The power of university placement students in Action Tutoring
At Action Tutoring, we are incredibly fortunate to work with an amazing team of volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to supporting young people in their education. Among these volunteers, university placement students hold a special place. Their enthusiasm, fresh perspectives, and commitment to making a difference are invaluable to the work we do.
Over the last three years, we have had a significant number of university students volunteering with us as part of their placement module. These students typically complete between 20 and 150 hours with us over the course of an academic year. At present, we have 33 placement students from a range of universities, including Newcastle, Nottingham, Birmingham, Liverpool, East Anglia, Chester, Westminster, UCL, and Exeter. The degrees they are pursuing span a broad spectrum of disciplines, such as politics, marketing, maths, geography, accounting, education, pharmacy, art and history.
The impact of university placement students
University students bring a unique energy and insight to our programmes. With their up-to-date subject knowledge, ability to relate to pupils, and eagerness to develop their own skills, they make fantastic tutors. Their presence not only benefits the pupils they work with but also enriches the entire tutoring environment.
Placement students play a crucial role in tackling the attainment gap by supporting pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to build their confidence and academic abilities. They act as inspiring role models who help pupils develop essential skills, improve their subject knowledge, and gain motivation for future learning.
Lily Ainsleigh Jones, a university placement student from Newcastle University, shared her experience:
“One of the students I have been tutoring for the past six months has progressively improved in reading. Words which she would have struggled with in our first few sessions she is now easily skimming over. It’s great to see how much more confident she has become.”
Cameron Colbourne, another placement student, reflected on his journey:
“Volunteering with Action Tutoring has significantly contributed to my personal development. My communication skills, using my initiative and problem-solving skills have all improved profoundly from when I first started my first session.”
A two-way learning experience
The experience of volunteering as a tutor is just as valuable for the university students themselves. Many placement students come to us eager to gain hands-on experience in education, social impact, or community engagement. Through their time with Action Tutoring, they develop key skills such as communication, adaptability, problem-solving, and leadership – all of which are highly transferable to future careers.
Our structured volunteering programme ensures that students receive extensive training, support, and the opportunity to reflect on their experiences, allowing them to grow both personally and professionally. Lily reflected on her personal growth, stating:
“I believe it has allowed me to develop stronger communication skills as this is at the core of all tutoring. It has also contributed to my confidence – at first, it was quite daunting teaching young children, but the more I do it, the more confident I have become.”
The support we provide
We believe that the best tutoring experiences come from well-supported volunteers. That’s why we provide comprehensive training, resources, and guidance to all of our tutors, ensuring that placement students feel confident and equipped to support their pupils effectively. Our team is always on hand to offer advice, share best practices, and celebrate the successes of our tutors.
Additionally, placement students benefit from the opportunity to participate in additional activities, such as fundraising, marketing and blog-writing, developing professional skills in an impactful setting. This experience enhances their employability and helps them stand out in competitive job markets.
Join us!
If you’re a university student looking for a meaningful placement opportunity, Action Tutoring is the perfect place to make a difference. Not only will you contribute to tackling education inequality, but you’ll also gain invaluable experience that will benefit you long after your placement has ended.
Lily encourages others to get involved:
“Volunteering with Action Tutoring is probably one of the most rewarding experiences I do in my week, and it’s only an hour out of my week, with very flexible times. The support that Action Tutoring gives you is great – they are always ready to help you with anything you don’t feel comfortable with.”
We are immensely proud of the university placement students who join us each year, and we cannot wait to welcome more passionate, dedicated individuals to our team.
Together, we can transform futures – one tutoring session at a time.
If you’d like to apply for a volunteer placement, complete our application form on the ‘Volunteer’ page and tick the ‘I am a university placement student’ box.
Do you oversee student placements at a university?
If you’re interested in finding out how we can work together to create meaningful placement opportunities for your students, get in touch with our university partnership leads: volunteer@actiontutoring.org.uk.
