Food bank and Tuition- practical idea or not?

[coralpig]

I watched the Growing up Poor documentary on C4 and it made me wonder about the many children struggling to revise for their exams. I'm a full time English teacher and have tutored privately for many years too. Is there an opportunity at a food bank for a volunteer to tutor children in the evenings? The local ones near me all seem to be open 10-3 only on weekdays. If anybody does this or similar or volunteers at a food bank how do you do so if you work full time?

Thank you

You'd be best phoning up your local food banks and asking them directly. They'll know if it's feasible or if there are other charities nearby which provide tutoring.

I was a “volunteer tutor” a few years ago with a local voluntary association, where I went to the homes of children who needed extra help with their school work, but couldn’t afford private tuition. If you look up volunteering opportunities in your area, I imagine there would be something similar.

You could see if your local library would like you? Mine has/had homework club two afternoons a week and advertises for 'homework helpers'

There is a community cafe in my town that advertises for people with any useful skills to run free sessions like you’ve suggested. They provide the premises and advertise to the people they serve. A friend in a different part of the country does something similar to what you’ve suggested at her near east community cafe. It might be worth googling to see if there is somewhere like that near you.

Offer a homework club at a set time at the library and advertise via the food bank and local school?

That's a lovely, kind thing to want to do OP.

There's a couple of projects (at least in London) offering free tutoring to disadvantaged pupils, many of them partner with major tutoring platforms. Just google "volunteer as a tutor" and you'd most likely find something suitable.

This is one of the nicest things I've read on here. Thank you for being lovely OP x

My local food bank has partner agencies and they tend to be able to get in touch with other services (ie they put on facebook when a local family is looking for particular clothes, furniture etc) so maybe start by asking the food bank?

What a wonderful thing to do, how kind you are.

What a lovely idea! This could be the start of a national movement. I salute your imagination and generosity.

Such a kind thing to do OP. 🥰

Lovely, OP. I hope you make a difference in many childrens' lives. Kudos to you.

This is such a great idea! I volunteer at a food bank and had never considered this before so will chat to them next time I’m in about whether they offer services like this (I have tutored before and would love to do this)

You are a good person, OP. Made my day reading this. 💐Maybe try local schools or community education dept?

I've often thought about how useful it would be to set up "homework cafes" as a charity. Cafes that are usually closed in the evening, offering snacks, tuition and study space in areas where kids need them. One day, when I have the money...

There is a local community cafe with a homework session. The kids can get a cheap hot meal and support after school. Library is in an adjacent building.

Someone i know offers voluntary tutoring in maths and english for KS3. She approached local schools and offered her services. I believe teachers at the school give her contact details to parents of children who are struggling but can't afford private tutoring. In return they offer the use of a room in the school a few evenings a week to coincide with other events at the school (a local keep fit club and slimming world use the school hall, 3 nights a week). May be worth looking into if you don't get anywhere with foodbank/library etc.

Not seen the program so maybe shouldn't comment, but tbh I really struggle with the idea of putting your kids and life on TV as 'poor' to be gawped at or pitied. How is that not emotional abuse? And why do people find it entertainment? Do people really need to see misery to figure out what it's like?

However Op your idea's lovely, and thank you for thinking about it, and apparently thought about as a result of seeing this stuff paraded, so I'm conflicted.

But, if anyone's serious please remember their are families in long-term difficulties who wont use food banks no matter how lean or desperate things get.
No reflection on those who do use them, just families trying to break a cycle, too worried about repercussions to use them.

My Dc's where never sent to breakfast clubs etc. When a (good) school offered to provide math's lessons tuition at another schools breakfast club, I sucked in and sent them.
We remain grateful for the quality education given and it made a major difference for one Dc.

But the hidden costs: they got less sleep and more demands to get there. I ate even less, and more importantly lowered the quality of what we had, to fill them up with unwanted Basics porridge and reduced white bread before they went, to ensure they didn't show up as hungry.

I'm not putting it well but I'd ask people to think about how to help educationally without people having to 'prove' their poverty.

My dad was a private tutor and specialised in supporting disadvantaged children (I believe he had local authority funding but sadly this was a long time ago). He found the work incredibly fulfilling and was able to see students who had been written off as no chance of passing their gcses come away with good grades. One pupil went from failing to winning the city prize for her results. He said she was the brightest child he'd ever met but no-one had ever believed in her before (her parents did but hadn't been supported).

So I think it could be a brilliant thing to do