Inspire the next generation into STEM careers by volunteering one hour of your time per week
STEM Volunteering

STEM volunteering

We are looking for people with backgrounds in STEM to help disadvantaged students beat the odds and secure a place at a top university. Science and maths subjects are in high demand so we need your expertise for just one hour a week during term-time to inspire a new generation of young people to pursue STEM subjects at university.

Not only that but you will also:

  • Support someone to get as much out of the education system as you have
  • Be a positive role model: make a significant, lasting impact on a young person’s future
  • Gain valuable tutoring experience and enhance your CV
  • Enhance your communication, mentoring and planning skills.
Students on the tutoring charity programme

You’re just a few clicks away from transforming a young person’s life as a volunteer tutor.

Why become a volunteer tutor?

“I was starting to hate Physics. I was seeing no progress and it was frustrating. She [my tutor] explained everything perfectly. If I didn’t understand she’d find an easy way to explain. I started to understand the subject more. I don’t hate Physics any more.”
Nafees, Year 13 student

“You tutoring our students makes a world of difference to them. It is not just about what you explicitly teach them, but the journey you have been on to get where you are. This is highly inspirational and motivational for our students and helps to set them on the path to their own journey. Do not underestimate your influence in transforming our students’ lives. You matter. Thank you.”
Su Wardrop, Deputy Head, Lilian Baylis Technology School

Join over 1,100 people like you who are volunteering with us across the UK right now. Opportunities are filling up fast so start your volunteer tutor journey today!

Frequently asked questions

Where does The Access Project operate?

We work in over 30 schools in London, Birmingham and the Black Country, North Nottinghamshire and West Yorkshire, supporting over 1500 students. All tuition is delivered online via our online tuition platform, so volunteers can be based anywhere in the UK.

How do I help?

As a volunteer tutor, you’ll be paired with a 14-18-year-old student to support them to achieve their potential in one of their GCSE or A level subjects. In a weekly tutorial session, you will address the topics that their teacher thinks would be most helpful for them.

What qualifications do I need?

All volunteers need to be either a graduate or studying at university to tutor.

You can tutor at GCSE if you have an A level (grade B or higher) in the subject.

If you want to tutor at A level, you’ll need an undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification in the subject. You can also tutor a subject if your degree is in a related field (for example you can tutor English if you studied Law).

 

How does online tutoring work?

You’ll use our dedicated online platform so that your sessions can be engaging and interactive whilst keeping you and your student safe. You’ll be able to talk with and see your student using your webcam, share documents and work collaboratively using a virtual whiteboard.

We offer training to ensure that you and your student are both comfortable using the platform. We also provide students with any hardware they need to make the most of online sessions.

Do I need specific equipment to tutor online?

Our dedicated online tutoring platform can be accessed via your internet browser and we will provide you with complete user guides, access to webinars and more information at your training session. 

We recommend you have the following to be able to tutor online: 

  • Access to a PC, laptop or tablet
  • A stable internet connection
  • Be familiar with using video chat or online conferencing platforms, and how to share documents online
  • A quiet space without distractions (you may wish to use headphones)
  • For optimal experience, we recommend using Google Chrome as your browser when tutoring.

Our dedicated team will be there to support you with any questions or issues you have when tutoring.

What subjects can I tutor in?

We are looking for volunteer tutors in the following subjects, to coincide with the subjects taught at our partner schools…

GCSE and A Level: Biology, Chemistry, English, French, Geography, History, Maths, Physics, Spanish

A Level only: Economics, Politics, Psychology

We currently have a high demand for English, Maths and Science tutors at both GCSE and A-Level. 

How much time does it take?

You’ll need to be able to tutor for an hour a week during a school year. We also recommend that you prepare for at least 30 minutes ahead of each tutorial. Obviously, holidays and illness mean sometimes you will have to postpone a session, but the aim is for one a week.

Will I get any training?

We’ll make sure that you’ve got all the information you need to feel confident when you start tutoring. You’ll need to complete a Safeguarding Children course and we will also invite you to attend our online training session. We’ll guide you through lesson planning, show you where you can find resources and share tips to make your sessions fun, engaging and effective.

How do I get started?

It’s really easy to get started. All you need to do is:

  • Fill in our sign-up form online and tell us a bit about your education and your reasons for volunteering
  • Supply two character references
  • Complete our online safeguarding course. You will receive a CPD accredited certificate upon completion
  • Attend a 2.5 hour online training session
  • Complete a DBS check, which is organised for you by us.
When can I apply?

You can apply at any point during the year, but tutoring takes place between September and July. We train the majority of our volunteers in summer and autumn.

Can I apply if I don't have a degree?

We welcome applications from students currently at university to tutor at GCSE. However, as so much of our programme is focussed on university entry, we feel that having this experience is really important for our tutors. We won’t be able to accept your application if you are currently on a gap-year, but we’d love to hear from you once you start your university course!

Can I volunteer if I don’t live in the UK?

At this time, we can’t accept applications from volunteers who live outside the UK. We need all our tutors to have a DBS certificate, for which you need to have lived in the UK for at least three months. We would love to hear from you again if you move to the UK in the future.

“My ability to digest and explain complex ideas in simple terms has improved dramatically. There are definitely times when I think I’ve learnt just as much, if not more, than my student!”

Samuel, Access Project Tutor

“People from every background have their abilities and talents – it’s really naff if it’s limited by where they live, where they go to school, and what their parents do.”

Clare, a current volunteer tutor, who is a software engineer in an investment company

    Contact info

    The Access Project,
    First Floor, Canopi-Borough,
    7-14 Great Dover Street,
    London,
    SE1 4YR

    020 4513 5999
    info@theaccessproject.org.uk

    Media enquiries:
    line: 020 4513 5999 (available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm)
    media@theaccessproject.org.uk

    The Access Project safeguarding line: 020 4513 5999 (available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm)

    NSPCC 24 hour line:
    0808 800 5000

      Contact info

      The Access Project,
      First Floor, Canopi-Borough,
      7-14 Great Dover Street,
      London,
      SE1 4YR

      020 4513 5999
      info@theaccessproject.org.uk

      Media enquiries:
      line: 020 4513 5999 (available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm)
      media@theaccessproject.org.uk

      The Access Project safeguarding line: 020 4513 5999 (available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm)

      NSPCC 24 hour line:
      0808 800 5000