Impact

Donate to our Big Give Christmas Challenge this Giving Tuesday

In 2012, in the heart of New York City, the seeds of Giving Tuesday were sown with a vision to inspire a wave of radical generosity and celebrate the act of giving. Since then, it has grown into a global movement, motivating millions to contribute their time and resources to charities and communities in need.

Each year, on November 28th, following the Thanksgiving festivities and the shopping frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday is commemorated with the hope that the spirit of giving will capture the attention of people who’ve just enjoyed a shopping spree, encouraging them to donate and volunteer.

Giving Tuesday marks the start of The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2023, which will run for one week until the 5th of December. Action Tutoring is taking part in the challenge for the fourth time, with our biggest target yet!

Our Big Give Christmas Challenge 2023

The Big Give Christmas Challenge is the UK’s largest match-funding campaign. A match-funded campaign consists of a “match-fund” pot that is used to double online donations made during campaign week. This means that one donation has twice the impact! 

Our target this year is bigger than ever – £6,000. From 28th November – 5th December, any amount we raise will be doubled from our pledge fund, generously added to by our pledgers and champion funders, the Scouloudi Foundation.

The raised amount will go towards vital programme delivery, providing pupils with high-quality workbooks and noise-cancelling headphones, and tutors with enhanced DBS checks.

#YouInspiredMe: The power of educators

Our 2023 Big Give Christmas Challenge is on the theme #YouInspiredMe, spotlighting the remarkable influence of teachers and tutors on the lives of young individuals and the enduring impact of their efforts well into adulthood. We want to thank these exceptional educators whilst recognising the importance of education during this festive time of giving.

We firmly believe that everyone possesses something unique to give, whether it’s their skills, knowledge, money, time, or simply their voice to champion a cause close to their heart.

The recent challenges with giving against the growing need

We all recognise that the past year has brought its own set of challenges. A global pandemic, rising inflation, and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have all put a strain on people’s capacity to give. According to the CAF’s 2023 UK Giving Report, giving has still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels and the cost-of-living crisis has led a quarter of people to alter their charitable behaviours or are planning on doing so. 

Volunteering levels have also declined, with 1.6 million fewer volunteers than five years ago.

Despite these challenges, our pupils need support more than ever. The academic attainment gap is at its widest in a decade and the demand for tutoring in schools continues to rise. We cannot stand idly by as disadvantaged children struggle to meet expected performance standards and face limited opportunities for future careers.

Your contribution, no matter how big or small, can make a lasting impact. This Giving Tuesday and for the Big Give Christmas Challenge, support us to ensure more children receive necessary academic support.

How to give and support our work

Donate to our Big Give Christmas Challenge on our campaign page from November 28th to December 5th. Don’t forget that your donation will be doubled! One donation equals twice the impact.

Volunteer as a tutor – You can tutor students in English or maths at primary or secondary levels, either online or in-person, dedicating just one hour per week.

If you’re unable to give your time or make a donation, you can still support our cause by spreading the word. Share this blog with friends, family, and on your social media platforms, using our hashtag #YouInspiredMe

As we celebrate Giving Tuesday, let’s continue to support the causes close to our hearts. Kindness and acts of generosity are essential to empowering children and young people to unlock their academic potential. Together, we can make a difference and inspire change.

Donating to children’s charities: A vital investment for a better future

Supporting causes that improve the lives of children and young people has a positive domino effect on their future life outcomes

There has been a 15% drop in people listing ‘children and young people’ as their favourite cause, as compared to a decade ago. This distressing news has been shared in a new report by nfpResearch in Charity Times. More alarmingly, it mentioned the decrease in favouritism for children’s causes may continue to dip.

Children and young people are one of the most vulnerable populations in society. In recent years, they’ve had to navigate unprecedented challenges of pandemic disruption to their education and rising cost of living. Yet, there appears to be diminishing support for children’s charities and the appetite for giving to related causes to improve the lives and outcomes of children.

