Three ways our volunteer tutors support children’s mental health

Children’s Mental Health Week takes place on 7-13th February this year and is run by Place2Be charity. This year’s theme is Growing Together, focusing on how we can support each other in growing emotionally and building a safe support system around us.

Being mentally healthy involves feeling good about ourselves, forming and maintaining positive relationships with people around us, and being able to feel and manage a wide range of emotions. At Action Tutoring we believe the emotional well-being of pupils is as equally important as their academic progress.

Growing emotionally requires us to move beyond our comfort zone and this can be particularly challenging if we are alone. Volunteering is a two-way street: it can make a real difference to the lives of others who need additional support, and at the same time it gives us the opportunity to meet people who motivate and inspire us. This way, we feel part of an empowered community and continue to grow personally and professionally.

This week we encourage everyone to reflect on how to help each other grow and offer support to those who need it the most. Emotional growth is a gradual process and everyone experiences it in different ways.

Studies show that disadvantaged pupils are more likely to suffer from poor mental health after Covid-19; in particular, one in six disadvantaged children have a diagnosable mental health condition.

All of our volunteers are committed tutors who empathise and understand the additional struggles of pupils from low-income families. Prioritising mental health issues early on is incredibly important in nurturing confident individuals who will thrive in life.

How do Action Tutoring volunteers support children’s mental health?

Active listening and healthy ways of communication

We encourage all our tutors to actively listen to pupils’ concerns and make sure they feel supported, confident and heard. One of the most valuable things our tutors do is approach mental health issues in a non-stigmatising way. Our mission is to make everyone feel included, no matter their socio-economic status or background.

However, it is important to remember that while our volunteers are there to listen and empathise, they are not experts in mental health issues. Empathy involves recognising what pupils are feeling, trying to understand their perspective and never judging emotions and experiences.

That’s why tutors avoid giving advice or trying to resolve issues on their own. If a child shares anything that is particularly concerning, our volunteers communicate directly with our Programme Coordinators and follow safeguarding procedures accordingly.

Creating a welcoming and safe learning environment

Action Tutoring volunteers have the support and resources they need to make tutoring sessions welcoming and safe for all pupils. This helps children feel comfortable to share their thoughts, experiences and opinions without the fear of negative feedback or criticism from their tutors. A safe learning space, with clear boundaries and effective communication, also allows tutors to handle sensitive topics more confidently.

The cooperation between our volunteer tutors, Programme Coordinators and teachers has allowed us to help pupils in the best way possible and ensure their mental wellbeing.

Positive role models

Action Tutoring volunteers also serve as positive role models for our pupils. It’s extremely important for disadvantaged children to interact with understanding, calm and honest adults. These characteristics motivate pupils to mirror similar attitudes and feel more confident, so that they can open up and engage during the tutoring sessions.

Cohen is in Year 11 at Seaford Head School in East Sussex. His tutor, Jill, has worked with him and another pupil in English since the start of the programme. This is what Cohen had to say about his sessions:

‘’My tutor is ten out of ten! It’s been nice to talk to someone who’s genuinely there to help me.’’

How can you help?

Volunteer with us

Join our volunteering community and become a tutor in English or maths. You can choose to help pupils by tutoring online or in-person. It’s only one hour a week, and your support is important now more than ever.

Receiving judgement on academic performance can seriously impact a child’s mental health. By getting involved, your pupils will not only receive academic help, but they will also feel emotionally supported and grow in confidence.

Volunteer tutors make pupils feel less alone and increase their confidence, so that all children can enjoy the process of learning.

Spread the word

We would love your support to help us raise awareness and motivate more people to get involved. Every volunteer provides tremendous support to our cause and helps pupils during these challenging times.

Do you know someone who can volunteer as a tutor? Spread the word by sharing our blog on social media!

Make a donation

If you don’t have the time to tutor with us, donations are also a great way to change the future of disadvantaged pupils. Every donation we receive allows us to reach out to even more young people and make a difference in their lives.

