The COVID pandemic has hit some communities especially hard. We have heard many of the personal stories and tragic circumstances of small businesses and the ins and outs of professionals working from home.
But many of the challenges and hardships experienced by the majority of our community – working families, migrant communities and young people – don’t get the same coverage on TikTok or the evening news.
Many families lost jobs and income, many essential workers have lived daily with the anxiety of bringing COVID home, and of course many larger families have been especially stressed in supporting their children through more than a year of remote learning. The many months learning at home have been very challenging for children, young people and families, with many feeling isolated and disconnected from peers and communities.
These challenges have disproportionately affected many refugee and migrant children, youth, their families and communities, many who were already facing social and economic hardship, and/or isolation.
I have been working with African community organisations, local teachers and Victoria University academics, to establish a new volunteer tutoring program which seeks to provide support to African background families who are struggling to remain connected to their schooling during this time.
We hope to connect tutors with young people and their families to provide connections, improve student engagement, assist students with accessing and understanding their school IT programs, and improve communications with schools.
Families needing tutoring support can get in contact with Africause [harmony@africause.org.au].
We also invite people to participate as tutors in the program, and to work with us to help young people re-engage with their education, feel positive about their successes, and develop strategies to deal with challenges.
If you would like to volunteer some time to tutor, get in contact with Africause or myself.
