Can volunteers assist at Head Start centers?
Yes, volunteers are critical to the success of Head Start. The participation of volunteers has been an effective way of mobilizing community resources to strengthen Head Start Services. In Fiscal Year 1996, approximately 1,239,000 individuals volunteered to work at Head Start centers. Local Head Start programs are required to develop high-quality volunteer programs as part of their overall planning activities. As Head Start enrollment expands, the need for volunteers increases. Volunteers can be professionals and nonprofessionals, parents, local residents, and members of the larger community, board members and those who serve on policy and advisory groups, those who work in classrooms, offices, or kitchens, and those who provide necessary health education, medical and dental examinations, and other health services. Head Start volunteers can assist with classroom activities, transportation, upkeep and renovation of centers, playground supervision, parent education, and other similar tas