Whether you are making a donation, volunteering with us or using social media to shine light on the importance of mental health and wellbeing of pupils, we are incredibly thankful. Your continuous support is vital for our mission!

Read more: Action Tutoring online or in-person programmes

Five things I’ve learnt while on placement with Action tutoring

Student Volunteering Week is an annual event that celebrates the impact of student volunteers. This year the week will be taking place from 7th – 13th February 2022. This is a brilliant opportunity to demonstrate how social action creates positive change.

Our student volunteers inspire us, and so we wanted to share some of their stories this week. Elsie volunteered with Action Tutoring for one term as part of a university placement module.

I am a third year English Language student studying at the University of Liverpool. Whilst on placement with Action Tutoring this year, I have had the privilege of tutoring a handful of pupils aged 9-12 in English, at three schools across the country, both online and face-to-face.

My university placement with Action Tutoring has been highly rewarding, and I would love to encourage more students to be part of this experience. In case you are unsure, here are five of the most invaluable lessons I’ve learned from my time tutoring.

The importance of communication, and how you communicate with the pupils

Using an online platform can sometimes bring technical hurdles, meaning that clear, loud, and upbeat speech is more important than ever ensuring a successful and well-understood lesson. One of my Programme Coordinators explained to me the importance of pitch when speaking to the pupils.

Different pitches can indicate whether they are receiving praise for their hard work, or whether they are being reminded to maintain concentration. Name use is another important communication technique, particularly during online sessions. Using the pupil’s name shows that you are taking an interest in what they have to say, indicating that you value them as an individual.

Time management and planning is essential

I knew that becoming a tutor would mean improving my time management skills to fit around university lectures. Action Tutoring provides great templates for each week, which have everything you need to lead the session. I would advise reading through these templates thoroughly in advance, especially the texts.

It is important to remember time management within the sessions, too. They can progress a lot faster or slower than expected, depending on how well the pupils are understanding the content, so it is important to know when to adapt a lesson to suit this. Always have additional activities prepared for the end of the session in case you finish with spare time!

Brain breaks are your best friend!

A great session should always involve a brain break. That’s what my Programme Coordinator taught us; to combat attention levels dipping half way through the session. A brain break is a short activity which moves the focus away from the lesson content, to a more fun and often fast-paced game or challenge.

My pupils really enjoyed hang-man or memory games, but other ideas could include word-bingo or scrabble. I learnt that using trickier words from the text within the games was a great way to solidify a new word into the pupils’ vocabulary.

The importance of non-verbal communicators

During my placement with Action Tutoring, I learnt how important other factors; such as enthusiasm, body-language and confidence; are to engaging and building rapport with children.

Eye-contact is a really great way to show a pupil you are giving them your full attention, valuing what they have to say, and checking their understanding.

A pupil is more likely to lose attention if you are not giving them regular eye-contact, and this works well alongside using their name too. Pupils may also give off non-verbal cues which indicate if they are understanding the session, so be sure to look out for your pupil’s body language and enthusiasm levels.

The importance of tutoring and the impact it has on the pupils

All of the pupils I tutored improved their English skills as we progressed through the weeks. It was amazing to watch their confidence levels grow as they became more comfortable in challenging themselves and building upon skills gained from previous sessions.

They enjoyed themselves as well. One pupil told his teacher after a session that he thought tutoring was ‘going to be boring…but it was actually really fun!’ This kind of feedback is what makes tutoring so worthwhile.

Blog by Elsie Holmes

We offer in-person tutoring programmes and for those with busy schedules, our online programmes are available so you can still get involved and be a part of our mission. Join our inspiring volunteering community today!

Achievement in the face of adversity – celebrating GCSE results!

At Action Tutoring we are proud to work with inspirational volunteer tutors, who support disadvantaged children in English and maths. With their help, we work towards our mission to narrow the attainment gap between pupils from low-income families and their peers. 

Education equality is at the heart of our mission, and the achievements of our pupils last year clearly highlight the value of tutoring in supporting this.

GCSE results 2021 – what does our data show about the academic performance of pupils?

