Senior Volunteers in Head Start
The Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) and the Administration on Aging (AoA) entered into an agreement in fiscal year 1990 to jointly fund 10 Head Start programs to demonstrate ways of providing volunteer opportunities for older Americans in Head Start programs.

The two-year demonstration projects explored the use of older volunteers in a wide array of activities included using senior volunteer as classroom aides, English teachers for limited English speaking parents, assisting parents in getting their GED's, providing one-on-one services for children with special needs, teaching literacy and parenting classes, assisting with health screenings, and sharing ethnic customs and traditions at special Head Start events.

Three projects demonstrated a "family mentor" model where senior volunteers became family mentors. A volunteer was matched with a Head Start family for the purpose of communicating life skills; assisting with money management, food shopping, transportation, and family recreational events; and other activities. The senior volunteer also served as a role model for the Head Start parent.

These 10 Head Start grantees have developed a variety of materials that are available (at cost) to other Head Start programs interested in developing a senior volunteer program. Submit written requests for materials to the following grantees:





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