Addressing the needs of children

Children’s charities tirelessly strive to provide essential resources – shelter, sustenance, educational support, and mental health assistance – to children in dire need. These causes serve as the poignant reminders of the stark realities faced by many children. They need the collective, national support and compassion by keeping the causes running in the best interest of every child, especially the disadvantaged.

Investing in children’s charities goes beyond philanthropy; it is a tangible investment in realising the boundless and infinite potential of the most innocent and marginalised among us to attain a more promising future.

The domino effect

The impact of support for children’s charities extends far beyond immediate assistance. Take the work we do at Action Tutoring for example – by equipping pupils with subject knowledge, confidence, and resilience through tutoring, we set them on a trajectory for greater lifetime success and increased potential earnings.

Statistics indicate that without passing SATs, only 28% of pupils attain national standards at the GCSE level, significantly limiting their future opportunities. Supporting charities like Action Tutoring offers underperforming and disadvantaged pupils the key to access opportunities that not only strengthen the UK economy but also cultivate a more productive workforce.

Additionally, with maths and English GCSE pass grades, young people extend their lifetime earnings which also has a positive effect on their physical and mental health in later life.

The aforementioned impact of access to better educational resources speaks to only one facet by which children’s charities can impact the lives of young people and their future. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been multifaceted and attacked the many vulnerabilities faced by children and young people all across the country. Supporting charities addressing their needs not only alleviates economic burdens on society but also represents an investment in a self-sustaining and prosperous future.

Consider the crucial work and profound impact of young people’s charities like Action Tutoring, who are dedicated to dismantling the chains of disadvantage that can reduce a child’s life chances.

How to help us

With Action Tutoring, your support can come in the form of volunteering as a tutor for an hour a week, making a donation, helping to fundraise, or advocating for better policies to support the disadvantaged young people we serve. 

By donating as little as £6, you can provide one of our pupils with a workbook to help them build critical maths skills. Alternatively, donating just one hour per week of your time can profoundly impact a child’s grades ahead of their life-changing exams.

Children and young people need your support today more than ever. Renew your love for causes that impact their lives to help break the cycles of disadvantage that children are often born into.

Could you make your gift go further? #TickTheBox

Could you help us make £1.25 out of £1 by ticking the box for Gift Aid?

Gift Aid is one of the simplest and most effective ways of giving to charity. When a UK taxpayer makes a donation to a charity, that charity is eligible to receive an additional 25% of the donated amount. 

The arrangement serves as a tax relief mechanism benefiting charities in the UK, ultimately boosting contributions without any additional cost to the donor.

What is Gift Aid awareness day?

5th of October each year is Gift Aid Awareness Day. This is an initiative run by the Charity Finance Group to raise awareness of the importance of Gift Aid.

Why you should #TickTheBox

Action Tutoring is registered for Gift Aid, allowing us to claim an extra 25% on every donation from His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC). But this is only possible when donors tick the Gift Aid box. 

If you are eligible for Gift Aid and can tick the box, your donation could go even further. Gift Aid can add up to substantial amounts and really makes a difference at Action Tutoring and to the lives of the young people we support.

“When you #TickTheBox, we get an extra 25% donation at absolutely no cost to the donor. If you do pay tax, it’s such an easy way to support your charity of choice without any extra effort. It helps us to do more of the great things we already do! I always #TickTheBox when I donate to any cause I care about. As a fundraiser, I know what a difference it makes to charities,”

Hannah O’Neill, Head of Philanthropy at Action Tutoring

Donating to Action Tutoring with JustGiving

You can donate to Action Tutoring through JustGiving. After you have entered your donation amount and confirmed that the donation is your own money, you will be asked to add Gift Aid and tick the box.

Donating to Action Tutoring by bank transfer

If you are donating via bank transfer, or have a direct debit with us and would like to add Gift Aid, it’s really simple.

Just reach out to our Fundraising Coordinator, Molly, on molly.cottrill@actiontutoring.org.uk, to ask for a Gift Aid Declaration form, which only takes a couple of minutes to fill out.

