Head Start Volunteer

Volunteering with Head Start is a rewarding experience that allows you to make a positive impact on children's lives and support your local community. Your time and skills can help provide children with the foundation they need for future success.

• Classroom Aid: Help teachers with daily activities and support children's learning.
• Reading Buddy: Read to children and help them develop early literacy skills.
• Administrative Support: Assist with office tasks, data entry, and organization.
• Special Events Helper: Support during family events or health screenings.
• Maintenance and Repairs: Help maintain facilities and equipment.
• Language Support: Assist as a translator for non-English speaking families.

Business and Corporate Volunteers

We welcome businesses and corporations that may want to organize a volunteer day. This is a great opportunity for team building while making a positive impact in your community. Please contact us for more information on how we can accommodate your group.

Student Opportunities

We welcome students from various academic programs to gain valuable experience with Head Start:

• Early Childhood Education: Complete your practicum or student teaching hours in our supportive learning environment.
• Nursing: Gain hands-on experience in pediatric health screenings and family health education.
• Social Work: Assist in family support services and community outreach programs.
• Marketing: Help create recruitment materials and develop outreach strategies to engage families and volunteers.

Head Start provides an excellent platform for hands-on experience in these fields. If you're a student looking to fulfill your educational requirements or gain practical experience, please contact us for more information on how we can support your learning journey.

Head Start strongly encourages parent involvement in program governance. Parents of enrolled children have unique opportunities to contribute:

• Center Committees: Parents can join their local center's committee to discuss issues specific to their center, plan activities, and provide input on local services.
• Policy Council: Elected parent representatives serve on the Policy Council, which works in partnership with key management staff and the governing body to make important decisions about program policies, budgets, and overall direction.

These roles allow parents to develop leadership skills, contribute to program decisions, and ensure that Head Start services meet the needs of local families and communities.

• Regular volunteers must complete a criminal background check and undergo a TB screening.
• All volunteers must complete an orientation process.
• Volunteers do not count towards the adult-child ratio and  are never allowed to be alone with children.
• All volunteers must complete training as outlined by the Tennessee Department of Child Care Licensing and the Office of Head Start.