Heritage Language Class Assistant
Volunteer Position
Department
MH Leaf (Language Education and Family) Program
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.
Responsible to:
Samantha Walters, Leaf Manager and Teresa Schock, Community Engagement Coordinator
Works with MH Heritage Language Class teacher(s), other MH Leaf Program volunteers, Leaf Program children (ages 6-18) and families, and other MH Staff
Description of Role
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.
Primary Responsibilities:
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.
Secondary Responsibilities:
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 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
2.5 hours/week X 8 weeks (5 weeks summer session)
We request a minimum commitment of once/week for a full session with this program. Classes are two hours with volunteers arriving 15-20 minutes before and staying 15 minutes after.
Manzanita House is proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V/SO. It is essential that all staff and volunteers have a strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of Manzanita House. Hiring, including volunteers and interns, is conducted without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, membership in any labor organization, political ideology, or disability of an otherwise qualified individual.