Preparing for GCSEs provides pupils with a solid foundation in a variety of subjects. They serve as an educational stepping stone, giving pupils the opportunity to unlock access to higher education.

Pupils who attended at least eight sessions with an Action Tutoring volunteer in 2020/21 out-performed the national GCSE results for disadvantaged pupils.

Thanks to the hard work, resilience and commitment of our incredible school teachers and the continuous support of our volunteers, we are proud to say that 81% of our pupils achieved grade 4 or above in English and 80% grade 4 or above in maths!

These percentages were calculated using the GCSE results we received from 30 out of 49 of our partner secondary schools. This is a lower response rate relative to previous years and so whilst being very positive, these results may not be fully reflective of the overall picture.

Action Tutoring was able to continue supporting thousands of pupils last year, by converting to home-based tutoring when school closures were suddenly announced in January 2021. Online learning has been a valuable tool, allowing us to offer personalised and tailored support during the most challenging times.

Due to Covid-19, GCSE exams were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 and replaced by centre-assessed grades (CAG) and teacher-assessed grades (TAG) respectively. The different methods of awarding grades means they are not comparable with previous years; however a higher proportion of pupils earned grades 4 and above in each year relative to 2019.

Results for Action Tutoring’s pupils follow this UK-wide pattern: before the pandemic, around 50-55% of disadvantaged pupils passed GCSEs whereas in 2020/21, more than 65% did. From the results we have from the pupils supported by Action Tutoring, the proportion is similarly much higher than in previous years.

These results reinforce the idea that tutoring programmes lead to increased academic performance, and we see on the ground that it improves self- confidence and motivation for learning. This achievement wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of our dedicated Programme Coordinators, who ensure that all of our tutoring sessions are well-structured and run smoothly.

We believe good grades have the potential to open doors and provide lifelong opportunities. A grade 4 in English and maths at GCSE is essential to pupils continuing their education, or going on to future employment or training. GCSEs not only assess the academic ability of pupils, but also offer them transferable and significant life skills for their future.

As Action Tutoring CEO Susannah Hardyman says:

It’s precisely because grades open doors that GCSE results matter so much.

Read more: How Ofqual’s exam grading system reproduced the long-standing disadvantage that Action Tutoring exists to tackle

To better understand the importance of tutoring in lowering the attainment gap, watch the video below.

How can you help?

This year’s pupils sitting their GCSEs will still be affected by the disruption of school closures. Your help is vital so we can continue to deliver sustainable and effective support to young people who need it.

Could you volunteer for an hour each week and join our volunteering community? Your contribution is more important than ever.

Do you know someone who can volunteer with us? Spread the word by sharing our blog on social media!

United Nations’ International Day of Education 2022

What is the International Day of Education?

Covid-19 has exacerbated ongoing education inequalities in the UK and as a result, the academic progress of many pupils has been disrupted. That’s why 24th January has been assigned by the United Nations General Assembly as the day to raise awareness of the importance of education.

The theme of the International Day of Education 2022 is ‘Changing Course, Transforming Education’, highlighting the urgent need to prioritise the recovery of education after Covid-19. The goal today is to spark discussion about how to provide quality education, ensure learning continuity for all pupils, and to support teachers.

In the UK, evidence shows that pupils from low-income families are less likely to perform well academically in school. This limits their opportunities to access higher education, training or employment.

Studies also show that children from low-income households are more likely to suffer from poor social and emotional skills. This leads to greater social inequalities as they become adults.

Why do we celebrate it?

Education is a powerful tool that not only affects job possibilities in the future, but also influences a variety of other outcomes, such as our general health and happiness.

While education is provided for all pupils in UK schools, those who come from low-income backgrounds may be at greater risk of digital disadvantage, social isolation, and anxiety; all of which can lead to mental health issues. These challenges require our immediate attention and response.

The International Day of Education is an opportunity for us all to raise awareness and remind ourselves and others of the significant role that education has in our lives. We can all play our part to support those less fortunate than us. In order to achieve education equality in the UK, as well as across the world, it is essential to offer a fair start to all pupils.

