FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS about volunteering
 What is Streetside Stories?
Streetside Stories is a non-profit literacy arts organization that works in Bay Area public schools. Through the power of storytelling, Streetside Stories cultivates young people's voices to develop literacy and arts skills, fosters educational equity, values diversity, and builds community.
Some of our programs:
» Storytelling Exchange
An in-school autobiographical writing program for sixth graders.
» Tech Tales
An in-school autobiographical digital storytelling program for seventh graders.
» Teachers Edge
An in-school partnership with Aspire schools that brings digital storytelling to 5th-8th grade students and their teachers.
» Streetside Stories Community Programs
An autobiographical writing program that brings theater, storytelling, poetry, digital photography, and visual and media arts into the after school hours.
» Student Anthologies
At the end of the year, each Streetside student receives an anthology from the program. The book and DVD are professional compilations of the students’ writing and digital stories.
How do Streetside volunteers get involved?
Storytelling Exchange, Teachers Edge and Tech Tales volunteers work one-on-one with students helping them to write their stories. They facilitate sharing stories in small groups and peer-editing groups. Teachers Edge, Tech Tales, and afterschool tech program volunteers also help students create digital stories from their written stories. Tech Tales volunteers help with storyboarding, scanning images, typing scripts and editing with iMovie.
Streetside Community Programs volunteers work one-on-one with students helping them to write autobiographical stories and poems. Volunteers also help students prepare to present their stories at the end of each session.
Where and when would I be volunteering?
The Storytelling Exchange and Tech Tales work in public schools, mostly middle schools, throughout San Francisco. Teachers Edge will also be working in some schools in the East Bay. We begin our in-school programs in mid-September and finish in early May. Workshop lengths vary from one to two hours long and take place throughout the school day (8 am-3:30 pm). Times vary with each school.
Streetside Community Programs are at several schools and community centers throughout San Francisco. We begin our after school programs in mid-October and finish in late May. Workshops are between 1.5 and 2 hours long and happen between 3:30 and 6 pm. Each summer, we also offer a few summer programs, which offer occasional volunteer opportunities.
What is the time commitment?
We ask that you come in for a minimum of one class a week during the semester. Volunteers who can commit more hours to programs per week will get preference in placement. You must sign up for a specific day each week (i.e. every Tuesday).
I really want to help in programs but I am only available during weeknights and on the weekends. Do you have any programs during this time?
Unfortunately at this time, we do not have programs that take place after 6pm on weeknights or on the weekends. However, we would highly recommend checking out our other volunteer opportunities that do take place during these times!
How do I sign up?
All volunteers must complete the following before going into the classroom:
» a volunteer application
» attend Tell It Like It Is!, Streetside's monthly open house
» a volunteer orientation
» a TB test (submit Tuberculosis Examination Report -- valid for 4 years)
» livescan fingerprinting (more info to be provided at the orientation)
» a background check (we will check your name and address against the State's sex offenders database.)
For more information, please call (415) 864-5221 x115.
"When our waiter came, I ordered a hamburger and french fries. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into the burger. Then, ring! It was my cell phone, and my mom was calling me. When I answered the phone, my mom sounded so mad..."
Lucas Long, Claire Lilienthal School |
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