Volunteer for Writopia Lab’s Write to Recognition program!

What Is Write to Recognition?

Write-to-Recognition enables 30 low literacy writers to attend three semesters of creative writing workshops on full scholarship. In addition to their workshops, these writers also receive 30 one-hour long private sessions with volunteer tutoring mentors.

In the private sessions, volunteer mentors work one-on-one with our low literacy writers on improving their grammar and mechanics through individualized, revision-based lessons. Each week during a private session, mentors read the piece their writer is working on and identify a skill they need to improve. Every writer has a different level of literacy and different technical aspects they need help with.

It is our hope that in private sessions with Write to Recognition mentors, each writer will gain a command of their writing style and voice as well as the confidence to submit their work for publication.

Requirements:

We are in need of volunteers who find it easy to be supportive and enthusiastic about young writers' work and who can learn to be thoughtful mentors and guides. We prefer applicants on track for a degree in English or Education, or from those who have already completed this degree.

In addition, we are in need of volunteers with experience in Regents and standardized test prep, high school equivalency tests, resume building, and admissions essays who feel confident in working with our oldest teens who are transitioning out of foster care or treatment facilities for incarcerated youth.

Location and Schedule:

This mentorship is a nine-month commitment and is unpaid.

Sessions will be held either virtually via zoom or in-person at our Upper West Side location (155 W 81st Street NY, NY 10024) and/or our Park Slope location (391 5th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215).

Sessions start mid-October 2025 and end in late May to early June 2026. We require all volunteers to commit to 1-3 hours per week (1 hour per student you are matched with) throughout the school year and to participate in an initial 1.5-hour training session as well as scheduled check-in meetings. Your mentorship hours may change in the winter or spring depending on your mentee’s schedule.

How to Apply:

If you are excited by the idea of joining a community of writers and helping children and teens learn to write, please apply online. Don’t forget to attach your resume and cover letter, and answer the required questions! Please do not submit application materials generated by AI.

Applications due by September 30, 2025.

To find out more information regarding who we are and what we do here at Writopia Lab, please visit our website at www.WritopiaLab.org.

Writopia Lab is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Writopia Lab does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or on any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.

Please no calls, emails, or drop-ins.