Special Events Volunteers assist in many diverse capacities depending on the occasion. Examples of events include MH community participant celebrations, Tea Tasting & Bazaar, Back-to-School Block Party, and promoting Manzanita House alongside staff at outside events like service and/or resource fairs.

• Arrive at appointed time to set-up before celebrations or events

• Clean up after celebrations

• Serve food,

• Greet and/or sign-in participants at events

• Distributing resources (ie. Food boxes, winter coats, school supplies)

• Managing a booth area (such as simple children's games)

• Secondary Responsibilities:

• Maintain confidentiality of all MH program participants and community members

• Uphold MH mission and values

• Accurately record volunteer hours via the online log (linked here)

• Read and respond to email communications from appropriate MH staff coordinating event

• Participate in offered continuing education opportunities according to availability and desire.

Skills/Qualifications Needed: Volunteers in this position need to have a commitment to the mission and vision of Manzanita House. In addition, they need to be reliable and have a welcoming, hospitable attitude, and an ability to follow directions and ask for clarification if needed. No specific language skills are needed.

Time Commitment: Flexible & varies dependent on event

The Language, Education and Family Department is focused on providing a safe space for Spokane’s immigrant communities to continue learning about their cultural heritage, teaching their first languages, and connecting with additional tools to strengthen their families.  Leaf Department programs include Children’s Heritage Language Classes, Women’s Teatimes, and the Referral HUB.

Heritage Language Classes are for immigrant children, 6 to 18 years of age, to learn their parent’s native language and retain pride in their cultural heritage. The objective of the program is for immigrant children to maintain strong family ties through the ability to fully communicate with all members of their families as well as provide greater opportunities for growth and future success. Additionally, classes are a safe space for children to develop relationships with other children from similar linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and thereby strengthen the community. 

The language class assistant supports the language teacher in the classroom. Their presence allows the teacher to focus on delivering content to the students by helping maintain a welcoming and appropriate learning atmosphere (as directed by the teacher). They do not need to speak a language other than English. This position offers an opportunity to work with youth in a respectful and joyful multicultural/multilingual environment.

• Set-up – arrive 15-20 minutes prior to the beginning of class, arrange the desks and chairs as preferred by the teacher, set the snack table with a tablecloth, salty and sweet snacks, and beverages, set the class supplies (student whiteboards, dry erase markers, pencils, notebooks, etc.) on the teacher’s table at the front of the class.

• Greeting Leaf Program participants – welcome children and their families when they arrive, and make sure an adult signs-in the student(s) or that a waiver has been signed for a child to arrive alone.

• Maintain a safe space for children – do a safety-check of the public restrooms in the basement of the Northeast Community Center prior to class, accompany children from the classroom to the restrooms (making sure the washrooms are safe for them to enter then waiting in the hallway outside until they exit), and maintain a calm, supportive demeanor for a welcoming learning environment in the classroom. Students are encouraged NOT to enter the Teatime space (where the women are convened) during the snack break.

• Clean-up – return the class supplies to the MH office, encourage students to properly dispose of any trash from the class, return leftover snacks and beverages to the storage shelves along with the tablecloth and remaining napkins, plates, and cups.

• Maintain confidentiality of all MH program participants and community members

• Uphold MH mission and values

• Accurately record volunteer hours every month via the online log (linked here)

• Read and respond to email communications from the Community Engagement Coordinator and/or the Leaf Program Manager

• Participate in offered continuing education opportunities according to availability and desire.

Skills/Qualifications Needed: Commitment to the mission and vision of Manzanita House. A welcoming attitude, patience in working with children coming from a full day of school to another session of learning, an understanding that they will be in an environment where English will NOT be spoken for the majority of the time, and a willingness to learn from the program participants. No specific language skills are needed.

Optional Welcome Experience: Previous experience working with youth or people of diverse cultural or linguistic backgrounds

Time Commitment: approx. 2.5 hours/week X 8 weeks (5 weeks summer session); minimum commitment of once/week for a full session with this program.

The Women’s Teatime Assistant supports the Women’s Teatimes in providing a safe space for women to gather with their language community, speak freely, and enjoy learning opportunities together. Interpreters are always present, and volunteers do not need to speak a language other than English. This position offers an opportunity to work alongside women in an empowering and joyful, multicultural/multilingual environment.

• Set-up – arrive 15-20 minutes prior to the beginning of Teatime, arrange the seating according to the planned presentation, set the tea table with tablecloths, glass teacups and saucers, fill the tea kettles with water and set to boil, arrange snacks, an assortment of tea, and water along with plates, napkins, sugar, and spoons. Bring the Kids’ Corner carpet from the storage room and set it out with an array of toys for the “Littles” (children under 6y).

• Greeting Leaf Program participants – welcome the women and children when they arrive, and make sure student(s) are signed in by an adult or that a waiver has been signed for a child to arrive alone.

• Promote an atmosphere of hospitality and conviviality– offer tea and snacks to the women, ask them about their day, let them know what the topic for the teatime presentation is, etc. Depending on the presentation topic, provide individual assistance as needed (with computers or by contributing to the group conversation).