Thank you for your donations and support

Your support for Action Tutoring is invaluable and we couldn’t provide our vital tutoring service without you. Gift Aid can make your support go further, allowing us to help more disadvantaged young people to reach their academic potential.

“We use the extra donations to support our pupils even further. Donations and Gift Aid help us provide more pupils with workbooks, headphones and access to our online classroom, with every high-quality tutoring session moving them closer to success in key exams,”

Hannah O’Neill, Head of Philanthropy at Action Tutoring

If you cannot add Gift Aid, your donation still creates a lasting impact, and we value every contribution you can make.

Please refer to this link for more government guidance on Gift Aid eligibility and conditions.

Action Tutoring wins £1,000 Movement for Good Award

Action Tutoring has been selected to receive a £1,000 donation as part of Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards. This gesture was made possible by nominations from the public, showcasing the widespread recognition and support for the education charity’s valuable work.

Now in its fifth year, Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards aims to contribute over £1 million to various charities. Action Tutoring’s selection highlights its commitment to empowering young learners and making a positive impact on their education and life chances.

Expressing gratitude for this recognition, Head of Philanthropy at Action Tutoring, Hannah O’Neill said,

“We are immensely grateful to everyone who nominated us for the Movement for Good Award. It is heart-warming to see the public’s belief in our mission and our positive impact. This award is a recognition of the dedication of our team, volunteers, and supporters who work tirelessly to improve outcomes for disadvantaged young people.”

The funds will be directed toward providing additional workbooks and training more volunteer tutors to support young people in maths and English. The donation translates into the equivalence of purchasing 166 workbooks or training over 300 tutors online.

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive at Benefact Group, said:

“We would like to thank every single person who took the time to nominate a good cause as part of our Movement for Good Awards. We know that £1,000 can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do and we’re looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better.”

With the continued funding and support from organisations like the Benefact Group, Action Tutoring can continue making a significant difference in the lives of disadvantaged young people, fostering a brighter future for generations.

Action Tutoring provides tailored maths and English tuition to pupils facing disadvantage in Years 5, 6, 7, 10, and 11 to pass their SATs and GCSEs. Trained volunteers tutor pupils through weekly one-hour sessions, online or face-to-face in partner schools.

‘Thank You’ notes from pupils that warmed our hearts in spring term

We can think of thousands of reasons why working with children brings us joy, purpose, and fulfilment. But what’s even more heart warming is when the children you support recognise your impact on their lives and share inspiring thank-you notes of appreciation. Thank you, tutors!

Despite the odd challenge of managing children during sessions, their boundless energy, honesty and humour keep us all going.

Watching pupils grow in subject knowledge and confidence is even more motivating for our volunteers who spend an hour each week to help them improve their English and maths skills.

With summer term just beginning, let’s throwback to some of the remarkable words and notes of gratitude some pupils shared with our volunteers and programme team in schools last term.

1. Being a child’s favourite grey-haired person is indeed a compliment!

2. Sometimes, playing is learning and learning is playing. Finding the best approach for every child is essential.

3. Appreciation in poetry

4. Group high-5 for Brenda

5. World’s best!

6. The best tutor award goes to…

7. Is there anything like positive anger?

8. Tutoring goes beyond knowledge. Changes behaviours and attitudes too.

9. Levelling up

10. Certainly a good use of time!

Why we do what we do

These words of appreciation and witnessing a pupil grow from strength to strength are why we do what we do.

Why not join us and shape a child’s future by volunteering an hour a week to help them improve their academic performance in English or maths?

Passing on my love for learning through volunteer tutoring

As far back as I can remember, I’ve had a real thirst for learning. I have vivid memories of my dad obliging in taking me, a far-too-keen seven-year-old, to WHSmith on a Saturday morning to get my hands on those KS2 English and Maths work booklets – the type where you could treat yourself to a gold star upon getting an answer right. I loved my time in school and always tried to achieve my best in class, whether it was my favourite or least favourite subject.

