Homework Club is an out-of-school-hours learning support program run by volunteers for school-aged students living on or around the Flemington public housing estate in Melbourne.
How does the program help?
Homework Club supports students from migrant and refugee background who may be experiencing multiple barriers to engagement with education, including:
- having had a disrupted or dislocated education
- language and literacy barriers
- lack of educational resources at home
- crowded and distracting living environments
- parents who face language, literacy and familiarity barriers with the Australian education system.
As my first language is not English, I cannot help much with homework. Homework Club helps the kids a lot. Without it, I wouldn't be able to do very much to help my kids. It makes a big difference.
Homework Club parent
Homework Club also benefits the broader community.
Migrant communities are often marginalised and prevented from fully participating in Australian society. By supporting migrant youth, Homework Club creates opportunities to address marginalisation and disadvantage as the earliest possible stage, to positively impact the lives of students, their families, and the wider community.
How does the program work?
Volunteer tutors provide support with homework tasks and guidance around the education system, allowing young people to overcome these barriers and increase educational engagement and attainment.
Tutors work one-on-one with students, supporting them to:
- remain engaged with education
- develop positive attitudes to learning
- overcome common barriers to educational attainment
- build literacy and numeracy skills to progress confidently through the education system
- reach their full educational aspiration and potential.
Volunteering with Jesuit Social Services is definitely the best decision I have made – it is the most rewarding thing you can do for yourself and our society, and it brings such a substantial impact to our community.
Homework Club volunteer
Who can participate in the program?
Any school-aged student from a refugee or migrant background living on or around the Flemington public housing estate in Melbourne is eligible to join Homework Club.
People who are newly arrived to Australia may seek support from our Settlement Program, which provides links to community and local services to help people feel at home in Australia.
Where is this program offered?
Homework Club happens at 120 Racecourse Road, Flemington VIC on Wednesdays and Thursday evenings from 5.00pm – 7.00pm. Until the end of 2022 a Tuesday evening class is also available on Zoom.
Make a referral
To make an enquiry about a student joining Homework Club, please email settlement@jss.org.au.
