With a new school year starting, volunteers at Ciudad Nueva are preparing for the return of all our students to the usual school routine — snacks, games, homework help, and just hanging out. Our hardworking and dedicated volunteers are the engine that keep things running smoothly around here. Without them, many of our programs would not exist at all.
We are always looking to welcome new volunteers, and the beginning of a school year is the perfect time to join our students in a new adventure for a season. No matter what your strengths and gifts might be, we can find a place for you to be connected in our community.
Thinking about getting involved? Just dive in!
All it takes is an email or phone call to one of our friendly staff members, and we will help you find a spot to dive in with one of our programs. If you prefer to window-shop a little bit, here are some of the needs our programs have for the upcoming year.
Elementary School – Launch Pad
The Launch Pad program for elementary age students meets twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays and includes homework time, snack, games, spiritual and life lessons, and our unique money management program, which you can read about here. Here are our Launch Pad volunteer needs for this year:
- Mentors who would meet with kids 3:20 PM – 5:30 PM Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Art teacher (once per month)
- Life skills teacher (once per month)
- Climbing wall helper (once per month)
- Store manager, helping the students spend the Launch Pad bucks they earn in the program (once every 4-6 weeks)
Middle School and Wyldlife Youth Club
The middle school students meet three times a week: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. They participate in creative classes on Tuesdays from 4:30 to 5:30 pm that rotate throughout the school year, including topics such as sports, cooking, art, computer skills, dance, sewing, mechanics, and anything else our wonderful volunteers can contribute. The Middle School Club meets on Wednesdays and is similar to a youth group with games and a spiritual component. And on Thursdays, we provide time to do what middle schoolers love to do — hang out and socialize .
Here are some ways you can make a difference with our middle schoolers this year:
- Lead small groups
- Give short lessons at Wednesday Club 4:30-5:30pm
- Be a homework tutor on any of the three days from 3:00-4:00 pm.
- Teach a six- to eight-week creative class on any topic that you specialize in or love Tuesdays 4:30-5:30pm
- Organize games
- Provide general help with weekly activities
- Just come hang out with our middle schoolers on their free day, Thursday
High School Programs
The great thing about high schoolers is that they are pretty independent. In fact, our high schoolers are also some of the volunteers in our programs! (More about that in our upcoming blog post.) However, high schoolers still need lots of mentoring and direction from adults as they emerge into the next phase of life.
- Community Club (Mondays) includes games and life lessons, and Cultivate (Tuesdays) is for those who want to go deeper spiritually. These programs are always looking for adults who want to mentor young participants 6:30-8:30pm.
- Catalyst is a college- and career-readiness program where freshman and sophomore students get exposure to life skills and career options by meeting professionals from many paths. If you have a profession or a life skill that you would love to share with the next generation, please contact us so we can include you in this amazing program Thursdays 6-8pm. You can read more about Catalyst here.
Other areas of need:
- Van Drivers – We need drivers to take kids from school to Ciudad Nueva for our programs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 2:50 and 3:15 pm.
- Food Co-op Drivers – We need people willing to pick up donations for our food co-op at various grocery stores around town. Days and times vary.
- Photography – We would love to have some high-quality pictures of our various programs to be used in marketing, social media, bulletin boards, and other places.
Volunteering is about connection. Come get connected to Ciudad Nueva!
Volunteering at Ciudad Nueva is not just about getting the job done. Although we have many tasks that need to be accomplished daily, our volunteers pour their hearts into their relationships with our students and community members through the work they are accomplishing together. We are so grateful for our many volunteers and can’t wait to meet all of the new ones coming our way!
If you are ready to jump right in and get involved, or even if you just want to explore the possibilities, contact us today. We would love to find out what your passions are and to connect you to some of the wonderful people in our Rio Grande neighborhood. Call us today at 915-521-2951 or fill out the volunteer application here, and we will connect you with the program leaders that match your area of interest.
