EdConnect Australia volunteer Leah Kateiva is nurturing the leaders of tomorrow by supporting students at school in the region who have been affected by the pandemic.
Leah, from Curlewis, joined EdConnect Australia in January 2021 and mentored a small group of primary aged students to support their wellbeing. Leah explains how her support has delivered strong, positive outcomes for the students she supported.
“Each week the same three participants would arrive each with different backgrounds, experiences, struggles, and concerns,” she said.
“On a particular week, the students described they would like to cook together.”
EdConnect Australia volunteers place high emphasis on supporting students within the region including those whose learning was disrupted by Covid-19 in previous years.
“It became apparent that the students enjoyed the cooking process,” Leah said.
“You would be surprised how this linked to some important life lessons. Resolving conflict over licking the bowl and recognising each student’s strength for different steps of the process, for example overseeing, measuring and mixing. They also had to clean up, sweep the floors and finish the dishes at the end of each session.”
On the last day one student decided to facilitate feedback from the group for Leah.
“I was overwhelmed with the positive feedback the students gave me and their gratitude for the weekly visits,” she said.
“One student told the group he has been a part of things like this before but always dropped out because he didn’t enjoy it, but he stayed involved this time.
“One other student gave me a rating of ‘infinity’. They also told her that before the mentoring started they probably would not ever have been friends, but they enjoyed the time spent together and that now they look out for one another.”
Sally Edgerton, EdConnect Australia Geelong/Surf Coast Regional Liaison Officer talks about the difference the volunteers make.
“It only takes an hour a week to make a difference in a student’s life,” she said.
“I consistently hear about the shifts in the students who work with our volunteers and it is vitally important we continue this support in 2022.
“We recruit, screen and train skilled volunteers to provide life-changing mentoring or learning support to students in local schools who might struggle to realise their potential – in school and life.”
For more information about the EdConnect volunteering opportunities see edconnectaustralia.org.au, contact edconnect@edconnect.org.au or call 1800 668 550.
