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Volunteer FAQs

Volunteers are the lifeblood of SCORE, enabling us to serve hundreds of thousands of established and aspiring small business owners each year.

We encourage working and retired professionals who are interested in volunteering with SCORE to apply today.

 

Here’s some information to help you decide whether SCORE is the right fit for you and how to navigate the volunteer application process.

What if I don’t want to be a mentor, but still want to get involved with SCORE?

SCORE offers four distinct volunteer roles, accommodating a range of skill sets and interests:

  • Mentor:  Use your industry-based knowledge and expertise to help business owners who are looking for guidance
  • Subject Matter Expert:  Collaborate with experienced mentors to offer advice in your specific area of expertise
  • Workshop Presenter:  Educate through giving presentations on specific small business topics
  • Chapter Support:  Assist your local chapter with marketing, finance, scheduling and other key support tasks

How many hours do I need to commit on a weekly/monthly basis as a SCORE volunteer?

The time commitment varies based on the specific volunteer role. For example, we typically ask our mentors to dedicate a few hours a week to SCORE, whereas subject matter experts may donate a few hours a month.

How do I apply to become a volunteer?

Once you complete an application at www.score.org/volunteer, your application will be sent to the local SCORE leader for review. The SCORE leader will contact you for an interview and, if volunteering seems like a good fit for you and SCORE, you’ll be asked to complete our training and onboarding process.

Additionally, if you are selected to mentor clients, you will be assigned a co-mentor and will go through a provisional period to help you get comfortable. Contact volunteer.services@score.org for more information.

Where is my local SCORE office?

You can find the SCORE chapter closest to you at www.score.org/find-location. Note that some SCORE chapters offer phone, email and video mentoring services, meaning that you may be able to conduct mentoring sessions remotely! 

What kind of training will I get if I am selected as a volunteer?

While our volunteers already have the real-world professional experience needed to offer helpful insights to small business clients, SCORE provides training to enable them to facilitate successful mentoring sessions and mentor/client relationships in our Lifelong Learning educational offerings

In 2014, SCORE teamed up with Deluxe Corporation to develop the Mentoring Methodology Training program to help onboard SCORE volunteers. Designed by SCORE volunteers and a panel of industry experts, the program gives new and experienced mentors access to proven tools and success strategies.

The Mentoring Methodology Training program is based on 5 key components represented by the acronym SLATE:

  • Stop and Suspend Judgment
  • Listen and Learn
  • Assess and Analyze
  • Test Ideas and Teach with Tools
  • Expectation Setting and Encouraging the Dream

Have you received my volunteer application?

After submitting a SCORE volunteer application, you should hear back from your local chapter within two weeks. If you haven’t heard back after that period of time, you can contact us at  volunteer.services@score.org to check on the status of your application.

If you have additional questions, please email volunteer.services@score.org.

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Copyright © 2024 SCORE Association, SCORE.org

Funded, in part, through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

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