Become a volunteer language tutor

Are you interested in helping others learn English? Do you have some spare time on weekdays?

TasTAFE is seeking people who would like to become volunteer language tutors for migrants in Hobart.

TasTAFE trains language tutors under the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), (funded by the Australian Federal Government’s Department of Home Affairs). The next six-week training program for volunteer tutors begins on 16 August, 2021.

After completing their training, volunteer tutors usually visit migrant ‘students’ in their own homes for around an hour each week. Many of the migrant students live in Hobart’s Northern suburbs, but also in other locations around Hobart. Tutors assist migrant students to learn speaking, reading and writing English, as well as establish important connections.

Volunteer tutor, Morgen Hughes, (pictured above with migrant student Ubah Mohamed) completed the training in May and says she finds the program very rewarding.

“I was having some time off from paid work, I saw the advertisement and I wanted to do something where I felt I could make a difference to somebody’s life.”

Ubah migrated to Tasmania from Somalia with her two young children. She says she wants to learn English so she can eventually study Nursing at TasTAFE.

‘I need more practice writing. I am so happy to have Morgen, I am learning a lot now.’

Whilst TasTAFE provides on-campus training through AMEP for migrants to learn English, there are many who are unable to attend classes due to health or mobility issues or caring responsibilities. This program aims to fill that gap.

Morgen commented that if people are able to make the commitment, she believes they will really enjoy the program and believes it’s very worthwhile.

“The training was good. I liked the mixture of workshops as well as online. It was really professionally done.”

Volunteer Tutor Scheme Administrator, Hiroko Kunimoto, says volunteer tutors can also play an important part in helping migrants settle into life in a new country.

“Whilst helping the student improve their language skills, the tutor incidentally helps them understand cultural differences, some Australian customs and way of living. They can become an important connection point to the society the migrants are trying to adjust to and embrace.”

If you have a genuine interest in helping migrants in the Hobart community, please email Hiroko at TasTAFE.Home.Tutor.ELS@tastafe.tas.edu.au for more information about this rewarding program.