Opportunities From: Giving DuPage

Volunteer: Help Shape the Future of Adult Literacy—Board Leadership Opportunities Available

Are you passionate about changing lives through literacy and opening doors to opportunity in our community? As a Board Director with Literacy DuPage, you will help lead a nonprofit dedicated to empowering adults who are striving to improve their English, build confidence, and move forward with dignity. For many learners, everyday tasks—reading a bus schedule, completing a medical form, supporting a child’s education, or succeeding at work—can feel overwhelming without strong language skills.

By contributing your leadership, expertise, and perspective at the board level, you play a powerful role in shaping programs that break down language barriers and create pathways to independence and belonging. Together with fellow board members, staff, and volunteers, you will help guide an organization that believes in the transformative power of literacy.

About Literacy DuPage
Literacy DuPage is a nonprofit organization serving low-income adults in DuPage County who read below the ninth-grade level or speak English at a beginning level. We help learners improve their speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills so they can achieve their personal, educational, and workplace goals.

We recruit, train, and support volunteer tutors who provide customized, one-to-one instruction. Many learners face barriers to traditional education, including limited transportation, childcare responsibilities, work schedules, or challenges succeeding in a classroom setting. Tutor-learner pairs meet for up to two hours each week at a public library.

You can learn more about Literacy DuPage at www.literacydupage.org.


Position Summary:
We are seeking dynamic and engaged individuals to join our Board of Directors. As a volunteer Board Director, you will play a critical role in steering Literacy DuPage toward achieving its mission of helping DuPage County adults achieve their life goals through accessible and customized tutoring that improves their English-language speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. This is an extraordinary opportunity to leverage your skills, expertise, and networks to make a meaningful impact in the lives of English language learners and the broader community.


The day-to-day operations are led by the Executive Director, the Board-ED relationship is a partnership, and the appropriate involvement of the Board is critical in achieving organizational goals.


Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership: Actively participate in setting organizational direction and ensuring alignment with our mission and values.

Resource Development: Support fundraising initiatives, secure resources, and cultivate relationships with donors, corporate sponsors, and community partners.

Advocacy: Enhance the public image of Literacy DuPage and advocate for the importance of adult ESL and English-language tutoring within your networks and the community.

Governance: Ensure fiscal responsibility, legal compliance, and effective organizational policies through active oversight and informed decision-making.

Commitment: Attend board meetings, participate in committee work, and engage in special events and initiatives.


Other responsibilities 

Follow the organization’s bylaws, policies, and board resolutions.

Select, support, and evaluate the performance of the Executive Director.

Approve and monitor the organization’s programs and services.

Assess your own performance as the governing body of the organization.

Engage in learning opportunities to better understand the community we serve.

Respect the experiences of all who bring their voices and lived experiences into the boardroom and the organization. 

Sign an annual conflict-of-interest disclosure and disclose potential conflicts during meetings.

Maintain confidentiality about all internal matters of the organization.


Ideal Candidate Profile:
We welcome candidates from all backgrounds who are passionate about our mission. Experience in human resources, legal, or finance is a plus and will help strengthen our board’s collective expertise.


We seek individuals who:

Reflect the diversity of our adult learners to better serve and understand their needs.

Are eager to contribute time, talent, and treasure to further the mission of Literacy DuPage.

Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively.

Have expertise in areas such as nonprofit governance, finance, marketing, fundraising, or community engagement.

Can volunteer 2-4 hours a month on Board/Committee/Task Force work – in addition to Board Meetings.

Make an annual financial contribution to Literacy DuPage that is personally meaningful and reflects your ability to give, with the understanding that board members are among the organization’s leadership donors.

Commit to a two-year term and complete a background check.


What You Will Gain:
As a volunteer Board Director, you will:

Receive an in-depth orientation about Literacy DuPage

Network with other passionate leaders and professionals in the community.

Gain personal fulfillment by advancing the cause of adult literacy and supporting transformational change.

Develop governance and leadership skills through board service.


How to Apply:
If you are ready to make a difference, we encourage you to apply! 

Please complete the application online at https://forms.gle/kzSrP6zYpTzFHTUE6.

Send your resume and a brief statement of interest to Kristin Chmiel, Executive Director at kchmiel@literacydupage.org. 


The Nominating Committee will review applications on a rolling basis. If you are selected to move forward, a member of our nominating committee will contact you and schedule a meeting to discuss your interest and experience to ensure this opportunity is a mutual fit for both you and the organization.


