By Sofia Chue (Impact Magazine)
Student volunteers at the University of Nottingham (UoN) are heading into the city’s schools, targeting those with lower social-economic backgrounds, to boost children’s academic experiences.
Anita Lebioda, 20, studying English and Hispanic Studies, teaches English as an additional language to Polish students aged 6 to 7 at Bentinck School in Hyson Green.
“I moved from Krasnik in the south east of Poland to Essex at one because my dad needed a job,” she says.
Every Summer Anita returned which meant she kept in close contact with her Polish relatives.
Her role is vital as she can closely identify with her students and ensure that they are understood. Reflecting on her personal experience learning English as a second language from an English teacher, she says: “The [language] barrier did not help at all.
“School is the place you build your confidence and find who you are. It stunts children when they’re not confident in the language they’re learning.”
Through volunteering at Bentinck School, Anita has noticed a direct correlation between the children who do not speak English as a first language and behavioural issues: “When I’m there I make sure they get their one-on-one time.”
Anita highlights the importance of feeling comfortable in both Polish and English identities: “Being bilingual means you have two personalities- establishing who they are in English, will allow the teachers to know them better.”
Faith Randles, 19, who is studying manufacturing engineering and originally from North Wales, is part of a project called Inspiring Women into Engineering. She organises and leads visits for year 10 girls.
“A lot of young girls do not consider a career in STEM; this opens them up to it,” she says.
She personally felt that same way when she was younger, the driving force in her interest in STEM was a similar outreach scheme to Inspiring Women.
“Within local schools seeing such impressive future prospects so close to home is inspiring and reassuring,” Faith adds.
She receives feedback that children have learned a lot more about engineering and that they have a piqued curiosity in STEM.
Eliza-Jane Still, 19, a UoN history student from Croydon, volunteers at a local primary school in Radford. She does guided reading with the year 6 class.
“I would help with reading comprehension and ask stimulating questions,” says Eliza-Jane. For her, seeing ‘underperforming’ students actively trying to improve their literacy skills highlighted the need for more paired reading.
Eliza-Jane believes reading can provide children the necessary ‘toolkit’ for higher education. “Having low literacy skills really stunts you, as reading, writing, and comprehension are fundamental to most academic degrees,” she adds.
“This programme relies on a bunch of students doing the same thing at different schools. It’s not completely on me. Together we all make a large impact.”
Olivia McCourt, 20, an American and Latin American studies student from Liverpool, volunteers at Nuestra Escuela school in Nottingham where she teaches 5 to 6 year-olds.
To her the volunteering placement has reciprocal benefits, as learning Spanish at a child’s pace is often recommended to her by her lecturers and helps enrich and solidify her basic vocabulary.
By always acting professionally, Olivia aims to combat stereotypes that students prioritise their own social lives above participating in their wider communities.
Katie Ryan, 19, History student from Winchester, volunteers at another local primary school in Radford assisting in literacy support.
“Two thirds of the kids are learning ‘English as an additional language’ and 75 per cent are from a minority ethnic background,” she says.
Working in a school where children fall below standard literacy expectations, Katie found it more challenging to motivate them to read.
As mentors, the student volunteers strive to establish trusting and familiar relationships to help the children gain confidence in their literacy skills.
Both Katie and Eliza-Jane volunteer for the same program which had an intense interview process. Eliza-Jane found there was an emphasis on ensuring you were not under the influence of alcohol during your working hours. For her, it was a reminder of the stereotypes students face.
Deborah Mafoua, 22, who studies mechanical engineering and is originally from France, is a Sports Ambassador at David Ross Sports Village. She delivers sports sessions to school groups from deprived areas. Deborah engages with children from primary school to sixth form and helps expose them to an alternate side of academic life.
She says: “The older children weren’t always as interested…but as long as 50 per cent found it enriching, that was enough for me.”
On her first day she also experienced verbal harassment.
“I have been losing weight recently, but when I was larger some of the older children would make snarky remarks,” she adds.
Poor behaviour can be a sobering reality of what it is like to work with children. Fortunately, Deborah was able to remain focused on her work and ensure all other students benefited from the session.
Student volunteers play a pivotal role in the Nottinghamshire community. Whether it’s literacy, STEM, sports or languages, students are helping to stimulate young minds, offer much-needed alternatives to regimented school curriculums, and smash student stereotypes.