Community OutreachSemester-Long ProgramsCommunity Outreach's Semester-Long Programs are a great way for students to make a commitment to service. By participating in a semester-long program, students will dedicate themselves to serving the community on a regular basis throughout the semester. Opportunities are available in the areas of health and human services, language and literacy and youth development and education for children and adolescents. Health & Human ServicesCommunity Outreach's health and human services programs work with a wide range of clients to address various concerns including homelessness, physical or mental disabilities, and personal injury or illness. Students can work in a variety of settings tackling challenges and building genuine relationships with clients. To get involved with Health & Human Services programs, please contact the individuals listed below. CAMPUS CONNECTIONS Contact: uconn.co.campconn@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA Campus Connections provides adults with physical and intellectual disabilities an opportunity to engage in social and recreational activities in the most inclusive setting with maximum possible participation with non-disabled peers. The program matches clients from Easter Seals of Chaplin, CT with student volunteers who aid them in making simple arts and crafts, playing games, and performing other activities, such as indoor bowling and golf, bingo, and trips to the Dairy Bar. COLLEGIATE HEALTH SERVICE CORPS (CHSC) Contact: uconn.co.chsc@gmail.com Student Leaders: TBA Collegiate Health Service Corps is a division of Eastern Area Health Education Center (AHEC), which works with diverse local communities. CHSC provides them with health education and health services while constantly promoting self-awareness about healthy choices. Student participants perform educational talks and assist with basic health screenings.
FOOD RECOVERY (COVENANT SOUP KITCHEN) Contact: uconn.co.foodrecovery@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA The Food Recovery Project is in collaboration with Dining Services to collect and deliver excess food to The Covenant Soup Kitchen. GENERATIONS CONNECT Contact: uconn.co.genconnect@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA Members of Generations Connect assist with recreational and social activities at the Mansfield Center for Nursing and Rehab or the Mansfield Senior Center.
GENERATIONS FAMILY HEALTH CARE CLINIC Contact: uconn.co.ghc@gmail.com Student Leaders: TBA Volunteers will assist staff with various tasks and programs such as escorting patients, assisting nurses and doctors, and filing medical records. Volunteers will also be working on improving the waiting room atmosphere through presenting monthly health topics to patients, creating informational videos, and working with children. HOLY FAMILY SHELTER Contact: uconn.co.holyfamily@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA Holy Family Home and Shelter is a dry shelter in Willimantic for homeless children and their parents. Guests usually stay between 60 and 90 days, and are provided with 3 meals a day, laundry facilities, assistance with permanent housing and employment services, and an after school education program. Volunteers are needed for both after school programming and general shelter management and upkeep. In the after school program, volunteers will tutor, help with homework, and create plans for crafts, games, etc. They must be available a minimum of one day per week. General shelter management volunteers will organize, clean, and do odd jobs for the shelter. On-site training is available to every volunteer. There is an extensive application process, as the shelter requires background checks for all its regular volunteers. MANCHESTER AREA CONFERENCE OF CHURCHES (MACC) Contact: uconn.co.macc@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA MACC strives to meet all basic needs of men, women, and families who are homeless in the Manchester area. Included in the program are an emergency "dry" homeless shelter open to men and women, community kitchen and a food pantry. All volunteers must be 18+.
Volunteer Hours: TBD NO FREEZE HOSPITALITY PROJECT Contact: uconn.co.nofreeze@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA No Freeze is a drop in shelter for homeless men and women in downtown Willimantic. This is a “wet shelter” and allows all individuals access to a bed regardless of external factors (i.e. drug and or alcohol use, addictions or past incarcerations). Volunteers assist staff in duties such as dinner preparation; clean up of common areas, interacting with the guests, and being there to assist with any projects as needed throughout the night. WINDHAM AREA INTERFAITH MINISTRY (WAIM) Contact: uconn.co.waim@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA WAIM is a non-profit organization founded in 1984 to provide help to people in need in the greater Windham area. They provide clothing, utility assistance, etc. WINDHAM HOSPITAL Contact: uconn.co.windhosp@gmail.com Student Leaders: TBA Windham Hospital Volunteers are given the opportunity to learn new skills and gain valuable experience working in a diverse and demanding community healthcare setting. All majors are encouraged to apply.
Language & LiteracyUnderstanding and utilizing written and verbal communication is crucial to navigating our society's academic, economic, and social structures. Community Outreach's literacy programs work with children, adolescents, and college students to improve their literacy levels and mastery of the English language. UConn Student volunteers and work-study students act as tutors and conversation partners in various programs on and off campus. AMERICA READS PROGRAM Contact: uconn.co.americareads@gmail.com Student Leaders: TBA America Reads is a national initiative spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Education that challenges all Americans to help children read well and independently by the end of third grade. In 1994, 40% of 4th grade students failed to attain the basic level of reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. As a result of this, UConn and a host of other institutions have joined forces to provide individualized literacy tutoring to preschool, elementary, and middle school age children. Here at UConn we focus on preschool (infant to 5 years old) and elementary age children.
