The Access Project relies on the generosity of volunteers to make our mission a reality. More than 1,000 volunteer tutors work hard to help our young people raise their grades and get into top UK universities. Today, we’re sharing the story of Milly – a student at the University of Manchester – and how she started her volunteer tutoring journey.
Milly joined The Access Project in November 2022. She volunteers for one hour per week, tutoring GCSE English Language and English Literature.
Milly is a third year history student at the University of Manchester. She saw The Access Project as an opportunity to give back to a good cause.
Milly told us: “When I was in school, I found GCSEs stressful so I found it comforting to think I could help someone else get through theirs. I was also keen to break up my studies as a History student and teach something else I enjoyed”.
Now, Milly is in her second year of tutoring with The Access Project. Her relationship with her student has grown, and she feels an immense sense of rewarding helping her tutee succeed.
Milly said: “It was my first experience tutoring so I was worried I wouldn’t be good at it, but my student was very clear about what was helpful and what wasn’t so we could alter tutorials to suit her learning style. She has definitely gained confidence in the subject – and her results show it!”.
“It’s an amazing feeling to know you’ve helped someone. I would recommend it to anyone.”
But Milly’s volunteer tutoring journey goes beyond helping young people succeed. She’s also developed her own skills, which she has used during her studies at university.
She said: “I have definitely become more confident in myself and my abilities. It’s kind of like public speaking, the more you do it the less daunting it becomes and it’s now something I look forward to every week”.
Milly also enjoys the flexibility of the volunteer tutor role. “I find it quite easy to fit in planning tutorials around my work because it’s something I really enjoy. Just going to the library and spending an hour planning the lesson gets me in the mood to continue with my personal studies”, she told us.
And what’s next for Milly? After university, she wants to work in the charity sector, helping a good cause. She said: “The Access Project has definitely inspired this career path for me, purely because of the satisfaction that comes with the
volunteer role which has made me realise I want to continue that further into the future”.
“It’s an amazing feeling to know you’ve helped someone. I would recommend it to anyone”.
Volunteers like Milly are integral to the success of The Access Project. With Milly’s help, we’re achieving our mission to fight education inequality and increase young peoples’ chances of placing at a top university.
Student Volunteering Week at The Access Project
This Student Volunteering Week, we want to extend our thanks to our family of student tutors working alongside their studies to help our young people grow and succeed. We’re grateful for your support. Thank you for everything you do!