A visit to the CAN Community Support's Homework Club
In 2015, The Readings Foundation is sponsoring Church of All Nations (CAN) Community Support. Readings staff members Bronte Coates and Mark Rubbo recently visited the organisation’s Homework Club. Bronte reports back.
CAN Community Support’s Homework Club provide homework, tutoring and literacy support to the many families and students from the local Carlton Housing Estates who attend CAN Community Support’s Family Learning Program. The majority of families and students involved come from the Horn of Africa and have limited access to literacy, computers and educational support.
Last week, Readings Foundation founder Mark Rubbo and I visited the Church where Homework Club takes place. We were both impressed by the enthusiasm of the staff and volunteer tutors.
After a short tour of the venue, and just as the clock hit 4pm, a children, teenagers, and volunteers began streaming through the door. While some people (i.e. me) might be daunted by the onslaught, Family Learning Programme Coordinator Connie Barone took it in stride and swiftly, coolly ensured everyone signed in properly and were assigned tasks.
The Homework Club in action
Connie was full of praise for the volunteer tutors (many of who are teachers-in-training) who told her they got a great deal out of the programme. I spoke briefly with one such tutor who confirmed what Connie had said; he said it was really worthwhile to meet people from different cultures and make connections with them.
I also chatted with Yirgalem Frezghi, who helps Connie to run the Homework Club. She described the Club as very important and beneficial for the African families on the estates, explaining that her own children have been using the service for years. When I asked what her favourite moment from Homework Club was she said that the outings during school holidays were a definite highlight: ‘In the past we’ve been to a lot of different attractive places in Victoria, and this year we went to Geelong adventure park. It was so fun.’
Like the tutor I’d spoken with, Yirgalem said she also enjoyed how the Homework Club was a chance to make a personal connection with others. And this visit, along with my other visits to other projects being sponsored by the Readings Foundation this year, reveals how vital these connections are.