Organization: Literacy DuPage

Are you passionate about changing lives through literacy and opening doors to opportunity in our community? As a Board Director with Literacy DuPage, you will help lead a nonprofit dedicated to empowering adults who are striving to improve their English, build confidence, and move forward with dignity. For many learners, everyday tasks—reading a bus schedule, completing a medical form, supporting a child’s education, or succeeding at work—can feel overwhelming without strong language skills.

By contributing your leadership, expertise, and perspective at the board level, you play a powerful role in shaping programs that break down language barriers and create pathways to independence and belonging. Together with fellow board members, staff, and volunteers, you will help guide an organization that believes in the transformative power of literacy.

About Literacy DuPage
Literacy DuPage is a nonprofit organization serving low-income adults in DuPage County who read below the ninth-grade level or speak English at a beginning level. We help learners improve their speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills so they can achieve their personal, educational, and workplace goals.

We recruit, train, and support volunteer tutors who provide customized, one-to-one instruction. Many learners face barriers to traditional education, including limited transportation, childcare responsibilities, work schedules, or challenges succeeding in a classroom setting. Tutor-learner pairs meet for up to two hours each week at a public library.

You can learn more about Literacy DuPage at www.literacydupage.org.


Position Summary:
We are seeking dynamic and engaged individuals to join our Board of Directors. As a volunteer Board Director, you will play a critical role in steering Literacy DuPage toward achieving its mission of helping DuPage County adults achieve their life goals through accessible and customized tutoring that improves their English-language speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. This is an extraordinary opportunity to leverage your skills, expertise, and networks to make a meaningful impact in the lives of English language learners and the broader community.


The day-to-day operations are led by the Executive Director, the Board-ED relationship is a partnership, and the appropriate involvement of the Board is critical in achieving organizational goals.


Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership: Actively participate in setting organizational direction and ensuring alignment with our mission and values.

Resource Development: Support fundraising initiatives, secure resources, and cultivate relationships with donors, corporate sponsors, and community partners.

Advocacy: Enhance the public image of Literacy DuPage and advocate for the importance of adult ESL and English-language tutoring within your networks and the community.

Governance: Ensure fiscal responsibility, legal compliance, and effective organizational policies through active oversight and informed decision-making.

Commitment: Attend board meetings, participate in committee work, and engage in special events and initiatives.


Other responsibilities 

Follow the organization’s bylaws, policies, and board resolutions.

Select, support, and evaluate the performance of the Executive Director.

Approve and monitor the organization’s programs and services.

Assess your own performance as the governing body of the organization.

Engage in learning opportunities to better understand the community we serve.

Respect the experiences of all who bring their voices and lived experiences into the boardroom and the organization. 

Sign an annual conflict-of-interest disclosure and disclose potential conflicts during meetings.

Maintain confidentiality about all internal matters of the organization.


Ideal Candidate Profile:
We welcome candidates from all backgrounds who are passionate about our mission. Experience in human resources, legal, or finance is a plus and will help strengthen our board’s collective expertise.


We seek individuals who:

Reflect the diversity of our adult learners to better serve and understand their needs.

Are eager to contribute time, talent, and treasure to further the mission of Literacy DuPage.

Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively.

Have expertise in areas such as nonprofit governance, finance, marketing, fundraising, or community engagement.

Can volunteer 2-4 hours a month on Board/Committee/Task Force work – in addition to Board Meetings.

Make an annual financial contribution to Literacy DuPage that is personally meaningful and reflects your ability to give, with the understanding that board members are among the organization’s leadership donors.

Commit to a two-year term and complete a background check.


What You Will Gain:
As a volunteer Board Director, you will:

Receive an in-depth orientation about Literacy DuPage

Network with other passionate leaders and professionals in the community.

Gain personal fulfillment by advancing the cause of adult literacy and supporting transformational change.

Develop governance and leadership skills through board service.


How to Apply:
If you are ready to make a difference, we encourage you to apply! 

Please complete the application online at https://forms.gle/kzSrP6zYpTzFHTUE6.

Send your resume and a brief statement of interest to Kristin Chmiel, Executive Director at kchmiel@literacydupage.org. 


The Nominating Committee will review applications on a rolling basis. If you are selected to move forward, a member of our nominating committee will contact you and schedule a meeting to discuss your interest and experience to ensure this opportunity is a mutual fit for both you and the organization.


Organization: Literacy DuPage

Opportunity Type: Volunteer

Date: Is Ongoing

Zip Code: 60187

Allow Groups: No

Volunteer: Change a Life Through Literacy — Become an Adult Literacy Volunteer

Imagine trying to navigate your community while learning a new language or embarking on an unknown journey without the ability to read a bus schedule, complete a medical form, or communicate confidently in a school or employment setting.  For many adults in our community, this is their everyday experience.

