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Overview
Experience Corps is an innovative and
award winning national service program
that creates opportunities for older
adults to take part in vital public and
community service and is a signature
program of Civic Venture.
Experience Corps members work
in teams, create a critical mass,
lead by example, and make a
substantial commitment.
Experience Corps Services
- Tutoring and mentoring
- Out-of-school academic support and recreational opportunities
- Family literacy and parent involvement programs
- English language tutoring for parents
- Read-aloud activities
- Music and art programs
Last Year
- More than 45 Experience Corps members worked at
11 sites throughout the area
- Members provided more
than 14,000 hours to children and families in need
- 87% of
tutored students raised their
performance by at least one
grade level
- 80% of mentored students
displayed improvement in
classroom behavior
Accessing Services
Through Metropolitan Family Service, Experience Corps provides services
in public elementary schools and youth-based organizations in Multnomah,
Clackamas and Washington counties.
Community Partners
- Serve primarily low-income and special-needs children
- Work with Experience Corps to maintain regular communication, information exchange, and ongoing problem solving
- Offer necessary information to aid in program evaluation and reporting
- Provide financial contributions to Experience Corps for service expenses
Volunteer
Experience Corps members are typically age 55 and older; however, adults of all ages are involved in the program.
Most Experience Corps members contribute at least 450 hours during a 12-month period through individual service and team projects.
Members are paid a monthly stipend through Experience Corps for 12 or more hours of service a week.
For more information about how to support or volunteer, contact Experience Corps at 503.249.8215, ext.
17 or
ec@metfamily.org.
MFS Experience Corps would like
to acknowledge the generous support
of Experience Corps National.
Civic Ventures
Mobilizing the time, talent, and experience of older adults in service to communities.
www.experiencecorps.org
AARP
Membership-based social welfare services created to benefit older Americans.
www.aarp.org
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ec@metfamily.org
503.249.8215, ext. 17
Metropolitan Family Service
2200 NE 24th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97212 |
When Claire Vireday first read
about the Experience Corp program in the newspaper, she
remembers thinking "Gee, that looks interesting!" It wasn't
long before she learned more about the program and enlisted
the help of her husband Pierre. As Pierre describes it,
at
first he was "drafted" for the position, but it rapidly
became a passion for him as well.
Claire and Pierre spend about 15 hours per week tutoring
third graders at James John Elementary School. They focus
mainly on reading and writing skills, but are willing to
help with just about anything. Now that they're in their
fourth year at James John, they enjoy spending time in the
lunchroom to catch up with their former students. Claire
feels this is a significant part of her work, since many of
the kids come from unstable homes and benefit from her
ongoing concern and support.
Pierre loves to watch the kids make progress in school and
knows that the personal contact the couple gives each week
makes a big difference in their lives. Claire says sometimes
she wishes she could take the kids home with her. Of course,
in a way she does. And a bit of the Viredays goes home in
the hearts and minds of many James John third graders each
afternoon, too.
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