Effective communication skills are the foundation of successful interactions. They allow us to connect, engage, and build meaningful relationships with people from all walks of life. A common assumption is that everyone has the necessary communication skills to interact with people daily. 

However, working with young people requires a unique set of skills for the interactions to be effective and valuable. So what does it take to communicate effectively with young people? This blog post explores the ways we can develop the communication skills needed to work with young people.

Understanding and Empathy

To develop effective communication skills and strategies that encourage the young person’s participation, it is important to understand the unique needs of young people. This involves recognising the differences in the developmental stages that young people go through. By doing this, we can tailor the language we use to communicate with them to suit the conditions of their unique situation. 

For example, a scholar who is struggling with their school work would need a different approach to be used in encouraging them compared to a scholar who is already excelling. This means the scholar who is experiencing challenges in their school is more likely to benefit from receiving information about the habits they need to develop to become a better student, such as those shared in our blog here. 

Another example is that younger scholars require simpler words to help them grasp concepts better, while older scholars can handle more abstract and complex ideas. Essentially, it is necessary to know that each scholar might have individual needs and therefore needs a different method of communication to be effectively helped. 

Awareness of Barriers to Communication

To effectively communicate with young people, we also have to be aware of the potential barriers that could discourage them from engaging openly. This can be challenging due to the variety of barriers that could exist for each young person. For example, personal factors such as culture or language could affect the effectiveness of the communication. This means we have to consider these barriers when we attempt to communicate with young people.

Understanding and addressing these barriers helps create a supportive atmosphere where young people feel valued and heard. This not only enhances communication but also strengthens the relationship between the volunteer and the young person, leading to more positive outcomes in their interactions.

Using the Right Method of Communication

Different types of communication can be used to enable more effective engagement with young people. It is also important to note that the young person’s preferred form of communication may be influenced by. It is key that we consider the young person’s context when identifying the best form of communication for them, and be able to adapt communication styles as necessary.

Verbal communication involves an exchange of spoken words, whilst non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, body movements, gestures and others. Also, written communication involves exchanging information through written formats, whilst visual communication relies on images, symbols and graphics to convey messages. 

These communication methods can be used to tailor your approach and create a better understanding and rapport with young people. The choice of communication method will vary depending on the young person, the context, the purpose and the message. Combining different types of communication can also enhance the overall impact of an interaction, and it is up to us to understand the needs of the young person to ensure a good mix of these methods for our interactions with them.

Building Rapport

Building rapport with young people is one of the most essential communication skills for creating a trusting and supportive environment. Establishing a connection begins with showing genuine interest in their lives, listening actively, and being consistently present. Small gestures, such as remembering their names, interests, and past conversations, can make a significant difference in your communication with young people. 

One of our mentees says, “The most important thing is to be able to help the mentee, but it is also important to have something in common with them.” By attempting to build rapport, we can discover common ground, which helps to create a more comfortable environment for both ourselves and the young person we are working with. You can read more about our mentee’s experience in our blog here.

By establishing a genuine connection, we can make it easier for young people to open up and feel comfortable expressing themselves. This strong rapport forms the foundation for effective communication, collaboration, and mentorship, ultimately improving their confidence and creating a starting point for a meaningful interaction with the young person.

Active Listening

These days, it is hard to get young people to pay attention to anything that is not engaging. Active listening requires us to be responsive and engaged when we are communicating with people. This means responding to cues while restating and drawing out the meaning of what the person is saying, so they know that you understand. Active listening is also combined with empathy to help young people feel that their thoughts and feelings are valued, respected and understood. 

Active listening is a highly effective communication skill that will help you support and guide young people more effectively. When engaging in active listening, we are able to build young people’s confidence as they realise that their opinions matter to us. Over time, they will become more willing to share as they recognise that they have a space to freely express their thoughts and feelings. This will also nurture a deeper connection and improve the overall quality of the interactions. 

Be Observant 

To have effective communication skills, we have to listen beyond hearing words, or as some would say, ‘read between the lines’. Some young people may find it hard to articulate their thoughts. This means we have to pay close attention to what is not being said just as much as we are listening to their verbal expressions. To do this, we have to be attentive to silence, body language (including facial expressions), tone of voice, gestures, posture, and other subtle non-verbal cues. 

