Teen Volunteer Program

Gateways has been the most meaningful part of my high school experience. It has helped me grow as a person as well as deepened my connections with those around me. I’ve learned valuable skills at Gateways that I know I will use for the rest of my life. I’m so so thankful for this program!

Samantha, Teen Volunteer Gateways Sunday Program

I have loved volunteering with Gateways these past three years. Applying to become a volunteer was the best decision I ever made. It has been a truly fulfilling volunteer experience. I highly suggest that any Jewish teen currently in grades 9–11 apply to this program. Thank you, Gateways, for opening up the gates to my future and guiding me along this path!

ShoshanaTeen Volunteer, Gateways Sunday Program

Over the past three years, I have looked forward to Sundays because I have Gateways. I love every minute I spend there, and I always learn new things.

Teen Volunteer Gateways Sunday Program

Teen Volunteers in the Gateways Sunday Program

Want to make a difference? Become a Gateways Teen Volunteer!

If you are a Boston-area teen in grades 10 – 12, you can apply to volunteer to support students in the Gateways Sunday Program as a one-to-one aide or classroom assistant.

More Than a Volunteer Experience

Gateways’ Teen Volunteer Program isn’t your average volunteer experience. What makes our program stand out is not the skillset you’ll gain or the volunteer hours you’ll collect, but the relationships that you’ll build with the students.

Throughout your volunteer experience, you’ll receive weekly training and support from on-site special education teachers and administrators. You will:

Learn special education strategies and teaching techniques that support student learning, including how to address challenging behavior, capitalize on the strengths of the student, and implement visual supports to help the student successfully navigate the learning space.
Receive on-the-job support from the classroom teacher, volunteer coordinator, and program director. These experienced staff members guide volunteers in helping students achieve their greatest success.

Aside from learning skills you can take to college or into a career, you’ll play a crucial role as your students build their Jewish identities, supporting them in experiencing a Jewish education that is both accessible and meaningful.

Teen Volunteer Stories

A teen volunteer, wearing a Gateways shirt, sits next to a smiling student, writing something in marker on a poster for cradles to crayons

Become a Teen Volunteer at Gateways

Do you or does a teen you know want to make a difference in the lives of students with disabilities…

Alanna and Lauren sitting side by side looking at a binder with Hebrew

What Volunteering at Gateways Can Do

Before Alanna came to Gateways, she had always known on some level that she wanted to work with kids. However,…

An Invitation to Opened Gates

I returned to my dorm room with a piece of mail in my hand. This wasn’t just any piece of…

A student in a wheelchair singing karaoke with a teen volunteer

A Teen Volunteer’s Reflections

Not a day goes by where I do not discuss how much I love being a teen volunteer at Gateways.

Program Structure and Fees

There is a $250 annual training and materials fee* for participation in the Teen Volunteer Program. The fee is $125 for students selected for half-year placements.

*These fees will be waived for any family that indicates that the costs will present a hardship.

How to Apply

Gateways accepts applications during the spring for the following school year. Teens selected for the program are notified during the summer. Questions? Please contact our Teen Volunteer Coordinator, Mia Hyman.

The application period for 2023-2024 is now open. Click here to apply.

Teen Madrichim Curriculum

Bring our teen training to your school! Our comprehensive training program for teenage volunteer teachers’ assistants, also known as madrichim, will empower them with the tools to become highly effective classroom aides to support the inclusion of students with disabilities and diverse learning needs.