Tutor incarcerated youth at Illinois Youth Center in St. Charles

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

The tutoring program, called Jump Start, is offering an information session from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, 102 S. Second St. Reservations are requested.

Teaching experience is not required, as 12 hours of tutor training are provided to volunteers free of charge. Most tutors volunteer between one and two hours a week and tutoring is done one-on-one in a safe and supervised environment. Becoming a volunteer tutor can be a lengthy process, as an extensive background check is required, but volunteers in the program find the work very rewarding.

"Youth 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, coordinator of the Jump Start program.

Located on Route 38 west of St. Charles, the facility hosts approximately 300 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 or to make a reservation, visit www.lvillinois.org or call (312) 857-1582.

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.