Volunteer
UPDATE: FLY is still operating all of our programs virtually and we need volunteers!
Last fiscal year, despite the pandemic and the distance, more than 250 FLY volunteers provided more than 10,000 hours of service to our young people. We could not operate FLY without you. We hope more folks will become part of the family serving and inspiring our youth. Thank you!
Spark Change – Volunteer with FLY
Our fantastic network of volunteers has helped us achieve incredible results! Last year alone, more than 200 volunteers provided nearly 10,000 hours of service to our youth. We are always looking for energetic individuals to become mentors or facilitate our law classes. We provide excellent training and support throughout your time with us. Or perhaps you would like to complete an internship with FLY or contribute other talents and skills. As part of the FLY family, you will create hope and spark change in young lives! And as many volunteers tell us, their experiences at FLY transform their own lives as well as the lives of those they serve.
Be a Mentor – Santa Clara and Alameda Counties
Many of the youth who come to FLY don’t have positive adults in their lives. Just by giving a few hours a week of one-on-one attention, support, and encouragement, you can spark important changes in a young person’s life. The FLY CAFA (Court Appointed Friend and Advocate) Mentor Program matches motivated adult volunteers with youth ages 14 to 18 on probation in Santa Clara and Alameda Counties. Through the mentoring relationship, youth have a consistent sounding board and a caring person in their life. As a result, they report that they want to make positive changes, that they now have hope for their futures, and that the program has given them more confidence to deal with negative peer pressure.
You and your mentee will spend time together weekly doing the things you like to do. You’ll also get to participate in fun monthly activities, which in the past have included white water rafting, laser tag, ice skating, and a high ropes course. In addition, as a CAFA mentor, you’ll be granted legal standing to act as an advocate for your mentee in the courtroom and at school. You’ll both be supported throughout the match by a FLY case manager, who also helps the mentee set and achieve new life goals.
Mentors must be 21 years of age or older, and willing to meet one-on-one weekly with youth. Also, because building trust and sparking change takes time and consistency, mentors must be willing to make a 12-month commitment. For more information about becoming a volunteer mentor, you can read our FLY CAFA Mentor Job Description and contact the following:
Santa Clara County: Email SCCCAFA@flyprogram.org or call Eberardo Lopez: 408-813-7371
Alameda County: Tara Spaans, (510) 205-4505 or tara@flyprogram.org
Teach Law-Related Education – Santa Clara, San Mateo, or Alameda County
In the FLY Law Program, our staff and highly trained volunteers teach a fun, interactive 8- to 12-week course using our nationally recognized law-related education curriculum. The curriculum covers relevant topics such as police encounters, accomplice liability, three strikes, theft, vandalism, drugs, gangs, and police arrests. The curriculum is interesting and engaging to the youth, and is an excellent vehicle for us to teach critical life skills like anger management, problem solving, conflict resolution, and resisting negative peer pressure. Read more about the program here.
Teams of two to four facilitators teach FLY’s course in high schools, middle schools, community centers, and juvenile facilities in Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Alameda Counties. Classes meet once a week for approximately 12 weeks for high school-age youth and 8 to 12 weeks for middle school. Facilitators must be 21 years of age and commit to weekend training and teaching the full course. No prior legal education or experience is necessary — FLY provides a well-developed curriculum and training. For more information about becoming a volunteer law facilitator, you can read our FLY Law Volunteer Job Description and contact the following:
Alameda County Law Program – Trevor Arceneaux, trevor@flyprogram.org, or 510-813-6691
San Mateo County Law Program – Melissa Poling, melissa@flyprogram.org, or 650-450-2361
Santa Clara County Law Program – Vianni Garcia, vianni@flyprogram.org, or 408-263-2630
Other Ways to Volunteer
- Our internships appeal to individuals of diverse interests and talents and all include youth program involvement and professional development opportunities. View the current list of internships and download the internship application.
- Do you have other talents and skills you are interested in sharing with FLY? Contact Reyna Martinez, reyna@flyprogram.org, or 408-881-4529.
READ OUR VOLUNTEER STORIES
Overcoming the Odds with Mentor and Mentee Duo, Destiny and Josy
FLY Law Program’s First Virtual Volunteer Training
Elaine receives The Giant’s Community Spirit Award for her 9 years of volunteering with FLY
Check if Your Employer Has a Volunteer Grant Program
Some corporations have giving programs created to encourage volunteerism in communities where employees live and work. Through these programs, companies provide monetary grants to organizations where employees volunteer regularly. The easy-to-use search tool below will tell if your company will donate to FLY for each hour you work and how to access the program. Simply scroll down below the Matching Gift Program information.
“Before FLY I was a hopeless and lost child. And now with FLY’s help I am on my way to becoming a successful adult.”
— FLY Youth
