Volunteering at Literacy Victoria

Volunteers are the heart of Literacy Victoria. Without them, we would not be able to deliver our free programs and support our learners. The success of Literacy Victoria depends on its ability to maintain a network of volunteer tutors who are willing to devote time and knowledge, on a regular basis, to help those facing challenges with one or more aspects of basic literacy.

What do tutors do?

Volunteers provide one-to-one tutoring to learners who have a wide variety of literacy needs – reading, writing, math, and computer literacy to name a few.   Tutors are expected to set a regular meeting schedule with the learner they are paired with.   Tutors and learners agree on a plan, set goals, and work cooperatively to achieve those goals. 

How are tutors trained?

All potential tutors must attend a Core Tutor Training session, which is held approximately every 6 weeks throughout the year.  Tutors for every program at Literacy Victoria (Learners’ Network, Computer Lab, and Outreach Programs) attend the same training session. The Core Tutor Training is a day course (six hours) that covers goal setting, tutor resources, and learning styles. 

As the needs of our learners are varied and diverse, tutors may have additional training requirements specific to their program, which Literacy Victoria also provides.  Literacy Victoria staff is always available to offer advice and support to tutors.

What sort of people become tutors?

Like our learners, our tutors are a varied lot.  We have a number of tutors who have retired from full-time employment but are willing to share their knowledge, experiences, and skills with our clients.  We have tutors who also hold full-time jobs, and university-level tutors who want to make a contribution to society and have found this a rewarding and stimulating commitment.  Our staff is skilled at pairing compatible tutors and learners.

How often do tutors meet with their learners?

In order to see real progress, tutors and learners usually meet once or twice per week for an hour or more, although frequency is completely up to the learner-tutor pair to determine.

How long do learner/tutor relationships last?

We ask that our tutors be able to commit to a minimum of six months. That being said, the length of a tutoring relationship depends very much on the needs and the commitment of the learner.   If a learner requires help with a specific task, the relationship can be brief but effective.  Some highly successful relationships have been going on for years.

Where do tutors and learners meet?

Many matches choose to meet at the LV centre on Yates Street, which provides a very pleasant environment, with many resources including a library and computer lab.  Other matches meet at libraries, coffee shops, recreation centres, or other public settings that suit their schedule and preferences.