When should I arrive?

Please arrive at JA BizTown 1 hour before the students are scheduled to arrive. Your student’s teacher will provide you with the time.  If you are a community volunteer, a JA BizTown staff member will provide you with this information.

Where do I park?

If volunteering at our SE Portland location: Park in the volunteer parking lot behind the Junior Achievement building. You can access this parking lot by turning down 79th street. In the unlikely event the parking lot is full, you will need to find street parking.

If volunteering at our Hillsboro location: Volunteers need to park in the Parking Garage on 1st and Washington on the 4th or 5th floor. These floors do not need any kind of parking pass and are full-day free parking. Volunteers will not have time to move their car out of 2-hour spaces during the simulation.

How do I know which business I’m assigned?

Your student’s teacher will assign you a business. Please note: you will not be facilitating in the same business as your child. If you are a community volunteer, a JA BizTown staff member will provide you with this information.

What if I don’t know anything about the business I’m assigned?

That’s perfect! The students are working in the businesses and doing the jobs, you are just helping them with their instructions. If you know something about the business you are volunteering in, you know too much.

How much do I need to know about the students’ jobs?

You don’t need to know anything about the student’s jobs!  The students have been prepped on their jobs back at school; here at JA BizTown they are simply following their instructions.

What if I don’t know the answer to a student’s question?

Assuming you and the student have already reviewed the manual for the answer, you can have the student ask a JA Staff member in a red smock. It’s ok for the students to make mistakes, so you can ask them, “what do you think you should do?”  Please don’t tell the student to do something that is not in their manual.  Your role is to assist, not direct!

What if I arrive late?

If you arrive late, check in at the front desk. If you know you will be late and are able to make a phone call, please contact your child’s teacher or contact us (503-238-6430). That hour before the students arrive is very busy for the JA BizTown staff; if you arrive late, you may miss additional information critical to your role in the business, or the staff might even have to move you to a different business.

What if I’m sick and can’t make it?

So sorry you will miss this awesome field trip! Please contact our front desk at 503-238-6430 and let us know you will not be able to attend. Please let us know as soon as possible as we may have to find a replacement volunteer.

What if I didn’t have time to watch the training?

If you have not watched the online training or come to an in-person training at the Junior Achievement office, you will not be able to volunteer in JA BizTown. Volunteering here is not hard, but there is a lot to it and we need you to know what will be happening during the day to help guide the students.

Can I just visit, but not actually be a volunteer?

Typically not. Most schools only allow volunteers to be in JA BizTown during the simulation. For extenuating circumstances, please contact your child’s teacher to see if this is an option.

Can I take pictures inside JA BizTown?

Yes. After the students are in their businesses, you may take photos. Any child whose parents signed the form at school not wanting their picture taken will be wearing a red lanyard throughout the entire day. Please don’t take photos or video of any child wearing a red lanyard. Those children will not have their photo in the newspaper and cannot be interviewed at BZTV.

How should I dress?

Business casual is our dress code, but we do allow jeans without holes. It’s a bit chilly in JA BizTown in the winter and warm in the summer, so keep that in mind. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes!

How should my child dress?

Students can wear their business attire, but is not required. Whatever is appropriate at school is fine here.

Will there be food or beverages available?

There are snacks and beverages available for purchase (with JA BizTown money) in the Café. You are welcome to bring water, tea or coffee to drink during the hour prior to the students’ arrival. Once the simulation has begun, we ask that you leave all beverages on a table in the café area. You are welcome to take a break at any time to get your beverage.

Do you have Wi-Fi?

Yes. If you need to quickly check in with work, we can give you the wi-fi password. If you think you will need to be on your phone during the simulation, this might not be the best volunteer opportunity for you.

What time are we done?

When the simulation is finished, our volunteers have also finished their day. You can assume the day will be 5 ½ hours, but each day is a bit different, so we don’t know the exact finish time until the students arrive.

Can I bring my other child with me for the day?

No, unfortunately having another responsibility will detract from what we need you to do as a volunteer during the simulation.  If something comes up and you will not be able to join us, please contact us as soon as you can at 503-238-6430.

Can I read the Volunteer Manual before I come?

Yes, you can find the Volunteer Manual and other resources on this website. No need to print it out; there will be a Volunteer Manual in your business when you arrive.

Can my child view their manual before the simulation?

No, the student manuals are only available at JA BizTown.