Why Anna and Kathy volunteer at Learning Club

“It was exactly what I was looking for,” she says.

For two years now, Kathy has helped students at a Learning Club in Perth. She enjoys helping students expand on what they’re learning at school.

“It astounds me how inspiring these kids are,” she says.

Kathy tries to make Learning Club exciting and attractive for the students. She recently had fun putting together a box of bark and leaves in which she also hid small toys for her students.

They then used chopsticks to search for the toys in the box. The activity develops their fine motor skills and gets them interested and involved as they search for the hidden treasures.

“I like to think of ways to engage the students,” she says.

Kathy finds it rewarding to see just how eager the students are to learn.

“I like hearing from them and finding out what interests them,” she says. “And I like sharing my passion, enjoyment and excitement for learning.

“The children come in ready and raring to go.” 

Kathy is a member of a VIEW Club where she met Anna, another passionate Learning Club volunteer.

A few years after joining VIEW, Anna’s husband passed away. As her grandchildren were grown up, she was looking for a new way to keep busy and make a difference.

Anna’s curiosity was sparked when she heard a local Learning Club needed volunteer tutors, but she lacked confidence. Anna is originally from Croatia, so English is not her first language. She had been a paralegal in her career, not a teacher.

“Although I’m an experienced mother and grandmother, I didn’t know if I would have the skills to be a suitable volunteer,” she says.

Despite these doubts, Anna trained to become a Learning Club tutor. For two years now, she has tutored students after school one day a week.

“Some children have difficulty learning and concentrating,” she says. “But it’s really rewarding. I can be another person in a child’s life who cares about them and their learning.”

Anna loves helping at Learning Club and suggests others who are interested should give it a try.

“The schools are always looking for volunteers,” she says. “If I can make the slightest difference to a child’s life then it’s worth it.”

To find out more about VIEW Clubs go to view.org.au