• Clean-up –return leftover snacks and beverages to the storage shelves along with the tablecloth and remaining napkins, plates, and cups, wash the used teacups and saucers at the sink in the storage room, store leftover food in containers from the shelves and/or the fridge, return the Kids’ Corner toys and carpet to the storage space.

• Maintain confidentiality of all MH program participants and community members

• Uphold MH mission and values

• Accurately record volunteer hours every month via the online log (linked here)

• Read and respond to email communications from the Community Engagement Coordinator and/or the Leaf Program Manager

• Participate in offered continuing education opportunities according to availability and desire.

Skills/Qualifications Needed: Volunteers in this position need to have a commitment to the mission and vision of Manzanita House. They also need a welcoming attitude, patience in working with families new to American culture, respect for cultural diversity, an understanding that they will be in an environment where English will NOT be spoken for the majority of the time, and a willingness to learn from the program participants. No specific language skills are needed.

Optional, Welcomed Experience: Multicultural experiences, specific skills you are willing/able to teach and/or assist with, such as sewing, cooking, gardening, bookkeeping, technology, etc.

Time Commitment: approx. 2.5 hours/week X 8 weeks (5 weeks summer session)

The Citizenship Class Instructor teaches U.S. civics and history lessons specifically related to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) test. The content for the lessons is derived from a USCIS textbook. Instructors do not need to speak a language other than English. This position offers an opportunity to work in-person with immigrants in a respectful and joyful multicultural/multilingual environment.

• Arrive at the appointed time with prepared content lessons, coordinated with the other MILA Citizenship Instructors, based on USCIS test materials.

• Present content lessons in a respectful manner using clear and understandable English.

• Make sure materials, signup sheet and parking passes are available for the students.

• At the end of class, return the table/chairs to their original configuration and materials to their storage location.

• Administer practice tests and provide constructive feedback to students.

• Maintain accurate attendance records and follow up on absences according to guidance from the Naturalization Coordinator.

• Check in with the Naturalization Coordinator for changes to citizenship test requirements and update lesson plans accordingly.

• If and when possible, provide additional support and tutoring to students who need extra assistance.

• Create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment for all students.

• Maintain confidentiality of all MH and MILA program participants and community members

• Uphold MH mission and values

• Accurately record volunteer hours every month via the online log (linked here)

• Read and respond to email communications from the Community Engagement Coordinator and/or the Naturalization Program Coordinator

• Participate in offered continuing education opportunities according to availability and desire.

Skills/Qualifications Needed: Volunteers in this position need to have a commitment to the mission and vision of Manzanita House. Good communication and organizational skills are needed to prepare lessons and coordinate with the other volunteer instructors and the program coordinator. Content is presented through a secular, non-religious lens. Volunteers also need a welcoming attitude, patience in working with adults for whom English is not their first language and who may have a very different baseline perspective on government organization, civics, and society, and a willingness to learn from the program participants. No specific language skills are needed. Classes are in-person not virtual.

Optional Welcome Experience: Previous teaching experience and/or working with people of diverse cultural or linguistic backgrounds and an interest in U.S. civics and history is welcome.

Time Commitment: Thursday evenings 5:45-7:30p (class runs approximately 6-7:15p)

Instructors for this weekly class alternate when they are scheduled to teach, so frequency depends on the number of volunteers engaged with the program. Often the teaching schedule is once or twice per month. Volunteers are asked to include any preparation time incurred outside of the class in the calculation of their contributed time to Manzanita House.

Manzanita Immigrant Legal Aid works with and for the immigrant community in Spokane to build stability and strength by providing low-cost, accessible legal services. We believe that legal aid, education, and community empowerment make Spokane a better place for all--a place where everyone has a chance to be welcomed and celebrated.

The MILA Office Assistant supports the work of Manzanita Immigrant Legal Aid at the front desk as well as behind the scenes. They do not need to speak a language other than English though this is a bonus ability. This position offers an opportunity to work in a respectful, multicultural/multilingual environment.

Duties may include but are not limited to :

• Data entry and other tech-savvy duties, such as

  • Uploading documents

  • Scanning / copying documents

  • Screening client background information

  • Following up phone calls via text and voice calls

  • Processing mail

• Greeting people

• Assisting completion of intake forms (working with individual clients)

• Screening client language abilities

• Scheduling appointments

• Preparing documents for attorney

• Assisting with interview preparation

• Maintain confidentiality of all MH program participants and community members

• Uphold MH mission and values

• Accurately record volunteer hours every month via the online log (linked here)

• Read and respond to email communications from the Community Engagement Coordinator, the MILA Administrative Specialist, and/or the MILA Naturalization Program Coordinator

• Participate in offered continuing education opportunities according to availability and desire.

Skills/Qualifications Needed: Volunteers in this position need to have a commitment to the mission and vision of Manzanita House. They need excellent organizational and data entry skills with keen attention to detail. Some tech-savviness and ability to interact with computers and the internet are required. In addition, volunteers need to respect and convey empathy toward those seeking assistance from MILA. No specific language skills are needed.

Optional Welcome Experience: Previous office experience and familiarity working with people of diverse cultural or linguistic backgrounds. Additional language skills are not required but welcomed.

Time Commitment: minimum 2 hours per session at least once/week. Flexible within a Monday-Thursday, 8-5p schedule.