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JA North is a student-centered organization, and volunteers are what bring our programs to life!
When students are able to connect with others and hear about their life experiences, they are exposed to opportunities and pathways they often have never envisioned before.
As a JA Finance Park volunteer, you will work mainly with 5-7 students assigned to your home base shop, but you will also work with many others during certain stages of the day. It is important that our students feel seen and heard during their learning experience, so that the focus remains on learning and fun!
Below are some best practices for working with the students of JA Finance Park.
Working with 7th- 12th graders (12 – 18 year-olds)
Middle and high school students are forming their sense of self, which often leads to a desire for independence. However, they can also bring enthusiasm and friendly competition to their work. Peer relationships are important, as they're highly concerned with how they're viewed by classmates. They have a sense of the world and seek connections between their learning and their lives. While middle schoolers may think about the future broadly or as something further off, high schoolers often have a more concrete view of "what's next" for them. Both are open to the outside, real-world perspective offered by JA volunteers, who can help them apply these skills to real-life scenarios.
Tips for Supporting Students
💪 Empower your students to do their own work
Experiential learning puts the students at the center of the decision-making process. It is okay if they make mistakes as they go along!
🏅 Support all students in your group
Make sure that you engage with all of your students throughout the day! Language and learning aids are available onsite for students who may benefit from them.
🎉 Individuality and diversity are celebrated
Learning looks different for everyone, and our students come from a wide variety of backgrounds! Everyone has different lived experiences, and we can all learn from each other.
🧠 Remember that no one perspective is universal
You are encouraged to share your advice and experiences, but remember that there's no one 'correct' way to navigate finances.
📵 Be present
Set a good example for the students; please avoid cell phone use in JA Finance Park
**For anything that needs to happen for JA Finance Park to function, our team is working behind the scenes making sure it's getting done. So let the students work at their own pace, empower them in their learning, and have fun!**
Next, let's review some logistics about your day!
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