Tutors Help Youth Achieve Their Educational Goals
January 24 has been designated by the United Nations as International Day of Education. Their website states, “Education is a human right, a public good, and a public responsibility. Leadership is essential for quality education, seen as the second most important factor influencing learning outcomes.”
Among our amazing community of volunteers, are those who tutor youth in a variety of subjects.
To learn more about tutoring at Covenant House Vancouver (CHV), we chatted with Maissa, Coordinator of Volunteer Services.
Could you explain the difference between tutors and the Mentorship Program?
Tutors help support educational goals, while mentors support a young person by demonstrating positive relationships with a community member. Youth and mentors are matched based on similar interests or perhaps employment goals. Mentors do not tutor youth while in that role.
How did this tutoring service start?
It has been available on a case-by-case basis for several years. Recently, this type of volunteer support has seen an increase in need by the youth population, especially since we have seen an influx of youth that were newcomers to Canada, who needed help with adjusting to their new schools.
How long has this service been running?
The tutoring service has been available since 2018, but we have seen increased requests by youth, since the spring of 2024.
Can you share how the tutoring service has impacted youth?
The youth greatly appreciate the help that they have received from our volunteer tutors. Young people learn new study methods and improve their understanding of the subject that they are seeking help with.
How many tutors do you currently have? Does it fluctuate depending on time of year (school vs. summer)?
We currently have 14 tutors. A few of them are students themselves, who are working on their bachelor’s or master’s degrees, so their availability may change depending on the school semester.
Anything else that you would like others to know about tutoring or why it is important?
Tutoring at CHV helps youth build confidence, improve academic skills, and unlock opportunities for a brighter future. It’s a powerful tool for overcoming challenges and achieving success in life.
Are we in need of more tutors? If so, any subjects in particular?
We always welcome more tutors, so that we can meet a youth’s needs immediately! We’d like more tutors who could help with varied science subjects, social sciences, or foreign languages.
A Tutor Shares Her Experiences
One of CHV’s volunteer tutors was kind enough to share her tutoring experience.
I am a retired school administrator who has worked in public and private schools in Ontario, BC, and China. My education credits include a BASc, BEd, Med, and EdD.
I began volunteering at CHV in 2022, in the kitchen. While I enjoyed the team and admired their work ethic, in 2023, I came to the realization that my training as a home economist teacher and school administrator was not well aligned for me as a volunteer in a commercial kitchen. I was then asked, in the summer 2024, to lead a Conversation Circle with refugee youth, whose first language was not English. The amount of youth that attended fluctuated, but in the end, only one young person was keen for me to tutor her in the English classes that she was taking. I continue to tutor her in English, and occasionally in math.
I chose to volunteer at CHV because I have enjoyed working with youth throughout my entire career and this was a way that I could give back. I have learned so much from the young person that I am currently working with. She is very ambitious and will do well. She asked to move our tutoring time to 8:00am on Saturdays to accommodate her work schedule, and she is never late.
The highlight for me was just last week when this young person said that she was not feeling great when she came into the session, but at the end felt much better and was looking forward to the rest of her day.
I would recommend volunteering at CHV, without reservation.
If you are interested in tutoring young people, or volunteering in other areas, please visit our volunteer page for more information and to connect with us.
Thank you to our amazing volunteers who are helping today’s youth prepare to be tomorrow’s leaders.