McAuley Learning Support is changing the lives of both the children it supports and its volunteers

“I really do see the value of education,” says McAuley volunteer Maryanne. “The program felt like somewhere I could fit in and start giving value straightaway. It was a great match.”

This sentiment is echoed by many of the McAuley Learning Support volunteers who, alongside McAuley staff, support children who have escaped family violence and left everything behind, to remain engaged with their education and to help them deal with the trauma in their lives.

“We know that the impacts on children who have left family violence, particularly their education and wellbeing, are deep and lasting,” says McAuley Volunteer Coordinator Kirsty Manning. “They become disengaged from school and fall behind their classmates and they struggle socially.”

Through McAuley Learning Support, skilled volunteer tutors, trained in trauma informed practice, tailor education programs and their approach to meet the age and specific needs of each child. McAuley provides each child with a laptop to connect with volunteers and securely engage in online learning.

“The program is very special in that our volunteers help women and children to move toward better lives while also gaining a unique and valuable personal experience,” says Kirsty.

To ensure that the learning journey is well supported, tutors also work with mothers and primary carers to ensure that they are engaged in their child’s learning process and that routines are supported between sessions.

Last year, a group of 19 McAuley volunteer tutors supported 22 children across almost 270 tutoring sessions, a number that is expected to grow as the number of women leaving family violence also increases.

“Our volunteers are the lifeblood of the Learning Support program,” says Kirsty “They are all ages and come from all walks of life, and their individual experiences bring a unique set of skills to the role. One thing they have in common is that they all want to give back and support others.”

Maryanne, who has supported six children in the six years she has volunteered with McAuley Learning Support, says her desire to give back is exactly why she continues her work with McAuley.

“That sense of fulfilment is so important in life, especially as I’m growing older. McAuley has been one of the biggest sources of giving me that sense of fulfilment, in what I do, in my value, in my skills. That’s priceless for me,” says Maryanne.

Many tutors also discover through the course of their volunteering that they benefit personally from their work, far more than just ‘giving back’ to their community.

“Many of our volunteers talk about how their work here at McAuley has facilitated their own personal growth,” says Kirsty. “The benefits of helping others is endless. It’s not only meaningful and enjoyable, but it is also a great way to build relationships and improve your mental health and wellbeing.”

Maryanne has found similar benefits through her weekly online lessons with students.

“Through volunteering I feel more confident in who I am as a person and what I have to offer the world, and that has made the biggest difference for me.”

The program is one of many volunteer opportunities available at McAuley.

“We work with volunteers broadly right across McAuley, from fundraising to food preparation to education support”, says Kirsty “We seek to understand their motivations and interests and work hard to ensure volunteers have meaningful roles and are the right fit fir us.”

Caroline, a full-time student who originally began volunteering with McAuley helping with evening meal preparation and Christmas fundraising, found that she needed a role with more flexibility and so found a tutoring position with the Learning Support team.

“I appreciated McAuley’s flexibly and their willingness to change my volunteer role to fit my uni schedule. Working with the learning support program is so rewarding. To be able to do what I can to help others with the knowledge that I have gained through my everyday life and my studies so far is a great feeling,” she says.