These signals can offer valuable insights into a young person’s true feelings and emotions, even when they are not explicitly stated. For example, crossing arms or avoiding eye contact might suggest that they are uncomfortable or uncertain about something. We should also be cautious of changes in behaviour or mood that could indicate deeper underlying issues or unspoken worries. By noticing these muted signals, we can sensitively address them and demonstrate that we are paying attention. This will help us to keep building trust with them.

Open-Mindedness and Approachability

Having communication skills is beneficial to working with young people, but it becomes redundant if we are not open and approachable during those interactions. It is important to be aware of how our attitude can affect young people. One should be supportive and reaffirming when communicating so that the young person does not feel judged and become closed off or difficult to communicate with. When a young person feels comfortable, they are more likely to express themself. 

In order to create an environment where the young person can openly communicate, we can use open questions. Open questions are a great communication tool as they encourage the young person to open up since they do not require definitive yes or no answers. Open questions encourage the young person to discuss their answer instead of giving one-word answers, and this helps develop good communication. You can learn more about open-ended questions in this article. 

Adaptability to Topics of Discussion

Being adaptable to the topics of discussion is an important part of working with young people and a positive sign of good communication skills. Young people’s topics of interest can vary widely and may shift quickly, reflecting their personal experiences, curiosities, and developmental stages. By being adaptable to this, we are able to engage in conversations that may deviate from planned topics but are important to them.

This flexibility will help to build rapport and trust by showing that we appreciate their opinions and that we are sincerely interested in their thoughts and perspectives. Also, it allows for more meaningful conversations and interactions where young people feel comfortable expressing themselves and exploring new ideas. 

Our communication skills can influence how young people will continue to interact with us and others throughout their lives. Good communication with young people can help develop their self-confidence, which goes a long way in developing a positive attitude and a growth mindset. So it is important for us to always be aware of how we communicate with young people by being aware of the specific skills we need to interact with them and maximise the value we bring to our interactions with them.

Do you have the right communication skills to work with young people? 

At GT Scholars, we are always looking for passionate volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of young people. Through our range of programmes, we believe that you could make an impact by working with a young person for just one hour per week. If you believe that could be you, get in touch with us via email to share your interest in volunteering with us or fill out the contact form on our website to get started on your journey to working with young people.

A good online tutoring programme is one that connects tutors with their students and leaves a lasting impact. So, what can you do to improve your tutoring style and make your lessons stand out? A good tutor needs to have a deep knowledge of the subject they are teaching and also have additional resources to make their sessions more interesting and engaging.

A great tutor understands that every student has a unique learning style. Some students prefer to take time and reflect before each online tutoring session. They would appreciate it if you provided them with the materials beforehand. This way, they can feel more confident and prepared for the topics you will be discussing.

Knowing this ahead of time will help you to design lesson plans. In this article, we’ll share some amazing free resources, websites and software apps that will turn your good online tutoring sessions into incredible and unforgettable! By adapting these to your tutoring approach, you will bring the best out of each student. 

The British Council 

The British Council has put together a wide range of practical resources to use during your sessions. You will find material relevant to your students’ specific level and some interesting information to add to your online tutoring sessions, such as articles. You will be able to choose from 400 complete lesson plans, covering different topics and themes you can use to make your sessions more effective. 

There are also various activities to choose from, additional teaching tools, stories, and poems that you can use. All of the practice materials are written by experts in English Language Teaching and are free to download. If you’d like to access these resources, click here.

The National Archives 

This is a good resource if you are looking to do some extensive research on a specific topic, whether you are doing homework or preparing for a session. They are the official archive and publisher for the UK. Along with an extensive range of historical records and documents, they have articles on how to write essays, how to revise work, and how to do research. Although you may not find lesson plans, you will find interesting information that you can use for your online tutoring sessions. Follow this link for more information.

Free Teaching Resources UK

They offer lesson plans and activities for a wide variety of subjects, including English and Maths. They designed this site to help teachers and tutors to find great lesson plans, worksheets, assessments, tutorials, and workshops. The material is appropriate for students from KS1 to GCSE level. These lessons are free and produced by UK companies, charities, museums and galleries, and in many cases have been created by experienced educational teaching experts. Visit their website by clicking here.

