Q: Will I be volunteering with someone who has done this before? A: Not necessarily. The materials are very user-friendly and the classroom setting is informal. You are not required to know all the answers! (And those of us that have done it before don’t have all the answers either.) If a student asks a question that you don’t know the answer to, you can always tell them that you’ll get back to them, and then ask the student coordinators, who will then ask Mitch if we don’t know. We also hope you feel comfortable reaching out to us with any questions before or after you teach a class!
Q: What are the classes like? A: As mentioned above, classes are pretty informal. We go through the packet with the students page-by-page. Presenters usually just switch off talking about each page, but feel free to do whatever works best for your team. Feel free to use your judgment to highlight what you think might be particularly important or useful, and we encourage you to add relevant stories of your own.
There are 2 underlying policies that we try to keep in mind:
It can be easy to feel like you’re being condescending while teaching R2R classes. We try hard to avoid this. We’re teaching a class to grown men from all different backgrounds, many of whom have rented before, and sometimes the subtopics can feel like basic life skills. Feel free to take your own approach on downplaying the patronization. I try to point out why some consideration (say, making sure all the outlets work in an apartment you’re looking at) might not be as obvious as it seems when you’re faced with it in the moment as opposed to talking about it in a classroom when you have more time to think it over. I also mention rental housing mistakes I’ve made in the past, or things I’ve learned from these packets, etc.
R2R tries to under-promise and over-deliver. We want to be a resource for students, and we hope that the program is even more helpful than the students expect (over-deliver). However, we also try not to encourage unrealistic expectations about the results of taking these classes or using the resources referenced in the packets (under-promise). We don’t want them to rely on a resource to their detriment just because we promised that it would solve all of their problems, especially because we don't the details of each student's situation, We also don't want to provide an overly optimistic answer when we don't actually know if the answer is accurate. That being said, we encourage you to be hopeful! We just want to be careful about over-promising.
Q: How can I contact you? A: We check [email protected] every few days. If you need a quicker response, please email us directly at [email protected] (Melissa) or [email protected] (Erika). If you have a problem that you need to address immediately, please feel free to call or text 352-275-4181 (Melissa).
Q: What should I do to get ready to volunteer? A: Before your volunteering day, preferably a couple of days ahead, check in with the other volunteers. Their contact info will be on the sign-up sheet.
Make sure someone is picking up the red volunteer binder and the course packets, making copies of them in EJI if necessary. That person will need to make sure the binder has sharpened pencils and the appropriate number of course packs (more details are in the sign-up sheet). If there aren't enough copies, use the EJI copier to make more. If the pencils are dull, sharpen them.
If you need a ride, plan to meet with someone who can drive (or look up the bus route).
Q: What do I do when I get to the Ferris Center? A: The door to the Ferris Center faces the parking lot and is off to the left. When you go in, there will be a second locked door. You can ring the bell to be buzzed in, or sometimes the guards at the desk just beyond the door will see you. Tell them who you are and why you're there. If it's a Class 1 day, let them know that you'll need to introduce yourself and the program to potential students. If it's not Class 1, give them the attendance logs so they can let students come to the conference room for class. Next, set up the room. Move the tables into a rectangle and put chairs around it to accommodate the number of students you expect. When the students come into the room, make sure they sign in via the sign-in sheets in the red binder. At the end of class, put the chairs back where they were.
Q: What do I do if it’s a Class 1 day? A: Before Class 1, volunteers usually go back to the "pods” (students' residential areas) and tell them about the program. If you're signed up for Class 1 and you're nervous about what to say, feel free to use the excerpt posted on the website here: https://uwreadytorent.weebly.com/pitching-ready-to-rent.html
Note: Sometimes students who will be released from the Ferris Center before the classes are complete ask if they can still participate. The answer is yes. We can also give them the materials they would miss out on because they'll miss the next 2 classes. However, we unfortunately cannot give them a certificate of completion.
Have a question that isn't addressed here? Please email [email protected]!