Volunteering in retirement
Use your lifetime of skills to give disadvantaged pupils a fairer start in life. Just one hour a week can help a young person pass their maths or English GCSEs or SATs.
Register interestWhat can you offer a young person?
You don’t need to be a former teacher or an academic expert to change a child’s life. Our volunteers range in age from 18 to 84, coming from backgrounds in business, administration, trade, healthcare, and everything in between.
What our pupils need most is your patience, empathy, and consistent encouragement. By giving just one hour a week, you help bridge the intergenerational gap – bringing your unique life experience to support children who need it most.
We support you every step of the way
If you are worried that school curriculum standards have changed, or that you aren’t a “tech expert,” don’t be! We make the tutoring process stress-free:
- No lesson planning needed: We provide structured workbooks with clear session plans – and your tutor notes and answers, of course!
- We handle the technology: If you choose to tutor online from home, you will use our simple virtual classroom. An Action Tutoring staff member is present in every single session to manage the technical platform and assist with pupil attendance. You just focus on the conversation.
- Zero cost to you: We cover 100% of the cost of your Enhanced DBS check and reimburse travel expenses up to £5 per session for our face-to-face school programmes.
The hidden benefits of tutoring in retirement
Giving back isn’t just a win for the pupils; it’s a powerful investment in your own health and social life. Studies show that engaging in structured, meaningful volunteer tasks during retirement helps to:
- Keep the mind sharp: Explaining problems simply activates cognitive pathways and sharpens mental agility.
- Combat social isolation: Meet a vibrant, diverse community of fellow tutors during our weekly post-session tea and coffee debriefs.
- Boost daily structure: Provides a rewarding, routine anchor to your week that fits perfectly around your travel plans or family commitments.
What our retired tutors say
I love how tutoring helps pupils discover their likes and what interests them. It’s brilliant chatting to pupils about their favourite football team or music they listen to.
Each session always feels well-run. It’s great how much Action Tutoring wants every pupil to succeed.
As an online tutor, the support of the coordinators and the tech team are invaluable – and always available. Post-session debriefs and ongoing training modules enable tutors to get together and get to know each other. There is always someone who has dealt with issues before, to offer advice etc.
I’m learning a new skill really. I did not work with young people in my NHS work particularly.
Sometimes it seems as if pupils have become more confident and interested and that is the aim. A couple of the Year 6 girls told me they do maths invented problems at home for fun in the evenings.
Secure your spot for 2026-27
Register your interest today, and we’ll be in touch with the next steps. The full application form takes about 20 minutes to complete, and if successful, we’ll invite you to a 2-hour training session hosted on Zoom.
