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Writer's pictureTeach The Need

3 Things You Need to be a Volunteer Tutor

Tutoring is a way to give back to your community and give people the skills they need to succeed. Here is a short guide on what you need to be a qualified tutor at Teach The Need.


1. Qualifications and interest in tutoring


Every organization looking for volunteer tutors has its own list of requirements, but here's what we most commonly look for:

  • Good communication skills.

  • Enthusiasm for the transmission of knowledge.

  • Reliability.

  • Be ready to make a commitment.

  • Take an interest in other cultures and others.

  • Respect for others.

  • A high school diploma is not required, and in fact many of our tutors come from high school backgrounds. However, knowledge on subjects such as math, English, science, and social studies are preferred as they are subjects in demand.

  • All volunteer guardians must provide a criminal background check for working with vulnerable people.


2. Have time


Here at Teach the Need, we are flexible but ask for at least five months of commitment, as tutors will tend to build a valuable connection with their tutees and to align with the high school semester. We understand there can be extraneous circumstances, so we ask for at least a 2 week notice so that we can reliably transfer students to another tutor.


  • The orientation training is mandatory and will take 2-3 hours, which is usually broken down into two sessions.

  • After training, most volunteers do 1-3 hours of tutoring per week, usually before or after school hours but times are decided between the tutor and tutee.

  • In addition to the time set aside for tutoring, 1-hour will be dedicated every month by each tutor for the weekly homework help sessions.


3. Choose the right type of volunteering for your skills


As different organizations offer different types of tutoring, it is best to apply where your skills can be put to good use. At Teach the Need, volunteer tutors are in demand in the following areas:


  • English as a second language (ESL) tutoring for adult newcomers to Canada who has higher qualifications but needs to learn English in order to enter the working world.

  • Secondary education for students who have difficulty in certain subjects at school and need extra help. These includes math, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, English

  • Homework clubs for children who need supervised homework time because conditions at home are not conducive to learning.

  • Experience working with adults and children with disabilities or learning disabilities

  • Teaching practical skills like computer literacy

  • Post-secondary tutors who are able to provide planning for individuals


Becoming an excellent tutor is more than just showing up. It requires dedication, skill, and, in many cases, experience in helping others. But if you want to help people learn the necessary skills, it can be a very rewarding experience and a way to give back to your own community.








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