Pandemic Pivots for Older Volunteers: Online Tutoring and Pen Pal Programs

This study explored the experiences of older adult volunteers who pivoted from in-person tutoring to letter writing and online tutoring during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sixty-one older adult volunteers were surveyed in the beginning and end of the school year about their experiences, including their perceived benefits, challenges, and feedback on the pandemic transition. Eleven of the surveyed volunteers participated in focus groups at the end of the school year. Perceived benefits included having a positive impact on a child’s life and meaningful engagement during the pandemic, and perceived challenges included difficulty engaging students and lack of control over learning environments. The participants also suggested increasing opportunities for informal interactions with staff and students, technology training, and peer support between volunteers. There was agreement that the remote volunteering experience was not a substitute for in-person tutoring, but it was better than no volunteering at all.