Volunteers at NFTE play a key role in enabling our young entrepreneurs connect their classroom experiences to the “real world.” NFTE volunteers and have a direct, lasting impact on students’ personal and professional success. NFTE has a range of opportunities for volunteers to get involved at varying levels of time commitment:

1-Day Volunteer Opportunities
Guest Speaking in a NFTE Classroom
Volunteers visit local NFTE class sessions and present a lesson on their area of professional expertise or share their own experiences as an entrepreneur. We also encourage volunteers discuss their career paths and any professional challenges they have faced.
Time commitment: 1 to 2 hours per speaking engagement

Field Trip Host/Chaperone
One of the goals of the NFTE experience is to expose young people to the “real world” of business by taking them on field trips to local business offices. Volunteers are needed to host such field trips at their own companies and/or to act as chaperones for class visits to other businesses.
Time commitment: Each visit lasts approximately 2 to 3 hours

Business Plan Competition Judge
The culminating event of every NFTE program is the Business Plan Competition, in which students compete for seed capital by presenting their business plans to a panel of volunteer judges.
Time commitment: Each competition ranges from 2 to 4 hours

Multi-Day Volunteer Opportunities
BizCamp Student Advisor
The NFTE Summer BizCamp is a 2-week program providing an intensive version of the NFTE curriculum. In the second week of the program, volunteers work directly with students to complete their business plans, share personal experiences, and offer professional advice.

Time commitment: 2-4 hours per day for 2-3 days

Business Plan Competition Advisors
In the weeks leading up to the Business Plan Competitions, volunteers meet with student competitors to help them refine their business plans and improve their presentation skills.
Time commitment: 1-2 hours per day, 3-5 days per week, for 3-5 weeks

Long-Term Volunteer Opportunities
Business Incubator Program Advisors (New York)
NFTE’s Business Incubator Program is designed to help NFTE program graduates implement their business plans and start their own businesses. Each student is matched with one or two professional volunteers, who act as advisors and mentors as the students work to refine and implement their business plans.
Time commitment: Bi-weekly sessions on Mondays from 6:00pm – 8:00pm, September through March, plus additional weekly contact with alumni via telephone and/or email.

To find out more about volunteer opportunities at your local NFTE program office, please contact them directly.