FAQs
Find some answers to frequently asked questions about our tutors and how they are working to provide tutoring to youth in out of home care.
ABOUT OUR TUTORS
Presently most of our tutors are students from The University of Sydney, The University of New South Wales, University of Technology Sydney, Western Sydney University, The University of Wollongong, The University of Melbourne and Monash University. The overwhelming majority come from the University of Sydney. Alongside our university volunteers, we also have young professionals that tutor and mentor our students too. These tutors are scattered all over greater Sydney from Campbelltown to Springwood to Hornsby to Botany with a growing number in Melbourne.
Where do we recruit our tutors from?
What kind of screening and background checks do tutors undergo?
All of our tutors are required to undergo the following process:
Complete an application form detailing their motivation for volunteering, their academic records, and their professional details
Complete a phone interview with a member of the Foster the Future team
Complete our Training on Behavioural Guidelines
Complete a Working With Children Check
Complete a Reference Check
What kind of training and ongoing support do tutors receive?
All of our tutors undertake a training session that informs them on key information surrounding best practices and procedures for maintaining the privacy and safety of youth in out of home care as well as how to conduct a tutoring session. Many of our tutors also tutor elsewhere professionally at tutoring agencies or are academic tutors at their respective universities. Ongoing support is provided by Foster the Future coordinators.
Do tutors understand that the students may be struggling with school/attention because of experiences of trauma and have some strategies to be able to use with students who may be struggling?
Yes - at our training session we quite extensively cover the unfortunate fact that many students in out of home care are likely to have experienced trauma and may be dealing with behavioural traits such as anxiety. Our tutors understand that the students are often behind in their school work relative to their peers of the same age. Our tutors also aim to provide mentorship to students in order to hopefully improve their confidence and interest in learning.
ABOUT HELPING YOUR STUDENT GET THE MOST OUT OF TUTORING
What kind of feedback do carers receive about how the student is going and any issues/ suggestions?
Carers can reach out to the tutors or the Foster the Future management team at any time to discuss any issues or suggestions to do with the tutoring of a student. Often our tutors will talk with carers after a session, especially if it is a younger student and this is managed on a case by case situation.
Anything else it would be helpful for carers to know about supporting the student in between tutoring sessions - any follow up work?
The most important thing a carer can do to help get the most out of a tutoring session is to make sure the student has appropriate work that the tutor can help them with. By actively bringing to the attention of the tutor the work that the student is expected to be doing for class, the tutor is able to zero in on what they should be focusing on much more effectively.
ABOUT HELP FOR STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF GREATER SYDNEY OR MELBOURNE
My student is located outside of Greater Sydney or Melbourne, how can they benefit from tutoring?
We provide online tutoring to help regional kids. If you would like to know more about how we help students currently located outside of Greater Sydney or Melbourne Metropolitan please fill out an expression of interest form and a member of our team will be in contact with you.