At Action Tutoring, we believe that inclusive and equal education opportunities for all children no matter their socioeconomic status, leads to a brighter future for everyone. We are proud to have created a strong community of inspiring volunteers, who are crucial in our mission to reach more disadvantaged pupils and offer tailored academic support.

To reach even more pupils, we need more volunteers.

Books and our pens, they are the most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution.

Malala Yousafzai

While teachers work hard to establish a new a new post-pandemic ‘normal’, learning inequalities are likely to deepen if we don’t take the necessary steps. Simply reopening schools after lockdown is not sufficient; pupils need tailored and sustained support to help them adapt after the pandemic.

Much more work needs to be done to ensure disadvantaged children receive additional support that encourages them to re-engage in learning activities. It is time to act to support the future of this generation.

How can you help?

Tutor with us

You can join our mission by becoming a volunteer tutor in English and maths and helping lower the attainment gap.

Read more: John Uren describes his experience with Action Tutoring as a volunteer 

We offer in-person tutoring programmes and for those with busy schedules, our online programmes are available so you can still get involved and be a part of our mission.

Spread the word

You can also help by sharing this post on social media to raise awareness and inspire others who might be interested to volunteer as a tutor with us. Disadvantaged pupils need our help more than ever, so let’s give them the opportunity to have a supportive learning environment.

Volunteering as a tutor is a crucial step to guarantee a fairer world and sustainable future for everyone. After all, education is a human right, a public benefit, and a public responsibility.

How Action Tutoring helps volunteers with their careers

Volunteering with Action Tutoring is an excellent way to contribute in narrowing the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. But that’s not all! Joining our community of inspiring and passionate tutors is incredibly beneficial for our volunteers’ professional development, too.

By sharing your time, you are not only making a meaningful impact on disadvantaged pupils’ lives, but you are also gaining valuable experience and exploring more career opportunities.

How exactly does Action Tutoring help volunteers with their careers?

It is a great place to expand your networking 

Being a part of a volunteering community is an excellent opportunity for professional networking. You will encounter like-minded individuals who support your professional interests and who may be able to assist or guide you in your career. 

They could even end up being your future colleagues, or life- long friends; after all, you selected the same cause to volunteer for! Volunteering can also make social interactions much easier for those who may feel uneasy in social situations.

Charlie White, our amazing Communications and Policy Manager, was a volunteer tutor with Action Tutoring before she decided to join the team. Because of this, she understood what the charity was about, and was increasingly interested in its work.

Charlie subscribed to receive newsletters and job alerts. Upon seeing the communications role she knew she would apply, since she loves writing, design and problem-solving, and knows that great communication is a powerful change-maker.

Volunteering is a low-risk way to explore professional options and discover a new career path. Beyond its community-enriching benefits, it’s an excellent to gain hands-on experience in a field you are interested in, without the long-term commitment.

That’s what Phyllida Jacobs, our incredible Communications Administrator, did when she started to think about teaching as a career option. Volunteering with Action Tutoring, and seeing her pupils’ increased excitement around English, reaffirmed her enthusiasm for getting young people reading and writing.

It increases self-awareness and builds new skills

Charlie mentions how Action Tutoring’s commitment to its organisational values means that everyone is encouraged to stop and reflect.

Specifically, when asked how Action Tutoring helps volunteers become more self-aware, Charlie said that she’s had opportunities to expand her skillset and stretch herself.

Working with welcoming and open-minded people means you feel safe to make suggestions and take a punt on ideas. Our commitment to our organisational values means we’re all encouraged to stop and reflect. This has helped me learn more about what I enjoy and what I’m really good at.

Charlie

When Phyllida started tutoring, she was struck by how organised and friendly everyone was. She was initially quite nervous, having never worked with young people before, but felt reassured by having a Programme Coordinator and a structured workbook to support her.

