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Real Life Volunteers
This volunteer opportunity is open to anyone ages 16–24 in the Salt Lake area (or with reliable transportation) who can commit to 2 hours/week from December to May, is passionate about tutoring youth, flexible and enthusiastic, and able to pass a background check if 18 or older.
Key Responsibilities and Expectations
- Volunteers are expected to arrive on time, actively support lessons and participants, model respectful and engaged behavior, help with cleanup, follow appropriate dress and phone use guidelines, and maintain professional boundaries with youth.
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What is the purpose of the Real Life program?The Real Life program is a peer-to-peer mentoring initiative primarily serving refugee and immigrant youth in the Salt Lake area. Its core mission is to provide academic tutoring and facilitate "real-life" skills through hands-on activities, aiming to make a difference in the lives of these students.
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Who can be a Real Life Intern?To be a Real Life Intern, individuals must: Have a passion for education and working with youth of diverse backgrounds. Be a leader, excited to make a positive impact on the volunteers and youth. Live in the Salt Lake area, or have reliable transportation. Be a high school graduate. Be capable of passing a background check.
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What is the time commitment for an Intern?The time commitment is about 5 hours per week from November through May. This time is broken down into 4 hours spent at the assigned site (typically 2 hours per day on 2 days per week, such as M/W or T/Th) and 1 hour each week for mandatory office hours at the Youthlinc office. Interns are hired in August-September, receive training in October, and regular programming and their commitment runs from November through May.
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Where does the Real Life program operate?The Real Life program partners with Promise South Salt Lake, Asian Association of Utah, and Umoja Generation and serve various sites in the Salt Lake area. These sites include Sunnyvale Neighborhood Center, Evergreen Jr. High School, Olympus High School, William Penn Elementary School, James E Moss Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Olene Walker Elementary, Woodrow Wilson Elementary, and Umoja Generation.
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What training and support is provided to Interns?Training for the Intern position is provided before Real Life starts, covering classroom management, teaching strategies, volunteer management, and lesson planning. Interns receive ongoing training and support from the Real Life Directors throughout the year.
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What are the benefits of being a Real Life Intern?It is a paid position, starting at $14/hour, with a $0.50 raise for returning interns each year. It offers a unique opportunity for interns to take ownership of their Real Life sites and function as a mentor and role model to both the students and the volunteers. Interns will learn leadership skills, teaching strategies, classroom management, volunteer management, and lesson facilitation skills. Interns have the opportunity to learn from life experiences different than their own as Real Life serves a diverse range of students with refugee and immigrant backgrounds.
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What advice would current or past Interns give to future Interns?Get out of your shell to know the kids, as they may be in their own bubble. Get to know the kids because they are better behaved when they feel seen and heard. Take care of yourself, especially when hearing about difficult student experiences. Remember that just being there makes a change in their lives. Communication is key! Always communicate with your coordinator, volunteers, and other interns.
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