Volunteer Hours: TBD CROSS-CULTURAL CONNECTIONS (CCC) Contact: uconn.co.ccconnections@gmail.com Student Leaders: TBA Cross-Cultural Connections (formerly Conversation Partners) works with international college-age students who are studying at the UCAELI (University of Connecticut American English Language Institute) to assist them with mastery of language and cultural competency. UConn students are matched with UCAELI students in a 1-on-1 format and they meet at mutually convenient times. Partners meetings are flexible and the time commitment is between 1 and 2 hours per week. ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) Contact: uconn.co.esl@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA English as a Second Language (ESL) Family Literacy Program matches students with non-English speaking individuals in the local area within a classroom setting in Willimantic. Volunteers assist in the classroom by helping ESL students develop English language communication skills. JUMPSTART Contact: uconn.co.jumpstart@gmail.com Student Leaders: TBA Jumpstart is a national early education organization that works toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed. Through extraordinary attention in yearlong one-to-one relationships, Jumpstart volunteers inspire children to learn and help them to develop the skills to reach their full potential. Volunteers average between 10-12 hours per week of service in a group setting. Work study is available and students are eligible to receive $1,132 education award. Visit the website!
Volunteer Hours: TBD Youth Development & Education - ChildrenIn the following initiatives, UConn volunteer and work-study students act as mentors and tutors supporting children in their academic and personal development. Programs are located in public schools and community based organizations and run during and after school. BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS Contact: uconn.co.bbbs@gmail.com Student Leaders: TBA Big Brothers, Big Sisters serves youth ages 5-18 in 5,000 communities in the US, through 4,700 agencies and matches 1-on-1 mentoring to help at risk youth.
CAMPUS BIG BUDDIES Contact: uconn.co.cbb@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA Campus Big Buddies is a campus based enrichment program for elementary age children from the Windham Heights Housing Complex in Windham, CT. NATCHAUG SCHOOL TUTORING Contact: uconn.co.natchaug@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA Natchaug School Tutoring offers 1-on-1 mentoring, tutoring, and enrichment program to K-4th graders from Natchaug Elementary School in Willimantic, CT. PROJECT ACADEMIC ADVANCEMENT Contact: uconn.co.paa@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA Project Academic Advancement is an afterschool tutoring and enrichment program for youth in grades K-8. Tutors are encouraged to become active partners within the local community and in the education of the children. Activities are organized in small group and 1-on-1 settings. The program is run by the West Avenue Community Center in Willimantic, CT. WINDHAM HEIGHTS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM Contact: uconn.co.windheights@gmail.com Student Leaders: TBA Windham Heights After School Tutoring Program emphasizes student academic and social development through 1-on-1 and small group homework help tutoring that stresses reading. The program targets youth in grades 1st-6th who live in the Windham Heights Apartment Complex, Windham, CT. Youth Development & Education - AdolescentsCommunity Outreach's adolescent programs collaborate with organizations that engage youth in fun, learning centered initiatives that seek to further develop their self-awareness, academic aptitudes, and long-term career plans. UConn students serve as tutors and mentors in a variety of classroom and after school settings. 4-H EXPLORADORES Contact: uconn.co.4hexploradores@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA 4-H Exploradores is an after school enrichment program in which UConn students work with adolescents ranging from grades 5-8 at Windham Middle School. They provide leadership and guidance through organized activities, snack and structured homework time. HORACE PORTER SCHOOL PLUS PROGRAM Contact: uconn.co.hpplus@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA Horace Porter School Plus Program focuses on homework help for middle school children, grades 4-8. MANSFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL TUTORING Contact: uconn.co.mms@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA Mansfield Middle School Tutoring offers 1-on-1 or small group assistance with homework and classwork assignments for 5th and 8th graders at Mansfield Middle School, Mansfield, CT. MANSFIELD YOUTH SERVICES BIG FRIENDS Contact: uconn.co.bigfriends@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA Mansfield Youth Services Big Friends supports children and their families by encouraging social and academic enrichment through 1-on-1 and group interactions. UConn Big Friends will be paired with a student grade K-8 with whom they will work throughout the year to build a stable relationship by being a positive, enthusiastic role model and by taking an active interest in the student's life. Through their continued participation, Big Friends will increase student's self-worth and confidence in their learning abilities by stressing the importance of their educational and social development. Transportation is provided. NATHAN HALE HOMEWORK CLUB Contact: uconn.co.nhhc@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA Nathan Hale Homework Club provides an enriching after school tutoring experience for students in grades 6-8 at Nathan Hale Middle School, Coventry, CT.UConn students work individually and in small groups on homework in all subject areas. STAFFORD TEEN NIGHT Contact: uconn.co.teen@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA Stafford Teen Night provides a drug free alternative on Friday nights for teens in the town of Stafford, CT. UConn students build a supportive mentoring relationship with middle and high school students while assisting with organizing and implementing fun activities. WINDHAM HIGH SCHOOL CAPT TUTORING Contact: uconn.co.capt@gmail.com Student Leader: TBA Windham High School CAPT Tutoring aims to provide motivated Windham High School students in their sophomore year with the test-taking skills necessary to ensure a score of proficiency on the Connecticut CAPT test using a curriculum called CAPTure Success. UConn tutors will also help lower the WHS students’ frustration, increase their students’ engagement, narrow the achievement gap, and help their students reach their full potential. |
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