Action Tutoring provides a friendly and supportive environment, enabling genuine, engaging conversations with people who share similar interests. This is what our lovely volunteer Emma has to say about her experience:

Our fantastic Programme Coordinator in London, Maisie Alderson, started volunteering one hour of her time per week whilst working.

The initial tutor training provided her with an understanding of the organisation, its mission and how it runs. This sparked Maisie’s interest in working in the charity sector.

An opportunity to work on your resume and interview skills

Lastly, the process of looking for a volunteer position and sending an application is very similar to applying for a paid position.

Our volunteers complete an application form to demonstrate their qualifications and previous experience, and apply for an enhanced background check. In going through this process, Charlie could tell that Action Tutoring took quality and commitment seriously, and remembers wondering if she’d get the role.

Volunteering was incredibly rewarding for Phyllida, since the experience helped to secure her first job after university; at the children’s book publisher Tiny Owl. Volunteering is a great way to gain experience and confidence to support students through the tricky transition from university to the working world.

Action Tutoring totally changed Maisie’s mindset, and her career path. As a Programme Coordinator, she feels she is now doing meaningful work that will lead to positive change, and make a real difference in closing the attainment gap.

Identifying our skills, achievements, hobbies, and principles is the foundation of a successful career, as it leads to self-awareness. Tutoring requires volunteers to be patient, empathetic and caring. Do you want to build on these qualities? Volunteering can be a great way to develop and put your skills to the test.

Read more: One of Action Tutoring’s first ever volunteer tutors tells us how this experience helped prompt a career change to becoming a teacher.

Back to school – Join our online or in person tutoring programmes!

Our online tutoring and face to face programmes are operating as normal this term. If you want to become a tutor, you can join our incredible volunteers and help disadvantaged pupils receive the academic support they need in English and maths.

Action Tutoring gives tutors the opportunity to volunteer in schools and meet pupils in person. For those who wish to join our mission but find it difficult due to busy schedules, we offer online tutoring. It’s a great alternative to get involved and make a difference to pupils’ lives.

Online tutoring is the perfect choice if you’re not located near one of our schools or or are limiting your social contact due to the pandemic. Have a watch of our video to hear more about the benefits of volunteering with us:

Your support is needed more than ever. The school closures during lockdown significantly affected pupils from low-income families, increasing the academic attainment gap and, pushing them further behind their classmates.

That’s why we accelerated the development of our online tutoring provision so we could continue supporting pupils who needed our help and reach even more. We wouldn’t be able to achieve this without our inspiring volunteers and collaborative school partners.

All our volunteers receive mandatory induction training, complete the necessary safeguarding checks and receive additional resources and ongoing support from the team to help them develop as tutors.

If you are a primary or secondary school in England, why not consider partnering with us to provide additional support for your disadvantaged pupils and help them succeed.

Read more: How Action Tutoring’s partner schools benefit from our volunteers?

Online tuition provides additional targeted support to the pupils who need it the most.

How does online tutoring work?

Online tutoring can be a valuable resource for young people who need additional support, to help them achieve better results in school. It enabled us to increase our impact and reach more pupils across the country.

With the right tools, online learning can be both engaging and interactive. That’s why we use VEDAMO virtual classroom, a safe digital platform, to deliver online tuition. We can host live tutoring sessions, regardless of the location, create captivating learning experiences and easily manage the tutoring sessions and content.

Our Programme Coordinators are always on hand to make sure everything runs smoothly in our online and in person programmes.

What are the benefits of online tutoring?

In our technology-rich 21st century, strong literacy and numeracy skills are necessary for pupils to be successful later in life. The foundations of these skills are laid early on and tutoring can contribute towards raising confident individuals who go on to actively contribute economically and socially to society as adults.

Location is no longer a barrier to involvement online tutoring. We can now recruit volunteer tutors from across the country and support children so that they can reach their full potential.

We want to make sure we provide the academic support disadvantaged pupils need by working with motivated volunteers and offering a safe learning space for young people. The power of technology can be valuable in helping us close the education gap.

