VOLUNTEER & JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

There are no job opportunities at GAAH at this time.

OPPORTUNITES FOR VOLUNTEERS

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities (GAAH)! Our two facilities, the Cook Arts Center and Cook Library Center, depend on student and community volunteers to work with students of all ages in our many classes and programs. As an organization that is committed to finding new ways to engage and energize our neighborhood, we believe our most valuable support comes from community members who are enthused about getting involved. We are currently seeking volunteers in a myriad of positions at both of our facilities. We are pleased to provide this guide to help you find the perfect fit for your skills, background, and interest. 

For additional information or to sign up for any of the following volunteer opportunities, please email Community Engagement Assistant Vanessa Cervantes at vcervantes@gaah.org

• Summer gardening program assistance
• Drivers and/or chaperones for field trips
• Special internships related to your degree
• Girls Rock! Grand Rapids
• Teen Leaders in the Arts
• Aerial Tactic
• Cook Library Scholars

COOK ARTS CENTER

Do you appreciate the arts? Do you enjoy working with youth in direct and engaging ways? Is academic achievement in youth important to you? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you should consider volunteering at the Cook Arts Center! We offer after-school programming for youth ages 5-16 that includes a variety of arts classes such as dance, ceramics, music, visual arts, and fabric arts. We also offer one-on-one tutoring opportunities for neighborhood youth who may need additional assistance with schoolwork.

• Tutor Team Program (Academic Tutors) - 4:30-8:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday
  • Tutors are NOT required to have any prior experience in tutoring and are only required to meet with their assigned student once a week for one hour. Students are expected to bring the day’s homework or any study materials for upcoming tests, quizzes or projects.
  • Click here for a description of our Tutor Team Program.
• Classroom Assistants – 4:30-7:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday
  • Assistants are only required to volunteer in one-hour shifts.
  • Volunteers assist the class instructor in any way they might need. Volunteers work one-on-one with children in the classroom, help with supply preparation and clean up, and assist with classroom management. A basic knowledge of the artistic discipline or medium is recommended but not required.
  • Click here to see a full listing of program activities.

COOK LIBRARY CENTER

Was reading important to you as a child? Do you love to read now and love reading to children? Do you enjoy playing games, helping with homework and mentoring children? The Cook Library Center offers volunteer opportunities in all of these areas.

• General homework help - 4:00 pm-6:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday (during the school year)
  • Assist students with homework on a weekly basis.
  • Minimum of one hour a week is asked. More assistance is needed on Tuesday.
  • After all homework is completed, students are required to read books and perform comprehension checks.
• Tutor Team Program (Academic Tutors) - 4:00-7:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday (during the school year)
  • Tutors are NOT required to have any prior experience in tutoring and are only required to meet with their assigned student once a week for one hour.  
  • Students are expected to bring the day’s homework or any study materials for upcoming tests, quizzes or projects.
  • Tutors proficient in the math and sciences are appreciated and needed.
  • Click here for a description of our Tutor Team Program.
• Stations of Learning Creator - 12:00-3:00 p.m. Monday-Friday (during the school year)
  • Creating age appropriate hands-on activities for reading, writing, and math for K-6 grade to use for stations of learning for our Scholars and Achievers programs.
• Small reading groups - Monday, Wednesday from 5-5:30 p.m. for the Achievers
  • We are interested in starting small book clubs after students are completed with their homework. The students would read together and perform activities based on the books chosen.
• Mentor - Monday-Thursday once a week for at least one hour for a 6th-12th grade student.
  • ​Commit to becoming a mentor for a 6th-12th grade student for a minimum of one year. Assist with homework and goal setting.  

COOK LIBRARY SCHOLARS

This is a wonderful opportunity for community members to get involved in an emerging program that will have a lasting impact on the lives of the children of the Grandville Avenue neighborhood. We are looking for caring adults who can make a weekly commitment to help students with their homework, play chess with them, read with them, assist them with internet research, and serve as mentors and friends. 

How Do I Volunteer? 

Step 1: Fill out a volunteer and background check form. Click here for a Student Volunteer Form and here for a Community Member Volunteer Form; click here for a background check form.
Step 2: Contact Volunteer Coordinator Vanessa Cervantes at vcervantes@gaah.org or by phone at (616) 742-0692 with your volunteer interest at the Cook Arts Center or the Cook Library Center.
Step 3: Scan, email or bring the completed volunteer forms to the Cook Arts Center or Cook Library Center before or on the day of orientation.