What would you say if someone gave you the chance to make an incredible impact on a person's life in just 8 hours?

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Well, this is exactly the opportunity that Action Tutoring presents to its volunteers. This nonprofit is dedicated to providing English and maths tutoring to 7000 pupils, spread out across England, with volunteers based across the UK. In only one hour a week, for a period of 8-10 weeks, the volunteer tutors make an unforgettable difference in the lives of so many young people.

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Action Tutoring’s goal is clear—improving the academic outcomes of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and allowing every young person to have an equal opportunity to succeed.  

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The story of Action Tutoring began when Susannah Hardyman, Action Tutoring’s founder and CEO, was working as a private tutor while also volunteering within her local community. Seeing the gap in people who couldn't afford tutoring at an average of £30 an hour, she piloted Action Tutoring’s first programme in London, which supported about 20 pupils.

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Action Tutoring's programme, now running in many cities all over England, is based on its tutors - all of whom are volunteers. They are the force that brings the charity's mission to life. Their incredible impact comes first and foremost from the connection they make with the pupils. It can be challenging for school teachers to provide one-on-one attention; so the power of this volunteering comes from the care and the confidence that tutors instill in their pupils.

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No previous teaching experience is needed. Ongoing support, training, and educational materials are all provided by Action Tutoring to its volunteers, including workbooks and session plans.

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As one volunteer said “I admit that not all of my lessons run perfectly; yet over time, it has been incredibly rewarding to see my pupils gain confidence in their abilities and grasp a greater understanding of the topic. You don't need to be an Einstein or Shakespeare to deliver effective lessons.”

The change that is created is indeed impactful. As one year-11 pupil said, “You can go into the lessons being more confident on things… Tutoring gives you a lot, especially in exams.”

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Action Tutoring also offers ongoing professional development training, so volunteers who are looking to develop their teaching skills for their personal or professional lives can make use of this opportunity. “Our volunteers have been able to put this training and experience on their CV”, says Mollie Vessey, Partnerships Coordinator at Action Tutoring. ”These are transferable skills that employers love”, she adds.

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Action Tutoring’s goals for the future include recovering lost education from the pandemic, and reaching as many pupils as possible in new areas within England.  

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The pandemic also provided its share of volunteer management challenges, but at the same time opened up the opportunity of remotely connecting tutors and pupils from different areas. “It's exciting to bridge the geographical divide”, says Vessey.

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So if you live in the UK and you'd like to be part of Action Tutoring’s special mission—don't hesitate and join today!

Contact Action Tutoring on our platform and start making a difference today.

Who knows, maybe in a few years a high-school graduate will be extremely grateful for your contribution!