Volunteer Opportunities with Global Classrooms

Another component that deepens the professional development experience is the Volunteer Program. The Global Classrooms Volunteer program supports the teachers by enriching the lesson with professional expertise. As part of Merrill Lynch’s Global Sponsorship of the program, Global Classrooms implemented an employee volunteer program in 2004. Since that time, employees located in Merrill Lynch offices around the world have played an invaluable role in helping to reach students and teachers and to expand the program throughout local communities.

US Department of State

The US Department of State continues to be a stalwart supporter of Global Classrooms. The State Department annually offers its headquarters as the Washington, DC conference venue and has launched a volunteer program for current State Department employees. Volunteers can now get involved throughout the school-year in the DC Public School System in three roles: as an educator, mentor and/or policy advisor.

The Global Classrooms/Merrill Lynch Volunteer Program is a global volunteer initiative which offers Merrill Lynch employees around the world the chance to work with middle and high school students in a variety of different capacities. Volunteers contribute as classroom guest speakers, content experts, and Model UN Conference staff.

Since the spring of 2005, UNA-USA and Merrill Lynch have worked closely to develop a Global Classrooms volunteer program that both supports the needs of the Global Classrooms community and adds to the philanthropic culture of Merrill Lynch. While the volunteer program was only formally announced in September of 2005, the program has already been very successful in matching Merrill Lynch employees with Global Classrooms volunteer opportunities. To date, Merrill Lynch employees have served as speakers and support staff at conferences in Global Classrooms cities such as Beirut, Los Angeles, New Delhi, New York City, Tel Aviv and Washington DC. Volunteers have visited Global Classrooms schools across the US and they have offered resources for various Global Classrooms events.

UNA-USA is very enthusiastic about this dynamic partnership because the Merrill Lynch volunteers add real value to the mission of Global Classrooms. As one volunteer remarked, "1 think being able to offer Merrill Lynch employees the opportunity to explore groups like Global Classrooms and also having Global Classrooms come back to Merrill Lynch saying 'we need quality volunteers' -I think it is a very symbiotic relationship. Merrill Lynch has put a lot toward the partnership and Global Classrooms has taken it seriously.

Volunteer Questions

How can I help?

UNA-USA is looking for volunteers to help high school students engage with the material in the Economics of Globalization curriculum. During an approximately 50-minute class period, you would give an interactive presentation on an important global finance issue.

What resources are there to help me?

UNA-USA has developed PowerPoint presentations that will reduce the preparation time required to deliever a lesson. These fully customizable presentations contain ideas for icebreakers, lecture points, analytical activities, and discussion questions. you may change or add to the presentation as you like. We encourage volunteers to share their personal and professional experiences with the topic.

Do I need to be an expert?

Volunteers do not need to be experts in any of the curriculum topics. You simply need a basic knowledge of current global affairs and a willingness to share your experienced and perspective.

How do I sign up to be a volunteer?

Volunteer opportunities are frequently posted on your Merrill Lynch intranet. To view current postings, please visit http://globalphilanthropy.volunteermatch.org.