Volunteer Academic Mentor Application

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Boston Partners in Education for the 2026-2027 school year. Before filling out the application, please consult the flow chart below to ensure you understand all steps of the onboarding process.

Volunteering with Boston Partners in Education requires a minimum of one hour per week, but we ask you to provide at least five hours of availability in your schedule. This allows us to offer more mentoring match options if you are accepted into the program.

If you have previously applied or volunteered with us and would like to volunteer this year, please do not complete this form again. Contact [email protected] for more information about getting involved this year. Thank you!

Commitment Agreement

By clicking the checkbox below, I acknowledge the following:

I understand that mentoring requires a minimum commitment of one hour per week throughout the school year, plus travel time for in-person matches. I can make this commitment and understand that ending a match early can negatively impact students.

For in-person volunteering: I can commit to volunteering for one hour per week, between 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
For virtual volunteering: I can commit to volunteering for one hour per week, between 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM, Monday through Friday, or limited hours on Saturday mornings.

Yes, I acknowledge

Model Preference

Would you prefer to volunteer in-person at a school or virtually through a video call? Please note that the most significant demand is for in-person support, and we have limited room in our virtual program.

In-person at a schoolOnline through a video callIn-person or online

Tech Access Requirement for All Volunteers

I have regular access to a device with a high-speed internet connection, a video camera, and a microphone to participate in a virtual interview and virtual training.

Tech Access Requirements for Virtual Mentoring

I have regular access to a device with a high-speed internet connection, a video camera, and a microphone to participate in a virtual volunteer opportunity.

I give permission for BPIE staff to communicate with me via text message regarding scheduling, updates, and match-related support. Message and data rates may apply.

YesNo

Contact Information

Salutation

First Name

Last Name

Suffix

Preferred Name/Nickname

Work Status

Employer

Job Title

School

Email

Confirm Email

Street Address and Unit Number

City

State

ZIP

Cell Phone

If you do not have a cell phone, please input your primary phone number here.

Home Phone

Work Phone

Emergency Contact Name

Emergency Contact Relationship

Emergency Contact Phone

How did you learn about Boston Partners in Education?

Please Specify

Did a specific person refer you to us? If so, please share their name.

Are you applying as part of a volunteer group or organization?

YesNo

Please specify

Background

Date of Birth

Month

Day

Year

Please note you must be at least 18 years old to volunteer.

Gender

Pronouns

Specify pronouns:

Race or Ethnicity

Please note: these are the data labels used by BPS.

Do you speak any languages other than English?

NoCape Verdean CreoleCantoneseMandarinHaitian CreolePortugueseSomaliSpanishVietnameseOther

Specify language(s):

Are you the parent or guardian of BPS student?

YesNo

At which school(s)?

Did you attend a BPS school?

YesNo

Which school(s)?

Due to your out-of-state address, please share your motivation for volunteering to support the Boston Public Schools and/or your connection to the Boston area.

Hobbies and Interests:

Accommodations

Are there any accommodations we should be aware of that would help you feel comfortable and engage fully in your mentoring match (e.g., ramps, closed captions, elevator access)?

YesNo

Please describe:

Volunteering History & Motivations

Mentors commit to meeting with their student(s) weekly throughout the school year. By applying, you are indicating that you can make this commitment. What motivates you to become a mentor, and what impact do you hope to have through your mentoring relationship?

Please list any volunteer experience you have, specifically with youth/students.

In what ways do you anticipate being able to help students both academically and socially?

Boston Partners in Education prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in all aspects of our work. What do these values mean to you, personally and/or professionally?

Have you been part of any discussions, trainings, or workshops relating to DEIB?

YesNo

Mentoring Match Preferences

Please select all volunteer settings you may be interested in:

One-to-One Academic MentoringSmall Group Academic MentoringWhole Class Support (PreK-2)

Please select the grade level(s) you are interested in supporting:

Elementary School Grades PreK-2Elementary School Grades 3-5Middle School Grades 6-8High School Grades 9-12

Please select all subjects you are interested in supporting:

ArtEnglish Language ArtsHistoryMathPost-graduation Preparation (college, financial aid, and job applications; essay, resume and cover letter writing)ScienceStandardized Testing (SAT/ACT/MCAS) - STEMStandardized Testing (SAT/ACT/MCAS) - English Language ArtsWorld Language

Which science subject(s) are you comfortable supporting?

BiologyChemistryEarth SciencePhysics

What level(s) of math are you comfortable supporting?

Algebra IAlgebra IICalculusElementary MathGeometryPre-AlgebraPrecalculusStatistics

Which world language(s) are you comfortable supporting?

Chinese - MandarinFrenchGermanItalianLatinSpanishOther (please specify)

Specify world language(s):

Please select any other areas you are interested in supporting.

Please note: We do not provide mentors with specific training on providing services to students with disabilities. We ask these questions to learn what you feel comfortable supporting so we can make the best matches possible.

"Students with disabilities" may include but is not limited to: trauma-informed mentoring; executive function support; support with note-taking and study skills; support with organization of space and ideas; support with organization of time and transitions; task clarification and redirection; repeating and rephrasing directions.

"Students learning English" may include but is not limited to support with listening, speaking, reading, and/or writing in English.

Students with disabilitiesStudents learning EnglishAP curriculumAdult learnersImmigrants and refugeesVocational education students

(Select all that apply) With students learning English, I am comfortable:

Working with students who speak any language at homeWorking with students with whom I share a language

Availability for Volunteering

Based on need, we focus our work in four Boston neighborhoods: Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, and East Boston. These specific neighborhoods have been identified as areas in Greater Boston with low Child Opportunity Index values, a metric defined by 19 socioeconomic indicators such as poverty rates and access to green spaces. Click here to learn more about the Child Opportunity Index.

Please select at least one priority neighborhood in which you can volunteer. Please answer this question even if you intend to volunteer virtually this year.

DorchesterEast BostonMattapanRoxbury

Select any other neighborhood(s) in which you can volunteer. Please note: we do our best to place volunteers in their preferred neighborhoods. However, based on your location, we cannot guarantee a commute of less than 30 minutes to the school where you are placed.

Allston/Brighton	Back Bay	Charlestown
Chinatown	Fenway/Kenmore	Hyde Park
Jamaica Plain	Mission Hill	North End
Roslindale	South Boston	South End
West Roxbury	Virtual Mentoring	No Preference

Primary mode of transit:

Convenient MBTA Line(s):

Red Line	Orange Line
Blue Line	Green Line - B
Green Line - C	Green Line - D
Green Line - E	Silver Line - SL1
Silver Line - SL2	Silver Line - SL3
Silver Line - SL4	Silver Line - SL5
Commuter Rail

Convenient Bus Line(s):

80 character limit

Are you interested in supporting Boston Partners in Education in ways beyond volunteering as an academic mentor?

YesNo

Based on your personal and professional skill set, please select any other ways in which you would be interested in supporting Boston Partners in Education:

Marketing & Graphic DesignFundraisingVolunteer RecruitmentBPS Student/Family RecruitmentTechnical SkillsTranslating documentsLive interpretation/translation at eventsLeading workshops for other BPIE community membersOther

Please briefly provide any relevant details:

Limit 100 Characters

Contact Information