For this love of learning, I’m both grateful and aware of my privileged position – as this is not always the case. Not all children are lucky enough to enjoy learning or to revel in the time that they spend in school, and there are many reasons for this. One of the biggest is that not all children begin at the same starting point in life as not all are able to easily access or utilise the tools that can support them through the education system.

Whilst I’ve never aspired to become a teacher or educator due to writing being my passion, in the six years since graduating from university with a Media and Communications degree and working as a copywriter and content specialist with charitable and educational organisations, I’ve seen from a distance the impact that the pandemic and budget cuts have had on pupils’ education.

In fact, the attainment gap between pupils facing disadvantage and their peers is currently at its widest for ten years, with just 43% of disadvantaged pupils meeting expected standards in reading, writing and maths at primary school.

It’s these stark statistics that encouraged me to do what I could to help give back and pass on my love for learning and language. After hearing about a friend’s experience volunteering with Action Tutoring, I applied to be trained as a volunteer tutoring English in late 2021.

By January 2022, I was supporting two Year 6 pupils to prepare for their SATs at a primary school in Newcastle and it quickly became the highlight of my week. Finding ways to engage the two boys in my group and demonstrate how important strong literacy and writing skills are, not just for school and exams, but to also get more enjoyment out of the content that they might play, read or listen to in day-to-day life was challenging at times – but it was a challenge I definitely relished.

Following their exams, I was delighted to learn in the summer that both pupils had gone on to surpass the marks they needed to ‘meet expectations’ – a real reward for both pupils, who I’d known had possessed the determination and ability to succeed. It’s also great that Action Tutoring shares with you this detail of how your pupils do in their SATs, as this gives you a real sense of fulfilment that you’ve helped to perhaps play a small role in this.

I then moved on and began tutoring two Year 5 pupils throughout the summer months, who I continue to tutor today – the girls are now just three months out from taking their Year 6 SATs. Again, it’s brilliant to see the progress that they’ve made in a relatively short space of time.

Perhaps my favourite thing about tutoring is that not only am I helping the pupils to learn, but they’re also helping me to develop professionally and personally.

They’ve helped me to strengthen my essential skills such as listening, facilitating discussion and giving constructive feedback. They’ve also filled me in on all of the curriculum changes since I was at school – what they’re currently learning or reading, and the reasons why they are important.

Last but certainly not least, they’ve also helped me to substantially improve my hangman skills – a game that is an ever-popular hit as a cool-down activity within our school’s sessions!

I’m grateful that Action Tutoring has provided me with this opportunity to pass on my own knowledge and love for learning to the next generation. After all, knowledge is power – but we must ensure that all children across the country are provided with an equal opportunity to succeed and achieve their dreams.

Author: Samantha Lade

Become a volunteer tutor with Action Tutoring and help disadvantaged children improve their academic strength and build a better future. With just one hour a week, you can volunteer to tutor pupils in English or maths at primary or secondary level, online or in-person. No previous teaching experience is required and we will provide you with all the resources you need.

Our 2021-22 Impact Report demonstrates the effectiveness of tutoring in improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils

We have released our 2021-22 Impact Report, with the aim of highlighting the scale, and impact of our tutoring programmes in our mission to unlock the potential of disadvantaged young people and help tackle the attainment gap. The report details the growing expansion in our tutoring delivery to hard-to-reach areas, the relative improvement in the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils receiving our tutoring support, and the challenges of Covid-19 on education.

In the 2021-22 academic year, we supported the highest number of pupils in the charity’s history, with 6,159 pupils receiving 67,800 hours of tutoring, delivered by our volunteer tutors. A total of 586 pupils received tutoring support in both maths and English.

Through our inspirational volunteers, we are devoted to positively transforming the future prospects of pupils facing disadvantage who need our support the most, in a challenging climate of stretched school budgets, high pupil absences, the widest attainment gap in a decade, and the rising cost of living, among others. We’ve expanded geographically via our virtual programmes to new areas including Portsmouth, Corby, Chester, Middlesex, and Rotherham.

