Volunteer Opportunities

The Center for Employment Training's Immigration and Citizenship Program offers ESL/EL Civics classes to adults in Santa Clara County, free of charge. Students are placed into one of four ESL levels: Beginning Low, Beginning High, Intermediate, and Advanced. All classes meet from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, Monday through Thursday.

The students have diverse backgrounds and are enjoyable to work with. You will witness firsthand as students' English skills, confidence, and civic participation grow. This is also a great opportunity for those interested in acquiring teaching experience or in serving the community in a very tangible way.

The following volunteer positions are available in our ESL/EL Civics program:

ESL/EL Civics Instructor

We rely on volunteers to teach several of our ESL/EL Civics classes. You must be available at least two days a week (Monday through Thursday), for the entire class. You will lead the class, complete the assigned lesson plan, and monitor student attendance and progress. We strongly prefer that you have some teaching experience. You must be charismatic enough to hold the attention of twenty adult learners, and you should be friendly enough to earn their loyalty. We prefer people who can expand upon lessons, who can explain vocabulary and grammar using examples, and who truly enjoy teaching others. Spanish skills are extremely helpful, though not required. Lesson plans, materials, and training/guidance will be provided.

Classroom Aide

Volunteers are needed to serve as classroom aides. You will distribute and collect assignments, grade exams and homework, tutor students, and assist the instructor with presenting lectures. If you desire, you may also lead an occasional lecture! You must be available at least two days a week, for the entire class period. You must be friendly, dependable, and patient. Spanish skills are helpful, though not required.

English Literacy Tutor

Volunteers are needed to individually tutor students. You must be available at least once per week, Monday through Thursday. You will meet your student in the CET building during ESL/EL Civics class hours. Some students need additional, specialized help because of class absences or learning rates. English Literacy tutors provide the necessary encouragement and focused practice that these students need to succeed. We prefer that you have had some teaching or tutoring experience, although none is necessary, since lesson plans, materials, and training/guidance will be provided. You must be friendly, dependable, and patient. Spanish skills are extremely helpful, though not required.

CASAS Test Proctor

Volunteers will assist with the administration of the CASAS test, a test that is used to assess students' English skills and to place them in the appropriate ESL/EL Civics class. Volunteers will serve as test proctors, distributing exams and answer sheets, assisting students with preliminary questions, and maintaining an environment conducive to testing.  Many of the students who are tested generally have little or no English skills, and all come from diverse backgrounds. Testing is done bi-weekly, on Mondays from 6:00pm-7:30pm. You should be comfortable using Spanish.

Administrative Assistant

The Center for Employment Training's Immigration and Citizenship Program serves the immigrant, minority, and low-income communities of Santa Clara County through programs such as ESL/EL Civics classes, citizenship orientations and classes, and immigration legal assistance.

Volunteers are needed to help keep these programs running smoothly! As an administrative assistant, you will answer the office phone, file paperwork, and assist the office staff with the administrative tasks specific to their program.

This is a great opportunity for those people who wish to work with the underprivileged communities of Santa Clara County and for the programs that serve them-- but who need very flexible hours!