What tutors do
Volunteer tutors work with adults in our community who want to improve their reading, writing, numeracy or computer skills.
Some of those requiring help come from non-English speaking backgrounds. Others may come from educationally deprived backgrounds or have learning difficulties.
For some literacy students attending a class is not an option.
Many volunteers offer one-to-one support to individuals. The personal attention and confidentiality that volunteer tutors can offer makes it possible for these students to improve their skills and progress towards their personal goals.
Tutors can also assist teachers in classes. Literacy teachers are often catering for students with varying needs and a wide range of skill levels within one class. The support of tutors makes it possible for individual students to get the most out of the classroom environment. This kind of support makes an enormous difference to literacy students.
Volunteers come from many cultural and educational backgrounds.
Volunteer tutors are required to possess good literacy skills. You do not need formal qualifications but you do need to be a good reader, a good speller and have a good understanding of the written mechanics of English.
Personal qualities such as patience, being non-judgmental and having a genuine interest in working with people could possibly make you an ideal tutor. You need to dedicate about three hours per week to be really effective.
Through the Adult literacy volunteer tutor program, tutors can enjoy the following benefits:
- learn new skills
- meet and work with others
- remain active and engage in meaningful work
- develop new skills that may help you attain work in the field in the future
- gain practical experience working with language/ literacy/ numeracy students
- empower others and make a valuable contribution to your community.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer literacy tutor at the Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE you need to complete the free Course in Volunteer Tutoring.