Susannah Hardyman, founder, and CEO of Action Tutoring

Key highlights of the Impact report include:

• 2,345 volunteer tutors delivered tutoring in partnership with 147 schools
• Compared to the 53% of disadvantaged pupils who passed GCSE maths nationally, the report shows that 72% of disadvantaged pupils tutored by the charity passed their GCSE maths – despite these pupils having been through two challenging years of pandemic disruption and being at risk of not achieving a passing grade.
• Our analysis shows that primary pupils supported by the charity were more likely to achieve the expected standards than other disadvantaged pupils across the country — by 8 percentage points in maths and reading.
• Pupils who took Action Tutoring sessions in Year 10 were more likely to pass in that subject at GCSE, compared to other Action Tutoring pupils who did not — 11% more likely in English and 27% more likely in maths.
• 69% of pupils Action Tutoring supported were eligible for Pupil Premium funding – a government grant given to reduce the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils

According to the Department for Education, the attainment gap is at its widest in a decade at both primary and secondary levels. Tutoring remains one of the tangible solutions to help narrow that gap, as our Impact Report effectively shows.

Volunteer tutoring is at the heart of the substantial impact of Action Tutoring in the last year, as it seeks to bolster access to equitable and inclusive education. Since officially registered as a charity in 2012, about 11,500 dedicated volunteer tutors have supported over 26,000 primary and secondary school pupils.  The impact report is released on the heels of our receipt of The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award in December, which recognised the service and impact of its inspiring volunteer tutors on disadvantaged young people across England.

Against the backdrop of the long-term challenges from the pandemic, the report also draws attention to the significant impact of Covid-19 on education and how it has hit disadvantaged young people the hardest. We are dedicated to reaching more disadvantaged pupils by partnering with schools and ensuring tutoring is embedded into the education system to give all pupils facing disadvantage, the opportunity to succeed academically.

Because of You campaign celebrates the impact of volunteer tutors on pupils

Lyron’s dream of becoming a successful singer and actor in the future fuels his passion for singing in the church choir and exploring theatre. The primary six pupil at Comber Grove School in London previously struggled with understanding mathematical concepts. After receiving tutoring support from Action Tutoring and constant motivation from his mother to keep practising maths, Lyron is experiencing a positive turnaround.

I feel more confident in maths now, which means I can ace my SATs. My tutor is very good at helping me to improve in the subject

Lyron

Tutors have helped improve the academic outcomes and confidence of many young people. The impact tutors have on pupils goes beyond grades, with many mentoring and sharing advice with young people to build their resilience and confidence and to encourage them to think about their future career paths. Every child deserves the best possible start in life and a learning environment that enables them to fulfil their potential. Tutors support the work of teachers to give children a stronger educational foundation to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow.

Through the Because of You campaign, Action Tutoring celebrates the marked difference volunteer tutors make to pupils through their selfless and dedicated commitment. Volunteers are the bedrock of Action Tutoring’s work and play a valuable role in driving the education charity’s purpose and impact. With the bigger goal of helping to narrow the stark academic attainment gap, Action Tutoring optimises the power of its passionate volunteers to support disadvantaged young people across the country.

The Because of You campaign comes hot on the heels of Action Tutoring receiving The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award last month, which recognised the service and impact of its inspiring volunteer tutors on disadvantaged young people across England. The award celebrates the fantastic work of Action Tutoring’s volunteers to empower young people and provide them with skills and opportunities.

Action Tutoring delivers tutoring through the support of its diverse pool of volunteers who come from a variety of different backgrounds, including university students, full-time or part-time employees from different sectors of business, and retired professionals. Not only do volunteers help pupils achieve better grades, but they also serve as positive role models by creating a supportive environment for learning and mentoring pupils to thrive in school and beyond. Last year alone, our volunteer tutors delivered a staggering 30,855 tutoring sessions, in-person and online, to support 6,159 primary and secondary pupils facing disadvantage.

