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Homework Club's annual Iftar event continues to bring the community closer

Publication date: 23 April 2024

At Kensington Town Hall in inner-city Melbourne, children as young as three gathered round a large table spilling over the edges in glitter pens, Ramadan themed colouring pages and games.

Amidst the buzz of artistic chaos, Tatil, a participant of Jesuit Social Services’ Homework Club program since grade one, now in grade nine, mentioned, “the worst part about Homework Club is the homework! I love everything else. I get to hang out and play with my friends…I also think the people who help us are really kind.”

Aya, a mother of three, echoed her sentiment: “I think the best thing about Homework Club is that, yes, they help with the work, but really they are just kind with the kids. They really care about them.”

Homework Club, an out-of-school-hours learning support program for students living on or around the Flemington public housing estate, recently welcomed more than 115 participants, families, staff members and volunteers to its annual Iftar dinner event.

Rooted in the traditions of Ramadan, Iftar holds deep significance as a time of reflection, gratitude and communal harmony.

Running for over 20 years, Homework Club is aimed at both navigating and overcoming the various educational obstacles that families from migrant and refugee backgrounds might face. Whether stemming from language barriers, literacy limitations, resource disparities or unfamiliarity with the Australian schooling system, the program and its volunteers firmly believe that nothing should hinder children from reaching their full potential.

Beyond educational support, the program strives to establish meaningful connections with the families it supports, recognising the importance of community in helping navigate the many challenges of settling into a new country.

“To me, Homework Club embodies what we as an organisation are trying to achieve by bringing everyone together like this, it's about creating opportunities for meaningful connections and encounters between Australians from all walks of life.”

Mimi

Settlement and Support Worker

“The kids, the moms, the chats with volunteers, I feel it is one of the rarest programs at Jesuit Social Services…you are able to involve a whole community actively working to improve children’s learning while making newly arrived migrant and refugee parents welcome,” says Mimi, Settlement and Support Worker with the program.

“To me, Homework Club embodies what we as an organisation are trying to achieve by bringing everyone together like this, it’s about creating opportunities for meaningful connections and encounters between Australians from all walks of life.”

Ultimately, the success of Homework Club is predicated on the connection between volunteers, students and parents based on “a shared excitement about learning and a shared investment in the child’s educational success,” says Kim, Manager of Community Development and Support.

The Iftar event invited us to reflect upon the power of community coming together to achieve something great. As Bill, a Homework Club volunteer for more than two years, noted: “As someone from a very different cultural background, I hope I have bridged the cultural divide in some way. One child told me they regarded me as a friend; that warmed my heart.”

To make an enquiry about a student joining Homework Club, please email settlement@jss.org.au.

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