The Garage in Burnsville needs adult volunteers

Burnsville's Garage Youth Center has been thriving for 12 years, but a lack of adult volunteers is making it hard for the center to provide homework help and stable adult influences for its users.

The Garage has had no adult volunteers to help with the after-school program for a while now, said Garrett Beck, a Burnsville Recreation Department supervisor. Three potential volunteers passed background checks but have yet to start at the center, said Jesi Nordaune, Garage after-school programs coordinator.

Beck said the Garage is looking for about five volunteers to help with programs for the 40 to 50 kids who come to the center after school each day.

"Our biggest need right now is to have somebody who enjoys working with young people and who would like to come in and connect with these people," Beck said. "We can use these volunteers based on their abilities and passions."

The after-school program allows young people from the surrounding elementary, junior high and high schools to come to the Garage to do their homework, participate in a variety of activities and be around friends.

"A lot of kids don't have the best home lives, so we try and steer them in the right direction," Nordaune said.

The program is in need of adults willing to help young people with their homework, spend time with them, and talk to them about things going on in their lives.

"The volunteers are able to be an adult connection for the young people," Beck said. "There's plenty of studies that indicate if young people have an adult that is willing to be involved in things they're doing, it leads to better self-esteem and growth."

The after-school program is open at the center each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. The Garage sends vans to all of the junior highs in the area to give students rides to the center after school. When the program is finished, staff members give the students rides home.

As the number of youth regularly going to the Garage each day has increased, Beck said the center has struggled to find people willing to be there consistently for the kids.

"Our sheer attendance has grown by so much just this year," said Amelia Storm, Garage support services coordinator. "With the amount of staff staying the same, it's hard."

To compensate for the lack of volunteers, the Garage has been assigning members of its part-time staff to help fill the roles of tutor or mentor, Beck said. However, these staff members have other jobs to do, which makes it difficult for the young people to benefit from the full potential of the programs.

"The programs are going to exist regardless of whether we're able to have volunteers or not. But what it comes down to is the quality of program that can be offered," Beck said.

"The kids look up to all of the staff," Nordaune said. "Anyone around here can give them positive reinforcement. They can't get enough of that."

Andrea Schug is a U of M journalism student on assignment for the Star Tribune.