Project Cornerstone volunteers are guests at the schools where they volunteer. All volunteers must complete all school site requirements in addition to completing the following steps.
To start the volunteer sign-up process, please first enquire at your school as to who the Project Cornerstone school lead is and they can assist you with this process. If your school does not have Project Cornerstone please click here to learn how to bring our programs to your school community.
Project Cornerstone engages with local preschools, elementary schools, and middle schools with parent engagement programs. These programs increase the number of caring adults in schools, parent engagement, and help build caring and welcoming schools. To read more thorough descriptions of these programs visit the School Based Programs page.
Each program includes mandatory training and all volunteers must meet the volunteer policies of their school and school district and YMCA Project Cornerstone. These brief descriptions explain level of commitment for each program.
The Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten is a 3 hour monthly commitment to attend a training, prepare, and deliver the lesson in a classroom. The program has been developed to provide introduction and early instruction to Developmental Asset Framework for parents, caregivers, teachers and students. This program features reading early childhood literature monthly to provide students with a set of skills and attitudes that promote a strong desire to learn. Lesson plans and books are in English and Spanish. Training for program volunteers is also available in both languages.
ABC is a 3 hour monthly commitment to attend a training, prepare, and deliver the lesson in a classroom. This parent engagement program has a kindergarten and elementary school strand. Volunteers are trained in the developmental assets model for positive youth development, and prepared to read a specially selected children’s book and lead related activities and discussions in classrooms each month.
Los Dichos is a 3 hour monthly commitment to attend a training, prepare, and deliver the lesson in a classroom. The program has a kindergarten and elementary strand. This program helps Spanish-speaking parents become involved in their children’s education and instill a sense of positive cultural identity. Los Dichos volunteers are trained in Spanish and read specially selected bilingual books monthly in the classroom and lead activities and discussions about topics including tolerance, family pride, peaceful conflict resolution and other important values.
Middle School Programs includes a variety of program to engage parents at the middle school level. The Middle School Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum delivers SEL lessons to middle school students and is a 3 hour monthly commitment to attend a training, prepare, and then deliver the lesson in the classroom. There are additional clubs and programs with different levels of commitment.
Find out if your school is a Project Cornerstone partner. Review the following list to see our current school partners. If your school is not on the list contact us at 408-351-6482 or at info@projectcornerstone.org.
All volunteers must read these documents and will be asked when completing the Volunteer Application that they have read and understand them.
Project Cornerstone Volunteer Policies
Listed below are Project Cornerstone’s policies for adults who volunteer in schools. In addition to these important policies, please become informed about and adhere to requirements specific to your school site.
Why Volunteer? We believe that “All kids are our kids.”
Volunteers intentionally invite relationships with staff, students, and families that support the mission and vision of the school. These relationships help youth thrive.
Volunteers intentionally seek to empower youth by providing opportunities for voice and choice in classrooms and on campus.
Volunteers partner with school staff to create safe and caring spaces for youth to be and belong; to learn about themselves and others; to connect; to explore and discover their interests.
Confidentiality Policy
Everything that you see and do concerning children at school is private and confidential:
Grades, behavior, test scores, etc. Even good news is confidential.
Other items that are the exclusive domain of the school’s professional staff, including family situations, are confidential.
Address any concern about the health and well-being of a student to the teacher or school staff.
Children’s rights are protected by the California Family Right to Privacy Act.
Child Abuse Prevention Policy
YMCA and Project Cornerstone are advocates for children and their rights. Prevention of child abuse is a special concern.
California law requires employees of a public or private youth-serving organization to report known or reasonably suspected child abuse.
If you know or reasonably suspect that a child has been abused,
you must:
Report what you have observed to the classroom teacher and principal. Ask them to file a report with Child Protective Services.
Support School Faculty and Administration
Project Cornerstone is a partner with your school and district.
Seek to understand and promote school policies and procedures.
As a representative of Project Cornerstone and your school, build a trusting relationship with members of your school community.
If a student contacts you about a concern, report this to the appropriate school staff. (Do not share with parents. See Confidentiality Policy.)
As guests at the school, be intentional about your position as a positive role model of responsible behavior.
Follow school rules while on school property.
Referring Student Problems
Students may discuss problems or concerns.
If there is no immediate danger, you, as a caring adult, may:
Respond to the student by listening to their worry.
Use your body language to show empathy.
Listen to understand.
Provide reassurance.
Be honest; don’t promise to keep the problem a secret.
Trust your gut. Report your concerns to a designated school contact. Allow staff to decide if immediate intervention is needed. Document for yourself that you made a report to school staff. Your responsibility is to make an initial report of a concern.
Dress Code
Respect the school clothing policy.
Clothing must cover undergarments.
Clothing must avoid depicting or advocating violence, criminal activity, use of alcohol or drugs, pornography, or hate speech.
Zero Tolerance
Project Cornerstone supports schools in weapon-free and drug-free policies.
Volunteers may not smoke on campus.
Do not volunteer under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Emergencies
Role model safe and responsible behavior.
Follow direction of school staff.
Be aware of school protocols for fire, earthquake, shelter in place, and lockdown procedures.
Participate in safety drills while on campus.
Use of School Property
Follow your school’s rules for use of all school facilities and equipment.
Be aware of school policy for technology use.
Ask a school contact for special materials needed.
YMCA/Project Cornerstone Code of Conduct
Project Cornerstone is a program of the YMCA of Silicon Valley.
All Project Cornerstone volunteers must agree to adhere to the YMCA Volunteer Code of Conduct.
You agreed to the terms of the Code of Conduct when you completed the volunteer application.
YMCA Project Cornerstone Volunteer Code of Conduct
All YMCA Project Cornerstone volunteers must agree to adhere to the YMCA Volunteer Code of Conduct.
All volunteers must complete an online Volunteer Application where you will state that you have read and understand the Code of Conduct and Volunteer Policies.
Click here to access the Volunteer Application.
All volunteers must take the Assets 101 training which is an introduction to the developmental assets framework and volunteering with Project Cornerstone.
Click here to sign up for an upcoming Assets 101 training.
Project Cornerstone materials are password protected. School Partners in good standing with Project Cornerstone will receive the password and be able to access these materials. The lead volunteer at each site will share the password with volunteers at their site that have met all school and Project Cornerstone requirements.
If you do not know who the lead volunteer is at your site, please contact your school office for assistance.
No, just once as a preschool/elementary volunteer. If you choose to volunteer in middle school you will take Middle School Assets 101.
Yes, the TIP workshop covers the developmental assets, but does not cover what it means to be a volunteer and the policies and procedures that volunteers must follow.
Each school/school district has different requirements for their volunteers. These may include fingerprinting, TB test, orientations, or other items. The school lead at each site will help volunteers to understand what volunteer requirements must be completed before they can volunteer in a classroom.