‘I hope to help close the gap between those who feel like insiders and those who are treated as outsiders:’ Volunteer Discovers Passion for Teaching ESOL at Catholic Charities North

When Jennifer Phillips registered to become a volunteer at Catholic Charities North in the spring of 2025, she had no idea it would change the course of her career. 

Having just left her job as a product manager at a marketing tech firm, where she had worked for 15 years, Jennifer was ripe for a change but unsure where to begin. 

“I gave myself permission to explore and to try anything and everything,” she said. This open-minded approach led her to Catholic Charities Boston’s website, where she discovered that Catholic Charities in Lynn – just a town over from her – was looking for volunteers to teach ESOL. 

“I had no formal teaching experience, but I decided to give it a try anyway,” Jennifer said. “On my first day there, I sat and observed while someone else was teaching. Then, the teacher turned to me and said, ‘Why don’t you take the next lesson?’ It was great because I was thrown right in.” 

Within days, Jennifer was leading a level one class by herself, teaching everything from vocabulary to reading comprehension. Very quickly, she said she fell in love with the challenge of helping each student grow and with the vibrant sense of community in the classroom, which transcended language barriers and cultural differences. 

“Finding out that I can teach was amazing,” she said. “To be able to interact with these students and to show them they are welcome here and there is a place for them and that all of us at Catholic Charities are there for them was so rewarding.” 

Above all, Jennifer said she enjoyed witnessing the students collaborate and learn from one another. Often, she said all it took was for one student to understand a concept or word, and suddenly there was a domino effect as the students began teaching each other. 

Outside the classroom, however, many students were grappling with personal challenges, as changes in immigration policy began to threaten their sense of stability—not only for themselves, but for family, friends, and their communities back home. 

“Amidst it all I taught them the English words for fruits and vegetables. I lamented the incongruity of it. But I knew we needed to continue,” Jennifer said. “Helping them feel class is a safe space and bringing them back to the task at hand was a big focus.” 

Despite the challenges of these unique times, Jennifer said she is deeply grateful that she had the opportunity to help students feel a sense of belonging and provide them with practical language skills they can apply in their real lives. Witnessing the ways students’ faces lit up when understanding clicked and progress was made ignited something in Jennifer herself: a newfound desire to teach full-time. 

Because of her time at Catholic Charities North, Jennifer decided to pursue a master’s degree in teaching ESOL at Salem State University, where she is now studying. In her applications, Jennifer reflected on her powerful experiences at Catholic Charities and her hopes for the future: 

“My time teaching at Catholic Charities has imprinted on my heart,” she wrote. “While my immediate goal is to teach English effectively, my deeper aspiration is to help break down culture barriers in ways that honor difference and foster belonging. I hope to help close the gap between those who feel like insiders and those who are treated as outsiders, not through charity, but through opportunity, empowerment, and mutual respect.” 

To find out how you can support Catholic Charities Boston’s life-changing programs, visit our Ways to Give page.