The Homework Club at EYST with Lucy and Beth

What is Homework Club (HWC)?

The HWC provides free one-to-one tuition for young people aged 11-18 for one hour a week in the core subjects of Maths, English and Science, running from Monday to Thursday. This is provided by volunteers who we are continuously recruiting.

Adapting to Covid-19

The HWC used to be in-person tutoring at the EYST office. However, due to Covid-19 the switch was made to work online. Despite the pandemic having a negative impact on others it has only allowed The Homework Club to perform better and reach even more students. 

It has proved especially vital at this time when schools have not been open for months and our young people have not been able to get help with detailed questions. It's not only education that's needed but educators too. Our volunteers are amazing individuals who give up their time and expertise to help others access help with homework and study skills.

Lucy finding EYST

I found EYST from a poster I was checking on their window during a phase of unemployment. Then I bumped into the Project Officer and she took me in and gave me more information about the placement: right then I knew it was exactly what I was looking for.

From Placement to Team Lead

EYST has brought me a long way since my start in early 2019 on my placement and now I've progressed all the way to team lead. The biggest thing EYST did for me was to let my confidence shine through. The placement reaffirmed my value. This led me to become confident in the skills I already had.

My Role

It starts with me finding volunteers who want to be tutors. I talk to them about the tutor role, follow up references, and deliver volunteer inductions. Once a session is running I supervise the tutors to make sure everything is going fine during the one-on-one tutoring. I'm also the point of contact for all parties as this allows me to safeguard the children as well as the tutors. This includes making sure everyone's schedules are matching.

Beth's New Placement

One thing I always wanted to do was look after/care for children. Then I found EYST through an organisation called Communities for Work. Kind of following in Lucy's footsteps I've just started my placement.

At the start I didn't know much about what EYST was about but I knew they aligned with my morals and values of helping others in the community. Just like Lucy, my role is the same: I supervise the sessions ensuring safeguarding procedures are followed.

I'm learning so much at EYST especially my tech skills. And speaking to so many people has developed my speaking and listening skills. Just like Lucy, EYST has built my confidence. It's perfect as I get to work from home while still meeting a lot of people, getting to know colleagues and of course I also get a lot out of the work I do.

Making a Difference

EYST has made such a difference. Students who once were shy and not very engaged now ask the most questions and ask to do more and more. Our young people have always wanted to engage positively in their learning process and the positive, person-centred approach of the HWC enables them to do so: the aim always is to bring out their full potential.

It's not just the students who gain, EYST provides so much for us. And we are both placed into the exact roles we always wanted. We both enjoy working at EYST because we feel so comfortable working for an organisation which cares about the community we work for.