Join Us!

Volunteering for Youth
Positive adult role models play an important part in helping youth grow into responsible adults. The Chamber has two main efforts underway to support the youth in our community through our Employment Mentor Program and Ready to Learn, Ready to Work project as well as our emerging workforce development efforts. A brief description of each effort is listed below. Volunteers may sign up for any of the opportunities shown by clicking on this button

Elementary School Volunteer:  SMART Program (Start Making A Reader Today) – This program is being reviewed by the board to determine the level of participation that the Chamber of Commerce as a whole will be able to support it.  Stay tuned for more information.

Employment Mentoring: The Keizer Chamber has a partnership with the ECHO (Employment, Careers and Healthy Opportunities) program to provide disadvantaged youth with a means to connect with employers and learn about expectations at work. The Chamber has developed a continuum of opportunities for its members to be involved. These include:

• Presenting to students at the school (one time activity)
• Participating in an employers fair event (one time activity)
• Hosting a work site visit (one time activity)
• Mentoring in a group setting on a regular basis once or twice a month

Ready to Learn Ready to Work: This project is coordinated through efforts of the Salem and Keizer Chamber of Commerce and Salem Keizer School District. Employers, students, and teacher can learn more about school to work connections through job shadows, internships class presentations, service learning, mentoring and more . Volunteers may sign up for any of the opportunities shown by clicking on this button:

School to Work: This project is coordinated through McNary High School and assigns students to do job shadows and/or unpaid internships. Students may receive credit for participation. McNary also schedules employers as guest speakers.

Note:
Adults who work directly with students in an unsupervised setting will need to have a background check before beginning their volunteer activity.