Over the last decade, Action Tutoring has been delivering academic support to disadvantaged young people through the dedication of our volunteer tutors and in partnership with schools. With the support of over 11,500 dedicated volunteer tutors, the charity has supported over 26,000 primary and secondary school pupils since 2012.

Action Tutoring has been working to help narrow the academic attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their better-off peers at both primary and secondary levels – which is at its widest for ten years.

In the current challenging environment of the rising cost of living, volunteers continue to support pupils with their knowledge and skills to get a better start in life. Lyon is grateful to his tutor and all others for dedicating their time and efforts to create a better future for disadvantaged young people.

Thank you very much for helping me all through these months. You’ve been helping me to try and improve my maths. I hope because of you, I will ace my SATS and do very well. Thank you.

Lyron

Become a volunteer tutor with Action Tutoring and help disadvantaged children improve their academic strength and build a better future. With just one hour a week, you can volunteer to tutor pupils in English or maths at primary or secondary level, online or in-person. No previous teaching experience is required and we will provide you with all the tutoring resources you need.

Action Tutoring honoured with Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award

Action Tutoring has been honoured with The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award, recognising the service and impact of our inspiring volunteer tutors on disadvantaged young people across England. This one-off service award was created to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee and 20 years of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS). The aim is to celebrate fantastic work by national charities and their volunteers to empower young people and provide them with skills and opportunities.

Over the last decade,  Action Tutoring has been delivering academic support to disadvantaged young people through the dedication of our volunteer tutors and in partnership with schools. Since 2012, we’ve supported over 26,000 primary and secondary school pupils, with the support of over 11,500 dedicated volunteer tutors.

We are thrilled to have our work recognised by this award, particularly for the incredible service of our volunteers and the impact they have on the young people we support. We simply could not do what we do without them.

Susannah Hardyman, founder and CEO of Action Tutoring

The Jubilee Award recognises 20 national charities whose work empowers young people aged 16-25, with volunteers playing a pivotal role in delivering this. The award submissions were judged over the summer by an expert panel chaired by Sir Martyn Lewis CBE (Chair of QAVS). It included members from each UK nation as well as two youth representatives. His Majesty The King personally approved the 20 awardees, following the panel’s selection.

These awards highlight the indispensable role that the voluntary sector plays in targeting help, advice, and guidance where it is needed most. These awards should also be seen as a tribute to the millions of volunteers and donors who, in difficult times, provide the resources of time and money which contribute so powerfully to the social fabric of our country.

Sir Martyn Lewis CBE, the QAVS Chair

Volunteers are at the core of Action Tutoring’s work and remain an invaluable resource in driving our purpose and impact. We are tackling the stark academic attainment gap by optimising the power of our passionate volunteer tutors to specifically support disadvantaged young people across the country.

Action Tutoring is proud of its diverse pool of volunteers from different backgrounds and between the ages of 18 to 82,  including university students, full-time or part-time workers from different sectors of business, and retired professionals. The varied range of volunteer tutors, motivated by their selfless devotion to our mission, bring unique perspectives and experiences to improve the subject knowledge, confidence, and tolerance of the disadvantaged young people they support.

I never expected the sense of pride and accomplishment I would be feeling, not just for myself, but for the pupils experiencing academic progress. This volunteering opportunity has allowed me to contribute meaningfully to the education of young people, which has been so rewarding that I can’t even begin to express my gratitude.

Eve, a university student and Action Tutoring volunteer in Liverpool, said in a recent blog, sharing her tutoring experience.

In spite of the challenging backdrop of Covid-19, Year 6 children eligible for the Pupil Premium supported by Action Tutoring were more likely to achieve the expected standards in their SATs than other disadvantaged pupils across the country — by eight percentage points in both maths and reading — despite being considered at risk of not reaching these standards. This year’s GCSE results showed that 61% of disadvantaged pupils passed their English and 72% of disadvantaged pupils passed maths, after attending at least 10 tutoring sessions with Action Tutoring – notwithstanding being considered at risk of not achieving a passing grade and two challenging years of pandemic disruption.

