It’s Student Volunteering Week, and we’re taking this opportunity to celebrate all of the 134 student volunteer tutors who are giving up their time to support our young pupils.
Today we meet Jim, who is studying at The Queen’s College Oxford.
I applied to be a tutor with The Access Project because I thought it would be a good opportunity to challenge myself and get better at teaching in a way that has the potential to make a valuable impact on another person – which is the hope!”
Jim began tutoring last November and is currently tutoring two pupils: a Year 10 pupil in Physics and a Year 11 pupil in Maths.
Jim reflected on the most rewarding part of his volunteering.
“It may seem obvious to talk about how the moment that you sense a student really understands something is the most rewarding part of the experience, but there is a reason why the obvious answers are obvious! Another thing I have found is that preparing for sessions gets you asking yourself interesting questions about the fundamentals of your subject, as you try to explain things from the perspective of someone who isn’t used to hearing them yet.”
Jim encourages other students to consider applying to be a volunteer tutor for The Access Project.
“I think it is definitely a worthwhile and rewarding way to spend a little bit of time each week. I have also found that my communication and presenting skills have improved more than I anticipated.”
Could you be a volunteer tutor? The Access Project supports talented young pupils who may have faced barriers to a fair education by offering academic tuition and mentoring. They are running online information sessions throughout Student Volunteering Week.