🌱 What Is Learn to Be?
Learn to Be is an online tutoring nonprofit that pairs volunteers with K–12 students from low-income families for consistent, long-term weekly sessions. Unlike drop-in platforms, you work with the same student every week — building a real relationship and tracking their progress over time. Sessions cover any K–12 subject via video call with a shared whiteboard, and the organization has served tens of thousands of students nationwide.
👥 Who Is It For?
Relationship-Builders
Volunteers who want more than a one-time interaction — you'll grow a real bond with your student over time.
Committed Mentors
If you can set aside a regular weekly time slot, Learn to Be is built for you — consistency is the key.
Multi-Subject Tutors
Comfortable across multiple subjects? You can support your student in whatever they're working on each week.
Impact-Driven Volunteers
For volunteers who want to see real, measurable progress in a student rather than helping anonymously.
⚖️ Opportunities & Considerations
✅ Opportunities
- Build a genuine, meaningful relationship with one student over time
- Flexible scheduling — you and your student choose a weekly time that works for both
- All sessions are documented — easy to get volunteer hour records
- Strong organizational support — Learn to Be staff help if issues arise
Considerations
- Requires a real weekly time commitment — this isn't a drop-in platform
- The matching process can take a few weeks before you're paired with a student
- Long-term commitment means you'll need to plan around your school schedule
- You're responsible for structuring each session — less curriculum guidance than some platforms
🚀 How to Get Started
Apply on the Learn to Be website
Visit learntobe.org and fill out the volunteer application. You'll share your subject areas, grade level comfort, and weekly availability.
Complete a background clearance
Because you'll be working with minors, Learn to Be requires a background check. This is standard for youth programs and typically processed within a few days.
Get matched with a student
A Learn to Be coordinator will pair you with a student whose needs align with your strengths and whose schedule matches yours. Matching can take 1–3 weeks.
Meet your student and set a routine
You'll have a brief introductory session with your student (and sometimes their family). Together, you'll settle on a weekly meeting time and discuss goals.
Start weekly sessions
Sessions run through the Learn to Be platform with video call, whiteboard, and file sharing tools. You'll check in with their coordinator periodically to report progress.
💬 What People Are Saying
Reviews sourced from BestCompany, VolunteerMatch, Indeed, and the Learn to Be website.
"Incredibly fulfilling. Watching a student gain confidence over time is truly meaningful. The flexibility to build a personal connection is one of the best aspects — highly recommend to anyone passionate about education."
"I've been tutoring with LearnToBe for almost two years. The flexibility lets you make a difference on your own schedule, and I developed real skills like responsibility, patience, and public speaking. The positives far outweigh the cons."
"I started for volunteer hours but it quickly became a passion. One student surprised me with a drawing of me — a reminder of the bond we built. Learn to Be has truly changed my high school experience."
"Learn To Be is a great opportunity for kids to get free support from tutors who care about educational equity!"
"LearnToBe is a great organization that benefits both the kids and the tutors! It helps make a positive difference."
"LearnToBe has been a great way to represent growth in students and for everyone to have an equal chance in education."
Great volunteer experience
"Great volunteer opportunities, you get to choose your hours and how many students you want to take on. They value your time and allow you to unmatch with a student if you feel they are not respecting your time."
Good but not perfect
"A great resource and they've done a good job finding genuinely underprivileged students, but there are far more students than tutors. Management can be both overreaching and absent when needed."
Overall Great Place
"I like the job and the environment is great, but it's hard to work a lot if you don't get students who need a lot of sessions. I like it still though!!"