Hundreds of volunteers pass through Project Help every year. Our programs offers an opportunity to work hands-on with children with all kinds of unique learning-styles. Each Class has children who are developing according to age-appropriate milestones and children with a delay or diagnosed disability. As a volunteer at Project Help you will be helping these children learn and play. For more information regarding our curriculum, please visit our About Us page.

	If you would like to schedule training hours, please click the button below to download our scheduling form. Please read the enclosed information and complete the form on page four. Save the form when completed and email to project.help@mtsu.edu. If you have any questions, please call us at 615-898-2458.

Project Help provides training opportunities Monday through Thursday, with two class sessions each day at the Baird Lane site. The class sessions last 2 1/2 hours. The Morning session is from 8:30-11:00 a.m. and the afternoon session is from 1:00-3:30 p.m..

We ask that training hours are scheduled in advance to ensure that slots are available. Before the first training session, you will receive a brief orientation that will establish a time sheet (for those accumulating hours for course requirements), and a video will be shown. A notebook with specific classroom information will be provided. We ask that you arrive early for your first scheduled day to accommodate this orientation.

Project Help has four classrooms. Three are located at our Baird Lane facility and the fourth, Project Help Prep, is located in room 120 of the Fairview building. The Baird Lane classes serve children from 15-36 months of age while Project Help Prep serves children from the age of three until kindergarten.

In the classroom, the children with special needs will have pictures posted with their current goals. These will be the guidelines on which you will focus during center times, snack/food experiences, outside play, and all other classroom activities.

In the classroom positive reinforcement is used. Children are praised for the things they do well or attempt. Children are prompted or redirected to appropriate activities when a problem behavior occurs. Never under any circumstances should you use physical or verbal punishment with a child. Relaxed, even voice tones with prompts and hand-over-hand assistance are proactive ways to help children learn and maintain desired behaviors.

We want your involvement to be a positive learning experience. The staff will share information which will help you better understand each child and his or her needs. While we are happy to discuss the rationale for using certain techniques and to answer your questions, we must maintain confidentiality. Discussion of private and personal information could be upsetting to families. According to our licensure, HIPPA guidelines are imperative. If you would like a copy of those guidelines, we can provide this information.

• Lockers are available to store bags, purses, etc.
• Project Help does not offer training opportunities between 11:00 and 1:00 p.m.. The children eat lunch and nap at this time.
• Parking at Project Help is for Staff only. All others will be ticketed.
• Wear comfortable clothes you do not mind getting dirty. You will be participating hands-on during activities.