VOLUNTEERING IN THE AMEP MIGRANT EDUCATION PROGRAM

HOW DOES VOLUNTEERING WORK?

Someone who wants to become a home tutor makes initial contact with one of the Home Tutor Scheme staff. The home tutor applicant then completes an application form and undergoes a reference check and a police check, paid for by PolytechnicWest AMEP. Home tutors who work with young people under the age of eighteen also undertake a Working With Children Check (WWCC), paid for by Polytechnic West AMEP.
All home tutors are required to undertake a training program. Home Tutor Scheme staff then match home tutors with a student, based on a range of factors such as previously stated preferences, locations and availability, or assign home tutors to centre-based activities, such as classroom support or conversation groups.
All home tutor matches are reviewed each term. The home tutor can request a review of the match at any time.
Polytechnic West AMEP provides opportunities for volunteers to meet with each other and Home Tutor Scheme staff and to network and exchange ideas.

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PRINCIPLES OF VOLUNTEERING

PolytechnicWest AMEP endorses the following Principles of Volunteering as developed by Volunteering Western Australia

• Volunteering benefits the community and the volunteer.
• Volunteer work is unpaid.
• Volunteering is always a matter of choice.
• Volunteering is a legitimate way in which citizens can participate in the activities of their community.
• Volunteering is a vehicle for individuals or groups to address human, environmental and social needs.
• Volunteering respects the rights, dignity and culture of others.
• Volunteering promotes human rights and equality.

WANT MORE INFORMATION?

Volunteering Western Australia
2 Delhi Street
West Perth, WA 6005
Phone 9482 4333

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POLYTECHNIC WEST AMEP HOME TUTOR ROLE DESCRIPTION

Position objective

To provide English-language support, links to the community and an understanding of Australian culture to migrants and humanitarian entrants from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds.

Reporting line

The Home Tutor Scheme Coordinator is the manager for all home tutors and directs the activities of all home tutors.

Terms of voluntary employment

The position is unpaid and voluntary. Reimbursement for travel and out-of-pocket expenses is not provided.

Essential requirements

Engagement as a home tutor is subject to

• program needs
• satisfactory police and referee checks
• satisfactory Working With Children Check (WWCC) for those working with young people under the age of eighteen
• completion of the required training program
• participation in ongoing professional development
• satisfactory performance and conduct.

Duties

• Provide English-language support and a general understanding of Australian culture and/or
• prepare appropriate sessions using standardised home tutor teaching materials
• maintain regular contact with the Home Tutor Scheme staff
• keep a record of visits, activities completed, and achievements on the forms supplied by the Home Tutor Scheme
• return records to the Home Tutor Scheme each month.

Essential skills and qualities

• Proficient and intelligible spoken and written English
• good interpersonal and communication skills
• an understanding of and empathy with people from diverse cultural backgrounds
• a non-judgemental attitude
• an ability to work independently.

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Time commitment

• Minimum of one hour per week
• Minimum of six months duration.

Qualifications

No formal qualifications or proficiency in a second language are required

Meeting places

• The student's home
• A Polytechnic West AMEP centre or community location
• Another mutually convenient meeting place.

Training for volunteers

Home tutors are provided with:

• 15 hours initial training, including cross-cultural awareness training
• ongoing advice and support
• standardised, quality controlled home tutor guidance material (available online or in print)
• regular newsletters
• access to the Home Tutor Scheme blog
• other resources supplied or suggested by the Home Tutor Scheme staff.

Dress code

Neat casual and culturally appropriate.

Termination of voluntary employment

Employment as a volunteer is subject to satisfactory performance of the duties as outlined and adherence to the Code of Conduct-Home Tutor Scheme. Home tutors may be asked to leave the program if the Home Tutor Scheme Coordinator deems that they are unsatisfactory.

Source: Polytechnic West, Perth

UNIVERSITY LIFE: GROUP ORAL PRESENTATIONS

We have already discussed how to organise a group written assignment. We will repeat some of this information below, applying it to the oral presentation.

PLANNING YOUR ORAL PRESENTATION

First clarify with your lecturer how your group oral presentation will be assessed:

• Will you be assessed on the group processes, or just on the product of your team? Will you all be given the same team mark, or is there an individual component within the mark? Has the lecturer put in place any procedures to deal with assessing students who do not do their fair share of the work?
• Must all group members make the same contribution to the task (e.g. each member must speak for five minutes; each member must contribute to a group PowerPoint), or must you all make equivalent contributions to the task? In the latter case, for example, one member might put together the entire group PowerPoint, then speak for less time than the others during the group's oral presentation.

As soon as you are given your group assignment, meet as a team very briefly to work through the following steps.

STEP 1

Immediately introduce yourselves, and exchange mobile phone numbers, email addresses and MSN (or other) sign-in names. Write these details down now (or enter them into your phones), but do not continue the process until you know each other's details.

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STEP 2

Brainstorm the task you have been given. Clarify together the exact purpose of the presentation. Argue and talk until you all agree about the objective and the requirements. If the instructions seem ambiguous, talk to the lecturer and make sure you are all aware of any specifications or expectations of this assignment.

STEP 3

Look at the chart of Belbin's team roles. (If you haven't talked about this chart yet in class, you may need to spend some time discussing it in your group, or perhaps agree that you will all look at it at home and discuss it at your next meeting.) Talk about the roles each of you tends to play in teams, and consider the balance of roles you have in this team. Given the combination of roles you have, what strengths and problems do you anticipate your team might have?

STEP 4

It's time to be honest and tell each other about your own skills-those that are relevant to this team assignment. For example:

• I am good at following through research, and getting all the details correct.
• My critical reading skills are good-I give useful feedback on other people's ideas.
• I have lots of creative ideas.
• I finish tasks on time.
• I speak fluently and confidently.
• I'm good at organising an audience (e.g. during a question-and-answer session or an audience involvement activity).
• I can make excellent PowerPoint slides.

Try to be open about your capabilities and expectations of the assignment. However, note that none of you can shirk the responsibility of being part of a team-you must all do an equal amount of work. Look back at the section on teamwork and conflict resolution. It is also a good time to talk about whether you are aiming for a High Distinction or a mere Pass. If there are discrepancies in the group on this point, try to resolve these in an adult manner. For example, if you are the only group member aiming for a High Distinction, consider these issues:

• What are you prepared to do to make this more likely to happen?
• How will you feel if other team members get a higher mark than they deserve thanks to your effort?
• Are the other members prepared to meet you halfway?

STEP 5

Plan-and write down-all the tasks and roles you think are required for this assignment, and start to organise and volunteer for particular tasks. (But be aware that the tasks may change as you all start working on the assignment.) You will need to do more work at the next meeting to clarify exactly what you need to do to complete the assignment successfully. Consider all practical issues, such as obtaining equipment and preparing visual aids. If this is your first group work assignment, accept that this process may be imperfect, but as time passes you will all get to know each other more and know who does what job well. If this is the first time you have met your peers, try to use consensus to assign tasks or roles.

STEP 6

Organise at least two meeting dates now, and decide on some deadlines. Make the first meeting date soon-within the next seven days. Discuss the possibility of simultaneous chat time together. If you're going to make a team PowerPoint or set of overhead transparencies, make decisions about when you must email attachments to each other so that you can share information and make team layout decisions.

Source: Grellier & Goerke, Communication Skills Toolkit, 2010