<?php echo San Francisco International High School; ?>
Secondary In-Schools
San Francisco International High School
655 De Haro Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
Volunteer opportunities
<?php echo Bret Harte Elementary School; ?>
Elementary In-Schools
Bret Harte Elementary School
1035 Gilman Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94124
Volunteer opportunities
<?php echo Malcolm X Academy; ?>
Elementary In-Schools
Malcolm X Academy
200 Harbor Road
San Francisco, CA 94124
Volunteer opportunities
<?php echo Starr King Elementary School; ?>
Elementary In-Schools
Starr King Elementary School
1215 Carolina Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
Volunteer opportunities
<?php echo Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School; ?>
Elementary In-Schools
Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School
50 Pomona Street
San Francisco, CA 94124
Volunteer opportunities
<?php echo Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 Community School; ?>
Elementary In-Schools
Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 Community School
325 La Grande Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94112
Volunteer opportunities
<?php echo Tenderloin Community Elementary School; ?>
Elementary In-Schools
Tenderloin Community Elementary School
627 Turk Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Volunteer opportunities
<?php echo Mission Bay Center; ?>
Mission Bay Center
Mission Bay Center
1310 4th Street
San Francisco, CA 94158
Volunteer opportunities
<?php echo Tenderloin Center; ?>
Tenderloin Center
Tenderloin Center
180 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102
Volunteer opportunities
<?php echo Mission Center; ?>
Mission Center
Mission Center
826 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Volunteer opportunities
Ready to take the next step?

How to volunteer

It only takes a couple of minutes!

Apply now

We’ll send you an invite! Our orientation will cover all the information you need to get started.

Before tutoring, you must undergo a Live Scan background check, submit TB test results, and provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

We can’t wait to see you in our programs soon! Browse the calendar to sign up for your first shift.

Volunteer Calendar
Honestly, I remember every time a student laughed during tutoring and those are my favorite moments.
Dana E., Volunteer

Volunteer FAQs

Volunteers are a critical part of our strategy because one-on-one attention leads to great leaps in learning. Learn more about how to volunteer.

Contact us

General

A lot! For starters, you make our free programs possible. As a volunteer, you will tutor students after school, help students with writing projects in public schools around San Francisco, and support our Field Trips, Young Authors’ Book Project, and many other workshops.

During orientation, we’ll go over each of our writing programs and answer your questions, so that you can pick a program where you can offer a consistent commitment. You can view the volunteer calendar by location, and sort it by program within that location. If you’d like expert guidance to help you choose, contact our team at volunteer@826valencia.org.

The first step is to approach all tutoring sessions with a growth mindset. Be open about your tutoring abilities and be willing to learn with our students! We also offer tutor tips during our sessions and optional Tutor Trainings throughout the year.

Requirements

No! Volunteers are not required to be expert writers, editors, or published authors. However, it is crucial that volunteers are excited to do the important work of supporting our young learners with a positive, flexible approach. We ask that volunteers come with an open mind when learning 826 Valencia’s tutoring best practices and values and when working with our students. We provide training during orientation to prepare volunteers to work with our students. 

You can sign up for shifts that fit your schedule, and there’s no minimum time commitment. That said, different programs have different needs. We encourage once-a-week or twice-a-week commitments for our After-School Workshops, weekly commitments for our In-School programs, and monthly or occasional sign-ups for our Field Trips.

The first thing to do is fill out our Volunteer Application. Once you do that, you will be invited to our Volunteer Orientation to learn more about our programs. Then, you will complete a LiveScan background check (offered during our orientation), complete a TB test within 60 days of your first shift, and sign our policy form. That’s it! After completing these steps, you can sign up for shifts on our Volunteer Calendar.

As an organization that works directly with young people, the background check is a safety measure to protect our students. It is a required step for all volunteers. If you recently completed a LiveScan for a different organization, you’ll still need another LiveScan processed for 826 Valencia. Unfortunately, we cannot accept LiveScan results from other agencies or organizations, as they are proprietary and private.

The State of California requires negative TB test results to work with youth in person. We can accept test results up to 2 years old.

Most of our volunteers are 18 and over. If you’re a high school junior or senior, learn more about Youth Volunteering above. If you’re a freshman or sophomore, check out our Leadership and Future Pathways programs.