Why your 2022 new year’s resolutions should include volunteering with Action Tutoring

As surprising as it may seem, given many of us are still processing 2020, 2022 is just around the corner. This is the perfect time to pause and reflect on what’s important to us, clear our mind and work towards achieving new goals. Setting resolutions can be a great way to focus on the person we want to become by improving our skills, developing new ones and getting out of our comfort zone.

At Action Tutoring we believe that one of the most important resolutions we can set for ourselves is making a positive change in the world. Volunteering as a tutor is a great way to do this and we encourage everyone to find time in 2022 to join.

Tutoring provides a tangible way to grow personally and professionally. This is what one of our our amazing volunteers from Liverpool, Paige, said about her experience:

I have gained valuable transferable skills whilst volunteering with Action Tutoring. It has given me experience of a career path I hadn’t previously considered. The impact you can have on a child’s life is one of the most rewarding things any volunteering could offer!

Our volunteer tutors have not only made a positive impact on the lives of disadvantaged young people, but they have experienced positive benefits for themselves too.

Here is why you should include volunteering with Action Tutoring in your 2022 resolutions:

Volunteering as a tutor leads to self awareness

Volunteering is an eye opening experience which can help to identify your strengths, areas to improve and your personal values. Volunteering as a tutor can be an excellent way to improve your self-awareness through the feedback you receive and as you develop your skills.

A great way to track this development is by reflecting after each session. Writing down any new learnings, skills developed or observations will provide a valuable resource to refer back to for future tutoring sessions or other activities.

Volunteering can boost your interpersonal skills and confidence

Volunteering with Action Tutoring can be a brilliant way to enhance your interpersonal skills as you interact with people of different ages from different backgrounds, cultures and experiences in new situations.

As a tutor, you will practise active listening and asking open-ended questions to your pupils during the tutoring sessions, these are valuable transferable skills for the workplace and socially.

Time doesn’t need to be a barrier

We understand how hectic our daily life can be so we ask all our volunteers to simply give one hour each week to tutor and directly support disadvantaged pupils. Time shouldn’t be a barrier for your 2022 resolutions.

Amber, currently in her final year, studying for her BA in History at Nottingham Trent University has said that “the actual delivery of the session plus planning time is completely doable alongside other commitments”. She would urge anyone considering an application not to worry about whether they can fit it in as it is “totally manageable”. She also expressed how “the benefits of tutoring are endless but above all, children are our future and each child deserves that chance to prosper, blossom and thrive”.

Let’s make sure 2022 the year of giving back.

How Action Tutoring’s partner schools benefit from our volunteers

Action Tutoring’s volunteers are an invaluable resource to our partner schools. Not only do they help pupils achieve better grades, but they also serve as positive role models who support them so they can thrive at school and later in life.

Our mission at Action Tutoring is to support young people facing socio-economic disadvantage to achieve a meaningful level of academic attainment. We do this by partnering with primary and secondary schools in England where a higher than average percentage of pupils are eligible for Pupil Premium funding.

Our tutors are committed individuals who contribute towards lowering the attainment gap and create a supportive environment for pupils so that they can feel confident and motivated to do better academically.

Volunteer tutors play an important role in helping state schools provide equal opportunities to all pupils. Our core value is that everyone has the right to educational support and resources no matter their background. Our team at Action Tutoring is highly motivated and excited to work towards a brighter future for all young people.

We understand the demands and pressures that schools are under, especially after the pandemic. This is why we encourage primary and secondary schools to partner with us so we can deliver sustainable and effective support to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The flexibility and desire to accommodate and work with our staff and pupils prior to and throughout the pandemic has been first rate. Communication and clarity of intent have always been clear and acted on swiftly, ensuring staff and pupils have been brilliantly supported. The commitment and desire to develop and advance our pupils has been superb.

Ben Carter – Assistant Headteacher, Bohunt Worthing

Why Action Tutoring?

Our Programme Coordinators are dedicated members of staff working closely with teachers to make sure all our programmes run smoothly and efficiently. They are all passionate about educational equality and work hard to ensure pupils gain the most from their tutoring sessions with our volunteers.

