Student Employment

Student Volunteer Positions

The Bowdoin College Children’s Center provides high-quality care for children ages 3 months to 5 years across four age-appropriate programs serving Bowdoin faculty and staff. We are offering volunteering positions for Bowdoin students interested in visiting for 2–4 hours per week in our Younger Toddler, Older Toddler, and Preschool Programs.

Our Center is located on campus and operates Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Our work is rooted in attachment-based caregiving, play-based learning, and the expansion of outdoor learning experiences.

We are looking for students interested in:

• Working with young children
• Learning about childcare and our philosophy
• Experiencing an outdoor nature-based learning environment,
• Observing children at play and learning through play
• How staff work to create learning environments for young children

Role of the Student Volunteer

Student volunteers are welcomed as observers of our practice and participants in daily classroom life. Volunteers will not be assigned core teaching or classroom tasks but may support teachers by:

• Helping children get dressed
• Reading with children
• Participating in “teacher work” outdoors
• Assisting during transitions and mealtimes

Volunteers commit to 2–4 hours per week and will remain with the same program throughout the semester. Lead teachers in each classroom will guide volunteers during their time at the Center.

Considerations

• Interested candidates will participate in an initial interview with administrators to learn about our philosophy, expectations, and the volunteer role.
• We offer four volunteer positions per semester, one in each program.
• Volunteers are held to the same standards as student employees about professionalism, respect for our practices, and openness to learning.
• Volunteers are expected to attend all scheduled hours and communicate absences. Missing more than three visits may result in dismissal from the volunteer program.
• Students are encouraged to consider their schedules carefully before accepting a volunteering position.