Volunteer Roles

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Tutor

ESOL tutors serve immigrant adults who want to learn English and/or prepare for the US Naturalization Exam. These students come to Literacy Together with a variety of literacy and English language skill levels. Tutors in this program work with their students two hours each week for at least one year and are supported by the program director throughout their tutoring commitment.

Tutors complete an 8-hour training (which is currently conducted online) before being matched with students. They then receive follow-up support and the option to attend in-service workshops throughout their tutoring commitment. Tutors in this program can work with students for one (1) two-hour session each week or two (2) one-hour sessions each week. Tutoring sessions may take place online or in person. This program welcomes volunteers from all over the world who are willing to tutor remotely. We now have tutors in Florida, New York, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Texas, the UK, and Germany!

Looking forward to the year ahead, we plan to increase the number of small-group adult ESOL classes we offer in the community. We’ll partner with schools, churches, and community centers in our students’ neighborhoods to offer instruction at times and in places that are convenient for students. We’ll need new volunteers to teach these classes and offer one-on-one instruction to the 70+ prospective students on our waiting list.

ESOL tutors commit to working with their students for at least one year. Learn more about this program and sign up to volunteer.

ESOL Tutor Training Dates:

Self-paced option:

Watch recordings of previous live training sessions on Zoom, complete classwork and homework independently, and meet with the ESOL Director afterward for review/debriefing.

Live sessions (online) with ESOL Director:

April: 23, 25, 30, May 2, 10am-noon via Zoom

May: 14, 16, 21, 23, 10am-noon via Zoom

ESOL success stories

Youth Literacy Tutor

Youth Literacy tutors work with children from low-income families who read, write, and/or spell below grade level. Tutors in this program complete an initial orientation and 9 hours of training, which includes some pre-course work and/or homework ( short articles to read, short videos to watch). They then receive follow-up support and the option to attend in-service training throughout their tutoring commitment.

Tutors in this program work with their students in person twice per week for 50 minutes each session for at least one school year.

We are recruiting volunteers and paid interns for our academic year tutoring program. Our volunteer and intern tutors can choose from the following options:

Tutors work 1:1 with elementary-aged students on literacy skills at our partner after-school programs (YMCA at West Buncombe Elementary, the Christine Avery Learning Center, or Youth Transformed for Life at Grace Presbyterian Church). Tutors work with their students for 45 minutes, two days a week, between 3:30 and 5:30 (M-Th).
We have occasional opportunities for school-day tutors supporting elementary-aged or middle school scholars within Buncombe County Schools.
Work with middle school students during Community Nights for about an hour, between 5-7, at Enka Intermediate or AC Reynolds Middle School. Enka meets on Mondays, and Reynolds meets on Wednesdays. You’ll work with individual and small groups of students on any combination of homework help, reinforcing literacy skills, math support, executive functioning skills, etc.

Learn more about this program or email Elyse Hurley with questions. Sign up online to volunteer.

The Youth Literacy annual training takes place in September and is about 9 hours long; the program offers individual training for people joining after September. The program director will contact you about training.

Youth Literacy Program success stories

Adult Literacy Tutor

Adult Literacy tutors serve adults who have basic or below basic literacy skills. Tutors in this program work with their students for two hours each week for at least six months (GED track) or one year (Adult Literacy track) and are supported by the program director throughout their tutoring commitment. Tutors receive 10-12 hours of tutor training (although it can be shorter if you have experience teaching). The program director works closely with tutors through individual meetings. Tutors can also connect and learn from one another through Adult Literacy group meetings and in-services. Tutors in this program work with students for two (2) one-hour sessions each week. Adult Literacy tutors commit to working with their students for six months (GED track) or one year (Adult Literacy track).

Tutors who want to volunteer with this program must live in the Asheville area; they can work remotely or in person. Learn more about this program. Sign up online to volunteer.

Current Adult Literacy Program needs:

We need GED / Math tutors immediately to support low-level students entering with middle school-level skills who need to advance to the high school level to pass the GED.
Recent reports indicate that Buncombe County has over 750 homeless students ((here is the information shared by United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County). This fall, the Adult Literacy Program will partner with Helping at Risk Kids (HARK) to support high schoolers experiencing homelessness. We need volunteers who are willing to help them during this critical time.
We are also excited to launch a prison literacy initiative for incarcerated women at Western Correctional Center for Women (WCCW) later this fall. We know that 75 percent of incarcerated people have low literacy skills, and we are currently recruiting tutors to help the residents at WCCW develop the skills they need to improve their literacy skills and pass the high school equivalency exam.

The Program Director will contact you about training.

Adult Literacy Program success stories

Other Ways to Volunteer

We have short-term volunteer opportunities for tutors who cannot commit to becoming tutors and tutors who want to get more involved. These are current non-tutoring volunteer needs:

Help us grow Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library by attending events and delivering registration forms around town!
Are you a native Spanish speaker? Help the ESOL Program staff make phone calls and send texts to check in with our students!
The Adult Literacy Program director would love someone to help her organize—sort, recycle, or toss— materials in her office.
The Youth Literacy Program needs volunteers willing to deliver flyers around town, particularly in the spring.
Volunteers can also help at our Authors for Literacy Dinner & Silent Auction in the spring of 2025.

Email Volunteers@lit-together.org if you’d like to volunteer!

Ways you can support Literacy Together’s mission and vision:

Become a corporate partner or tell someone about the possibility of becoming one. For more information about the opportunities, contact Linda Murphey at development@lit-together.org.
Come to our annual fundraising event in the spring. The event features a presentation by a New York Times bestselling author. Learn more.
Your generosity provides literacy services to our neighbors of every age. Make a donation.
Do you support Blue Ridge Public Radio? Donating $180 or more annually allows you to share your on-air Day Sponsorship message with Literacy Together.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, share our posts, and subscribe to our newsletter.
Invite us to your circles (book and movie clubs, staff meetings, country clubs, churches, temples, etc.) so we can inform your people about Literacy Together.
Help us spread the word about Literacy Together and the work we do in the community. Download our PDF flyer to share!