Launching our online tutoring sessions during lockdown was an important step to help pupils who were hit hard by the pandemic and school closures. From September 2019 to March 2020, before the disruption, pupils supported by Action Tutoring made an average of +12% progress from their initial assessment, conducted at the start of their programme, to their progress assessment in February. You can read more about the impact of our tutoring programmes here.

Who are our volunteers?

Our amazing volunteers care about the wellbeing of the pupils, and not just their general academic success. During our recruitment process, we make sure that tutors are caring and empathetic individuals with a genuine interest in making a difference and helping young people.

We carefully assess all our applications and work with volunteers that have a strong academic background (at least a B at A Level in the subject they want to tutor). We also make sure they have excellent communication skills in order to effectively pass on their knowledge to their pupils.

The three main groups of volunteers we work with are already employed corporate volunteers working full-time or part time, university students, and retired professionals, including former teachers, who all believe in our mission. They are dedicated volunteers who want to give back to their community and share their knowledge with young people.

Watch the video below to learn more about the benefits of partnering with us.

Pupils will feel the benefit of having positive role models around them, who are giving their time to support others, investing in their education and supporting their school. Some might even be inspired to volunteer later in life and learn the importance of giving.

If you’re interested in partnering with Action Tutoring, or simply looking for more information, please complete the application form below.

Why volunteering as a tutor is the best Christmas gift

The holiday season is an excellent opportunity to get involved in volunteering and give your time to help others who are facing challenges or are less fortunate. As December rolls on, the pressure to spend becomes even stronger and makes us forget the true meaning of Christmas. The best way to spread the holiday spirit and joy is to give back to those who need it the most.

That’s why we encourage you to not get worried about what Christmas gifts to buy, but instead spend some time thinking about how rewarding the experience of volunteering is.

Action Tutoring gives you the opportunity to support disadvantaged pupils so they can have a stronger learning foundation and a firm footing for a bright future.

Even if you’re not based in one of our regions, or you have responsibilities that require you to be at home, you can still get involved as an online tutor.

Here you can find all the information about volunteering with us from the moment you apply until the final step when you get to meet your pupils and start tutoring!

We believe volunteering helps you grow as a person and understand the importance of giving back to the community. Helping us close the attainment gap between disadvantaged young people and their peers is the best Christmas gift you can give, not only to yourself, but also to your community.

Here’s why volunteering with Action Tutoring is an excellent way to strengthen the true spirit of giving during the holiday season:

Volunteering will give you a sense of fulfilment

If you’re feeling down during the festive season perhaps because you’re missing a loved one or are overwhelmed by all of the preparations, volunteering can give you a sense of purpose and help you gain perspective. Studies show it also helps you combat stress, anxiety, depression and anger. It’s an eye-opening experience that reminds us all to appreciate what we have and be more grateful.

Set a good example 

With so many family members present during the holidays, why not serve as a role model for the children (or even the adults) and teach them the importance of giving? This can help your family, particularly the younger members, recognise the benefits of volunteering. Philanthropy, altruism and kindness are taught by example.

Volunteering creates strong relationships

When you help others, you form a special connection with them and with your fellow volunteers, who may be people from outside your social circle; people you would not normally interact with. Volunteering with Action Tutoring is an opportunity to form meaningful connections with like-minded people – what a great gift!

Finally, the holidays can be incredibly tough for families barely making ends meet. Pupils from from lower socio-economic backgrounds may be experiencing stressful or challenging situations at home.

By volunteering as a tutor, you are making sure disadvantaged pupils get the academic support they need in order to secure a better future for themselves and their families.

At Action Tutoring we believe education is the only way to stop the vicious cycle of poverty and financial exclusion. We are committed to giving young people the same opportunities as their peers so that they can have the confidence to follow their dreams and help others do the same.

Movember reflections – what can we do for our boys?

Here at Action Tutoring, our central mission is to lay groundwork that can have a positive, long-term impact on the life outcomes of our pupils.

