Your Experience Counts

Your Experience Counts helps to improve reading, writing and math levels for children in under-resourced elementary schools in Mesa and Phoenix, while also providing rewarding and flexible volunteer opportunities for caring and committed adults aged 50+. Trained volunteers: 1) provide intensive support for under-performing students in skill areas that are critical to their overall academic success, 2) provide positive adult interaction, and 3) serve as role models.

Your Experience Counts began in 2006 with the goal to engage older adults in meaningful volunteer opportunities that support elementary academic achievement. Since its inception, Your Experience Counts has operated as a partnership program between HandsOn Greater Phoenix, Mesa Community College, Mesa Public Schools. This collaboration allows the program to capitalize on the strengths of each partner. We have since expanded into partnerships with community partners Experience Matters, Balsz, Osborn and Phoenix Elementary districts and are looking to expand to model into additional school districts in Maricopa County.

How Your Experience Counts Works

What We Do

The Your Experience Counts program recruits and trains older adults to work alongside teachers in the classroom, for up to 12 hours per week. Volunteers work one-on-one or with small groups of students on reading, writing, math and science.

What Our School District Partners Do

Our school district partners provide a designated staff person to serve as a liaison to the program. The liaison works with the program team to assist with Your Experience Counts volunteer training, student progress evaluation, and principal/teacher communication to ensure that the program is running smoothly in each of the participating schools.

Volunteer Recruitment & Training

Each volunteer undergoes a background check before being assigned to a classroom. Volunteers recieve extensive training on classroom curricula, standardized testing, and reading, writing and math tutoring strategies. They also receive a toolkit with learning manipulatives, word lists and activities to use with their students. Additional training topics include: working in a millenial classrom, working with English language learners and cooperative learning techniques. Throughout the school year, volunteers are also provided ongoing trainings on various topics to enrich their tutoring expertise.