FAQs
Volunteer
VOLUNTEER WITH US
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Junior Achievement?
JA is the oldest, largest, and fastest-growing non-profit economics education program throughout the world. Junior Achievement teaches financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship to students in grades K-12 through community volunteers teaching our pre-prepared curriculum. JA programs are innovative, relevant, and hands-on while meeting TEKS standards.
Where does Junior Achievement implement programs?
Junior Achievement of Dallas implements programs in 17 counties all over Dallas metroplex, in schools where administrators and teachers have requested our curriculum. In the 2020-21 school year, we implemented programs in 14 school districts and reached almost 60,000 students.
What do Junior Achievement volunteers do?
JA volunteers teach our pre-prepared curriculum on financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. Volunteers not only deliver the JA program content to students but also share their own related personal and professional experiences and act as role models for their students. We offer both in-person and virtual opportunities.
What is the time commitment for Junior Achievement volunteers?
The time commitment to volunteer with Junior Achievement is very manageable and flexible. We have opportunities to fit every schedule. Every volunteer opportunity requires a training with JA staff for any new volunteers, to be held at a convenient time and place for the volunteer, either individually or in a group. Preparation time for the volunteer to become comfortable with the content and/or prepare any student materials (1-3 hours).
What type of training is involved?
The JA volunteer training is about one hour, held at a convenient time and place for the volunteer. In the training volunteers will learn about the organization and our mission, will be introduced to teaching and student engagement methods, and will review the specific program that the volunteer will be teaching, if that has been determined. We know that our volunteers typically are not trained teachers, so we aim to prepare them as much as possible to successfully teach our programs in the classroom.
Who can volunteer?
Volunteers are typically business professionals, college students, community members, or parents who want to play an active part in participating in the education of students around them. We are continually striving to diversify our pool of volunteers to reflect the students whom we serve, and particularly welcome Spanish-speaking volunteers to deliver our programs in ESL and bilingual classrooms.
Am I qualified to volunteer in a classroom?
Anyone with a passion for Junior Achievement’s mission can be a volunteer! A desire to be an inspirational role model is a must, along with the ability to communicate, motivate, and create enthusiasm. Volunteers also have to sign a volunteer conduct standards form.
What are the benefits of volunteering with Junior Achievement?
The benefits of volunteering with JA are numerous! JA volunteers give back to their community and connect with young people to teach them important life skills to empower them to succeed in today’s global economy. Volunteering with JA is not only fun, but great professional development as well. JA volunteers practice public speaking, training, management, problem solving, and leadership during their volunteering commitment. Many volunteers also count their JA experience for volunteer credit hours with their employer. JA volunteers find the experience to be powerful, fun, and rewarding – and many come back and teach with us year after year!
How do I get signed up to volunteer?
Fill out our online Volunteer Sign-Up Form.
I want to be involved but I simply do not have time to volunteer — what else can I do?
There are numerous fundraisers including JA Trivia, JA BOLD Girls Program, and JA Inspire where you can participate. You may also choose to host a student or have a class to visit your office for one day as part of a JA Job Shadow program. We would love to help you get involved in any way that you can!
Is it challenging interacting with the students?
You will most likely find that students are extremely excited to have you in the classroom, and are eager to hear about your life experiences.
What is the investment time for me as a JA volunteer?
Typically, a JA program is taught for one hour a day for a total of five days. JA programs and volunteer trainings have been developed to be completely turn-key and hassle free for you.
Does JA really have an impact on communities?
Yes, and in several different ways. Impact studies have shown the positive effect JA provides youth on their future outlook, and volunteerism has numerous proven benefits for adults in their personal life and attitude to organizations who provide this opportunity to them.
Can I choose what program and class I would like to volunteer?
Absolutely! Your JA coordinator will work with you to make sure you have the best experience possible!
Are you a JA Alumn?
We would love to see you again! We bet Junior Achievement made a difference in your life! Get Involved and learn how you can re-engage with us!