Our volunteers work hard to consolidate their in-class learning and build their confidence in order to improve their attainment when it comes to decisive exams. But children are not just results-producing machines, and academic attainment is not the only important factor at play – mental wellbeing is vital to anyone’s chances at happiness and prosperity in life.

What is Movember?

Every November, the Movember Foundation asks us to consider specifically the challenges faced by men and (crucially for Action Tutoring) boys when it comes to mental health. According to the foundation, one man dies due to suicide every day in the UK, and three in every four UK suicides is male.

Socio-economically speaking, children and adults in the lowest 20% income bracket are two to three times more likely to develop mental health problems than those in the highest, and in 2019 more than 4 million working class men suffered symptoms of poor mental health but chose not to seek professional help. Men, especially men of socio-economic disadvantage, are not talking about their mental health. So what can we do for our boys?

This academic year, there are more than 1,900 pupils registered on Action Tutoring programmes who identify as male. It is imperative in reflecting on the numbers above, and the threat they pose to so many young people we work with, that we are mindful of the ways that we can use our tutoring provision to make a positive difference and empower boys and young men to speak out when they are struggling with their mental health.

Why is it important?

Young men grow up in a world that encourages them to present as strong and competitive, and to hide any vulnerability. This pressure, and the internalised impact it can have when a boy feels he is failing to meet this idealised standard, is a double trap – it not only harms young men’s self-esteem but also discourages them from speaking out for fear of seeming weak to their peers.

Our tutors are well-positioned to undo this expectation and help free boys of their internalised, gendered burden by praising vulnerability and encouraging their pupils to embrace mistakes and learn to learn from them rather than hide from them or shy away from challenges to avoid feeling inferior.

Positive male role models, whose behaviour challenges masculine norms and demonstrates the positive impact this can have on a person’s life, are commonplace within our tutor pool.

We are proud to work with so many sensitive, empathetic men who serve as shining examples for their pupils (not just boys), and this can be especially impactful for the children we work with whose home situations may leave them without a good model for positive, modern masculinity.

One of the best things we men can do here is model behaviour that will help counteract toxic and negative expectations in young boys, as well as encourage this positive behaviour when we see it in pupils.

One example that springs to mind for me in my work as a Programme Coordinator came this September just gone, when I accidentally gave a Year 5 boy the wrong baseline assessment paper to sit, and didn’t realise until 10 minutes in. When I delivered the bad news to the pupil and explained to him that he would have to start again, he cried. This is a crucial moment, as my response to his reaction could either reinforce or help undo ideas he might carry into manhood. So I admitted that I also felt like crying because I’d made a mistake – but grown-ups get things wrong too, and it’s ok to get upset when things don’t go to plan. By sharing this moment, we were both able to pull ourselves together and my young guy finished his correct paper in good time having taken a run at every single question.

Gendered expectations are ingrained into all of us from an early age, but they can be unlearned – the earlier this happens in a person’s life, the better. Many pupils are already beginning to do this for themselves, as evidenced in the rising numbers of young people identifying outside of the gender binary. But thinking beyond binary gender has advantages even for those of us who still chose to identify by one of the traditional categories.

In this sense, broadening the idea of who can be a role model to who can free all of us from the biases that limit what we can do to encourage openness and sensitivity in young men – many of the most fruitful tutor/pupil matches I have seen are when our female tutors work with young boys. We can also be mindful of the materials we use, making sure that a gender-diverse range of authors are referenced in our English sessions, and that maths-related conversations extend beyond football stats when trying to get bored boys onside.

It is important that we are creative, ambitious and unbiased in how we mix-and-match our pupils with their tutors, as one of the best ways to deconstruct limiting gendered expectations is to erase as many lines that divide us as we can.

We are ambitious for our pupils at Action Tutoring, and this must always extend to their wellbeing as well as their academic success – otherwise our efforts may not have the lifelong impact we strive for.

The holistic benefits of tutoring make our sessions a great space to open up boys to the possibilities that come with talking about their feelings and their struggles. Hopefully, we can help to keep the conversation going for everyone long after our boys become men.

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