The Chinatown YMCA would not be able to do what we do without our talented and dedicated team of volunteers.  These individuals work in a variety of areas such as teaching fitness classes, fundraising, working with our youth at summer camp, serving as a mentor, and helping with special events.

If you are interested in volunteering at our YMCA, please contact:
For youth department: Andy Chu 576-9622

For special events and internships: Lara Hitchcock 576-9622

For our Buidling Futures Mentoring Program: Jennifer Tam 576-9622

Building Futures Mentoring Volunteer Opportunity

Who we serve

The mentees are elementary and middle school students (6-14 year olds) in the Chinatown area. Many come from immigrant Chinese families, have monolingual Cantonese-speaking parents, and attend local Schools. They are very diverse in terms of social, academic, emotional, and physical development. Their level of American acculturation also varies.One thing they all have in common is this awkward and often difficult stage of life called pre-adolescence.

Who is a mentor

A Building Futures mentor is a young adult who wants to contribute to the Chinatown community by sharing his/her life experience and wisdom with a 4th-8th grader. These mentors are at least 21 years of age, have stable personal lives and careers, and can contribute uniquely to Building Futures. Preferably, Building Futures mentors need to be interested helping a young person develop to their fullest potential.

What we do

The Mentoring Coordinator pairs up each mentor with a mentee who has similar interests and the pairs continue to meet weekly one-on-one all year long. The personal mentoring relationship works toward the youth improving family relations, increasing self-awareness, and enhancing the ability to set and achieve goals.

On a group level, mentors form a support group that meets every month. The Mentoring Coordinator facilitates these meetings, allowing mentors a chance to share their challenges and successes while gaining insight from each other.

We also try to plan large group activities for all mentors and mentees to meet together in a large group. Some activities we have had in the past include volunteering together at a dining hall for the homeless, teaching the elderly how to make crafts, and performing hip-hop moves for non-profit events. We have also had field trips for the purpose of team-building and fun such as ice-skating, flying kites at Crissy Field, and picnicking at Angel Island while learning about the Chinese immigrant experience.

The 12 months of mentoring concludes with an elaborate graduation ceremony where we recognize the achievements of the students and the contributions of the volunteers.

Application process

Parents and mentees must fill out necessary information packet and meet with our Building Futures coordinator.

Mentor application includes:

• Filling out a Building Futures YMCA volunteer application which includes providing 4 references,
• Getting Fingerprinted,
• Completing a 15-hour training course on youth development, risk management, program expectations, asian family dynamics and facilitiation skills.
• Signing an agreement to stay committed to a mentee for the whole length of the mentoring program

* Matching is not guaranteed after this process, but is left to the discretion of the Mentoring Coordinator.

Contact info

Who: Mentoring Coordinator Jennifer Tam

Where: Chinatown YMCA, 747 Commercial Street, San Francisco, CA 94108

Phone: 415-576-9622

Fax: 415-982-0117

Email: jytam@ymcasf.org