From Action Tutoring to StreetGames, these 20 charities deliver outstanding work to help give young people the skills they need to grow and succeed.  Ensuring young people get the best possible start in life is a priority for me and the Government, and there is no more fitting way to celebrate these brilliant charities than a unique edition of the highest award for voluntary service.

Culture Secretary, Michelle Donelan

Action Tutoring has been working to help narrow the academic attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their better-off peers at both primary and secondary levels – which is at its widest for ten years. Tutoring is an intervention with proven impact to help narrow the gap and give disadvantaged young people a stronger head-start in life.

“This award and recognition will help us to reach new audiences and encourage more people to come forward and volunteer their time to help change the future prospects of thousands of young people across the country.”

Susannah Hardyman

Become a volunteer tutor with Action Tutoring and help disadvantaged children improve their academic strength and build a better future. With just one hour a week, you can volunteer to tutor pupils in English or maths at primary or secondary level, online or in-person. No previous teaching experience is required and we will provide you with all the resources you need.

How volunteer tutoring is helping me rediscover my purpose

“When I grow up I wanna be… A builder? A ballerina? A butterfly?!”

I knew I wanted to be the next Darcy Bussell when I was five years old. Pretty sure I was ‘dancing before I could even walk’. Or is that just what my nan used to tell everyone?

I have recently been fortunate to start volunteer tutoring with education charity, Action Tutoring, through a university placement scheme, teaching GCSE English at a school in Liverpool. As a student at the University of Liverpool, I feel this is a perfect set-up for me.

At first, I was a bit sceptical. I thought a group of 15-year-olds would question whether I was on the right side of the classroom and if I should actually be joining them. As at only 20 years old, I might not seem old enough to be the one tutoring the class. That was my first worry, then came what if I am actually just not good at this at all?

Don’t get me wrong, I did the training and the two-hour Zoom call had my undivided attention, but that is no comparison to sitting in a library with three 15-year-old pupils looking to you to offer them help and guidance. Safe to say, volunteering with Action Tutoring is a test for me to see if teaching is a profession I could genuinely see myself doing in the future. I mean, as soon as you say, “I study English at uni”, the question that usually follows is: “Do you want to be a teacher?”, so I thought I should give it a fair trial.

Of course, the tutoring resources provided by Action Tutoring have been helpful and all I have to do is work through them for an hour each week with assigned pupils. However, I feel like I wanted to provide more than that. I really wanted to walk into that school and change lives. Unsurprisingly it was a bit awkward at first but my pupil group is now doing extremely well. We’ve already come such a long way in the last five weeks we have been working together.

I never expected the sense of pride and accomplishment I would be feeling, not just for myself in keeping it together for over a month, but for the pupils experiencing academic progress. This opportunity has allowed me to contribute meaningfully to the education of young people, which has been so rewarding that I can’t even begin to express my gratitude.

To other undergrads out there, I can offer only words of wisdom based on my experience over the past several weeks.

I advise that you throw yourself into the whole tutoring experience – put time into preparing for the sessions, believe in your ability to teach other people, and revel in a chance to work on your social skills with the teens of today, which is a plus in itself.

Now I definitely don’t want to be Darcy Bussell, as glamorous as she is. Being a builder is out of reach as I complain about grating cheese, hence manual labour doesn’t seem to be the right fit for me. But you never know; when I graduate in eight months’ time, maybe I’ll go down the route of teaching to help young children achieve academic greatness, with a side of “Miss, when can we go home?” in there.

Author: Eve Wickham

Become a volunteer tutor with Action Tutoring and help disadvantaged children improve their academic strength and build a better future. With just one hour a week, you can volunteer to tutor pupils in English or maths at primary or secondary level, online or in-person. No previous teaching experience is required and we will provide you with all the resources you need.