 

As a volunteer tutor with our Adult Literacy Program, you play a powerful role in helping adult learners build the skills they need to move forward with confidence. No prior teaching or foreign language experience is needed!

 

Register for a Meet & Greet Zoom presentation to learn more! https://www.literacydupage.org/volunteer/register-orientation

 

Your Impact
As a volunteer tutor you will support adult learners as they work to improve their basic English language, reading, and writing skills.

 

Your guidance helps learners:

Understand a new language in order to navigate their communityGain confidence in everyday communicationAccess better job opportunities and workplace successSupport their children’s educationBuild independence and a sense of belonging

 

Often, volunteers are the steady encouragement learners need as they embark on an unknown journey toward greater independence and opportunity.

 

Why Volunteer With Us

You don’t need prior teaching or foreign language experience, just patience, empathy, and a willingness to learn alongside your student. We provide training, resources, and ongoing support. Flexible scheduling makes it possible to volunteer in a way that fits your life.

 

The Reward
Adult literacy volunteering is deeply meaningful. Every milestone, reading a first paragraph, making a confident phone call, or completing an important form, represents a life-changing step forward.

 

Be the Reason Someone Moves Forward
Your time, compassion, and encouragement can help someone navigate their world with confidence and dignity. Join us and be part of a community that believes in second chances, lifelong learning, and the power of literacy.

 

Register for a Meet & Greet Zoom presentation to learn more! https://www.literacydupage.org/volunteer/register-orientation

 

Volunteer today and help turn uncertainty into opportunity—one learner at a time.

 

FAQ - VOLUNTEER TUTORING

What are the tutor qualifications? Mostly, patience and compassion. Plus:

Be at least 21 years old and live in or around DuPage County. Have earned at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Demonstrate the ability to speak, read, write, and understand English to communicate at a native proficiency. Be sensitive to the adult learner and other cultures. Be dependable, friendly, optimistic, interested in helping others and respectful of confidentiality.

 

What is the time commitment?

45-minute Meet & Greet session. 15 hours of tutor training. Meet up to 2 hours each week with your adult learner: minimum tutor commitment of six months. Minimum of two in-service, professional development workshops each year.

 

What are my responsibilities as a tutor?

Meet with your learner regularly and punctually each week. Prepare each lesson to meet your learner’s goals and life-skills needs, integrating his/her special interests. Attend assessment meeting after every 35 hours of tutoring. Submit volunteer hours online on a quarterly basis. Contact program staff for support at any time. We look forward to assisting you!

 

Participant Safety

Tutor/Learner pairs meet in a public location, usually a local library. Tutors and volunteers must complete background check.

 

Register for a Volunteer Tutor Meet & Greet Session!

Join us for an upcoming information session about the Literacy DuPage program. https://www.literacydupage.org/volunteer/register-orientation

 

About Literacy DuPage

Mission - To help DuPage County adults achieve their life goals through accessible and customized tutoring that improves their English-language speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills.

Vision - We envision a world of adults, families, and communities empowered through literacy.

Literacy DuPage was founded in 1972 and granted 501(c)(3) status in 1992.

 

Learn more on our website at www.LiteracyDuPage.org

Organization: Literacy DuPage

Imagine trying to navigate your community while learning a new language or embarking on an unknown journey without the ability to read a bus schedule, complete a medical form, or communicate confidently in a school or employment setting.  For many adults in our community, this is their everyday experience.

 

As a volunteer tutor with our Adult Literacy Program, you play a powerful role in helping adult learners build the skills they need to move forward with confidence. No prior teaching or foreign language experience is needed!

 

Register for a Meet & Greet Zoom presentation to learn more! https://www.literacydupage.org/volunteer/register-orientation

 

Your Impact
As a volunteer tutor you will support adult learners as they work to improve their basic English language, reading, and writing skills.

 

Your guidance helps learners:

Understand a new language in order to navigate their communityGain confidence in everyday communicationAccess better job opportunities and workplace successSupport their children’s educationBuild independence and a sense of belonging

 

Often, volunteers are the steady encouragement learners need as they embark on an unknown journey toward greater independence and opportunity.

 

Why Volunteer With Us

You don’t need prior teaching or foreign language experience, just patience, empathy, and a willingness to learn alongside your student. We provide training, resources, and ongoing support. Flexible scheduling makes it possible to volunteer in a way that fits your life.

 

The Reward
Adult literacy volunteering is deeply meaningful. Every milestone, reading a first paragraph, making a confident phone call, or completing an important form, represents a life-changing step forward.

 

Be the Reason Someone Moves Forward
Your time, compassion, and encouragement can help someone navigate their world with confidence and dignity. Join us and be part of a community that believes in second chances, lifelong learning, and the power of literacy.

