Join Minds Matter Bay Area & become a Mentor or an Instructor for a High Schooler today!

Save to Favorites

Looking for volunteers for the 2025-2026 school year.

To learn more and apply, visit: http://www.mindsmatterbay.org/join/

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM

Minds Matter Bay Area is a 100% volunteer-run, educational non-profit that provides low-income students access to strong mentors, instructors and leaders, who help broaden their worldview and prepare them for college and beyond.

Students join us as Sophomores, where they build up their academic foundations in math, science, reading, writing and critical thinking, and learn key life skills, like leadership and public speaking.

As Juniors, our students focus on improving standardized test scores, managing stress and exploring colleges. During the summers after their sophomore and junior years, we encourage and support our students with finding summer programs at different colleges around the country to push them out of their comfort zones and ready them for college.

Finally, as Seniors, our students focus heavily on showcasing their best selves in their college applications and learning more key skills that will ensure that they don’t just graduate from college, but that they thrive during their experience. We also support them with learning about both traditional and creative ways of paying for college, so that finances don't become a barrier to considering a great school.

We’re looking for volunteers to help us with every part of this program from tutoring to mentoring to managing programs. At the heart of our organization are people committed to making an impact in education and these students’ lives.

At Minds Matter Bay Area, our mentees come first, but our strong community comes in at a close second. Many of our volunteers form lasting friendships and embark on new endeavors together. Whether we’re discussing the latest trends in education over dinner or picnicking in Golden Gate Park, our community knows how to get things done and have fun while doing it.

We invite you to join our community and our cause.

VOLUNTEER COMMITMENT

The opportunity to make an impact on a student’s life comes with important responsibilities. When working with youth, one of the key components to building trust is just showing up. Commitment is key with our program-your presence, proactive communication, and conscientiousness are what makes Minds Matter Bay Area work.

• Sessions take place from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM every Saturday during the school year (August through May, with breaks following standard school holidays)

• For Sophomores and Juniors, instructional programs take place from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM and mentoring from 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

• For Seniors, college application prep takes place from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

• We require a minimum attendance of 80% of Saturday sessions (approx. 20 of 25 weeks from August through May) and advanced notice of planned absences

• Building strong relationships with a student is vital for their success and growth, so we strongly prefer a three-year commitment, though we require a minimum of one year

INSTRUCTORS

The instructional component of our programs is designed to equip students with the knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary for achieving academic success at school and in their standardized tests. Our instructors serve as guides and role models for our students, encouraging them to deepen their knowledge base and to enjoy the process of learning. Instructors take on a variety of different roles in our organization: leading a class on a subject area, teaching the SAT/ACT, and developing and delivering workshops on close reading, critical thinking, and statement writing skills for our students and their mentors. We will work with you to find a role that best fits your skills and experience.

What we look for:

• Presentation and facilitation skills appropriate to a small group and/or classroom setting

• Depth of knowledge and passion for a particular subject

• Ability to take a complex concept and simplify it, so that anyone can learn it

• Unfettered curiosity for how things work-especially when it comes to academics and tests

• Passion for setting goals and gaining concrete results

• Ability to work in a team and navigate ambiguity

• Prior experience designing a curriculum and instructional materials is a plus

MENTORS

Each student is matched with two mentors, who work closely to help their student become well-rounded and navigate the college experience from application to graduation. Mentors work with their students to explore different majors and career paths and learn a variety of skills, like writing resumes and personal statements, managing time and stress, and presenting and discussing a perspective. Our mentors serve as positive role models and catalysts for the students, encouraging them to fulfill their full potential.

What we look for:

• Ability to hold a high bar and set stretch goals that mentees can achieve

• Knows how to listen and ask the right questions to build trust in a relationship, including creating a safe space for difficult conversations and being available outside of session

• Inquisitive and curious about what motivates and excites people

• Adaptable to a wide variety of personality types, from introverts to extroverts; youth to adults

• Will take initiative, solve problems, be optimistic-but-realistic, collaborative and reliable

• Prior mentorship experience with low-income high school students is a plus