Literacy Volunteers of Illinois seeks volunteer tutors for incarcerated teens

Literacy Volunteers of Illinois is seeking men and women who are compassionate, flexible and nonjudgmental to become volunteer tutors for the young men incarcerated at the Illinois Youth Center in St. Charles.

The tutoring program, called Jump Start, is offering an information session from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, at Kava Diem, 1 Illinois St. in St. Charles.

Teaching experience is not needed, as 12 hours of tutor training are provided to volunteers free. Most tutors volunteer between one and two hours a week and tutoring is done one-on-one in a safe and supervised environment. Volunteers must show proof of COVID vaccination.

Becoming a volunteer tutor can be a lengthy process, as a background check is required, but volunteers in the program find the work very rewarding.

"Students who have the advantage of working with a tutor are more likely to achieve their GED or high school diploma and less likely to re-enter the system," states Melissa Auer, director of the Jump Start program.

Located on Route 38, just west of St. Charles, the facility hosts approximately 50 young men involved in the juvenile justice system.

While ages range from 14 to 20, most are between 16 and 18 years old. Educational ability among the youth varies widely, with some youth struggling to learn basic reading and math skills and others working toward high school diplomas or GEDs.

For more information, contact Melissa Auer at melissa.auer@illinois.gov.

This project is made possible by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a division of the office of Secretary of State, using state funds designated for literacy. Visit www.lvillinois.org/jump-start.aspx.