 

Register for a Meet & Greet Zoom presentation to learn more! https://www.literacydupage.org/volunteer/register-orientation

 

Volunteer today and help turn uncertainty into opportunity—one learner at a time.

 

FAQ - VOLUNTEER TUTORING

What are the tutor qualifications? Mostly, patience and compassion. Plus:

Be at least 21 years old and live in or around DuPage County. Have earned at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Demonstrate the ability to speak, read, write, and understand English to communicate at a native proficiency. Be sensitive to the adult learner and other cultures. Be dependable, friendly, optimistic, interested in helping others and respectful of confidentiality.

 

What is the time commitment?

45-minute Meet & Greet session. 15 hours of tutor training. Meet up to 2 hours each week with your adult learner: minimum tutor commitment of six months. Minimum of two in-service, professional development workshops each year.

 

What are my responsibilities as a tutor?

Meet with your learner regularly and punctually each week. Prepare each lesson to meet your learner’s goals and life-skills needs, integrating his/her special interests. Attend assessment meeting after every 35 hours of tutoring. Submit volunteer hours online on a quarterly basis. Contact program staff for support at any time. We look forward to assisting you!

 

Participant Safety

Tutor/Learner pairs meet in a public location, usually a local library. Tutors and volunteers must complete background check.

 

Register for a Volunteer Tutor Meet & Greet Session!

Join us for an upcoming information session about the Literacy DuPage program. https://www.literacydupage.org/volunteer/register-orientation

 

About Literacy DuPage

Mission - To help DuPage County adults achieve their life goals through accessible and customized tutoring that improves their English-language speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills.

Vision - We envision a world of adults, families, and communities empowered through literacy.

Literacy DuPage was founded in 1972 and granted 501(c)(3) status in 1992.

 

Learn more on our website at www.LiteracyDuPage.org

Organization: Literacy DuPage

Opportunity Type: Volunteer

Date: Is Ongoing

Organization Requirement: >21 years old

Zip Code: 60187

Allow Groups: No

Volunteer: Volunteer Groups - Outreach, Marketing & Social Media, or Fundraising & Event Planning

Do you share our commitment to changing lives through literacy?

Join on of our Volunteer Groups:

Outreach Volunteer Group
The Outreach Volunteer Group builds connections with community organizations, libraries, schools, businesses, and other potential partners to raise awareness of the organization’s mission and programs. The Outreach Group works to recruit new learners and volunteers while fostering strategic partnerships that expand the organization’s reach and impact. Group members may participate in networking / Chamber events, community events, and informational presentations to engage diverse audiences and promote collaboration.

Marketing & Social Media Volunteer Group
The Marketing & Social Media Volunteer Group focuses on promoting the organization through compelling storytelling and consistent messaging. This team develops and oversees content for social media platforms, newsletters, and other communication channels to highlight success stories, volunteer opportunities, and upcoming events.

Fundraising & Event Planning Volunteer Group
The Fundraising & Event Planning Volunteer Group leads efforts to secure financial support through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and special events. This team helps brainstorm, organize, and execute fundraising campaigns and events, ensuring they align with the organization’s goals and values. Members may assist with donor outreach, securing in-kind donations, event logistics, and post-event follow-up to cultivate lasting relationships with supporters.


Learn more on our website - https://www.literacydupage.org/options



Organization: Literacy DuPage

Do you share our commitment to changing lives through literacy?

Join on of our Volunteer Groups:

Outreach Volunteer Group
The Outreach Volunteer Group builds connections with community organizations, libraries, schools, businesses, and other potential partners to raise awareness of the organization’s mission and programs. The Outreach Group works to recruit new learners and volunteers while fostering strategic partnerships that expand the organization’s reach and impact. Group members may participate in networking / Chamber events, community events, and informational presentations to engage diverse audiences and promote collaboration.

Marketing & Social Media Volunteer Group
The Marketing & Social Media Volunteer Group focuses on promoting the organization through compelling storytelling and consistent messaging. This team develops and oversees content for social media platforms, newsletters, and other communication channels to highlight success stories, volunteer opportunities, and upcoming events.

Fundraising & Event Planning Volunteer Group
The Fundraising & Event Planning Volunteer Group leads efforts to secure financial support through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and special events. This team helps brainstorm, organize, and execute fundraising campaigns and events, ensuring they align with the organization’s goals and values. Members may assist with donor outreach, securing in-kind donations, event logistics, and post-event follow-up to cultivate lasting relationships with supporters.


Learn more on our website - https://www.literacydupage.org/options



Organization: Literacy DuPage

Opportunity Type: Volunteer

Date: Is Ongoing

Zip Code: 60187

Allow Groups: No