Tutorial program just ace for kids in Geelong’s north

Jessica Benton
A NEW tutorial program is helping kids in Geelong’s northern suburbs to ace their early school days.
Tute Group – The Bethany Shell Homework Club is designed to help disadvantaged and refugee primary school children with homework and the transition to secondary school.
Bethany Community Support chief executive officer Grant Boyd said the early intervention program had a number of benefits.
“It increases confidence, boosts self-esteem, improves performances, increases connections and provides role modelling,” he said.
Participating children meet once a week with students from Deakin University’s Education Department and volunteers from schools for two-hour sessions of educational games and activities.
Bethany Community Support and Shell Geelong Refinery will back the program to run in selected schools for the next three years.
Shell’s Joan McGovern said Tute Group was addressing a “core need” in the community while providing students with a fun and safe learning environment.
Grade six student Waneta said the weekly sessions were helping her improve her school work.
“I’m more confident with my school work now, especially my maths and timestables and the volunteers are really cool, too,” she said.
“My mum was right at the start because I didn’t want to do it but now I feel great about it.”