Seneca Learning

Seneca provides free materials for students on levels KS2, KS3, GCSE and A-Levels, covering a wide range of subjects. The signup is free for teachers, parents, and scholars. Seneca Learning uses a web-based application that allows students to review information using a question-answer-based system. 

Additionally, teachers can use Microsoft Forms and Google Forms to create their own quizzes and upload them as work for students to complete. The platform uses live marking so that students would immediately know where they went wrong. The questions are then re-asked in a different way for the scholar to try again. You can equally use it for live quizzes during your online tutoring sessions.

BBC Teach 

BBC has a wide selection of classroom resources for teaching Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and GCSE subjects to scholars. Although there are no past papers or worksheets, the website contains a series of short films designed for the GCSE curriculum and intended to support students working at a mid-level with their understanding. 

Moreover, the short videos teach various concepts, for example, maths ratio and proportion, probability, percentages and fractions and show how students can apply these topics to everyday real-life scenarios. The videos can be viewed as part of your online tutoring sessions, or you can share the links with the parents so that the scholar can view the video in preparation for the session. Some students learn better through watching videos, and this resource would be perfect for them. 

Webmaths

This website provides worksheets for students who are in years 6 to year 11. The easy-to-use user interface allows you to browse worksheets that you can download to your PC in PDF format for you to complete as exam preparation, or to upload them to your whiteboard for use during the live online tutoring session. 

For teachers, there are worksheets, games and quizzes that can be easily downloaded and used as lesson plan outlines and ideas. The website also contains GCSE revision exam questions for those students who will be studying for exams. Click here to find a suitable resource for you.

The Chalkface 

This is a privately run website that offers free tutor resources for students studying maths in KS3, GCSE, and A-Levels. You can find maths papers using their search feature and you can choose to view them in a PDF format or download them for when you need them later on. 

The Blog page contains useful articles that further explain certain maths topics and discuss other information related to tutoring. Learn more by clicking on this link.

AQA 

AQA is home to a wide range of assessment papers in various subjects including Maths, English, and Science. They provide additional information on the world of education so you can keep up to date with what’s going on. 

On their website, you will find many past papers that you can download in PDF format for both higher and foundation phases. The papers are designed for GCSE levels and up. For tutors, you can also download a mark scheme to help you check and assess the scholar’s work.

GT Scholars

At GT Scholars, we have a tried and tested catalogue with over 250 additional learning resources, suggested and some of them curated by our tutors and mentors, for our volunteers. These resources cover a range of different subjects and topics. Extra practice or enrichment opportunities can be created with these tools to engage and excite students during online tutoring sessions. Click here if you’d like to browse our resources.

Miro 

Miro is an online whiteboard platform that allows you to meet and share information in real time. You can upload documents in various formats that a student can see and work on while you watch, mark, or give advice. The online whiteboard provides a host of drawing tools for use during the session. 

You can also use the mind-map features to plan lesson strategies, outcomes and goals for your student. As Miro is an app that runs in a browser, you can access the whiteboard from anywhere and on any smart device. 

The paid-for version gives you access to more advanced features, such as the ability to use Miro as a live meeting and teaching platform. But the free version offers plenty of features for you to conduct an effective online tutoring session; you will just need to use Zoom or Google Meet in conjunction with Miro for your sessions.

Conceptboard 

Conceptboard is a straightforward online whiteboard that allows you to upload documents and work along with your student using the drawing and marking tools available. You can also share the board with different people, for example, parents who want to keep an eye on their scholar’s progress. 

It allows you to create multiple boards, which means you don’t have to delete work you feel you may need to review or refer back to at a later stage. Conceptboard works on all the latest web browsers, allowing you to access the whiteboard from a range of different devices. It is free to sign up for and use. 

Explain Everything Web Whiteboard

This is a shared whiteboard that runs in any web browser and provides a link that a student can click to join an online tutoring session. It has many of the same features as the other online whiteboards, including the ability to upload documents for viewing and giving you a wide range of drawing tools to use during the session.

You can upload and open multi-page PDF documents during the session, which is useful when discussing an assessment paper or worksheet. Click here to access the website.

To sum it up, these are just a few of the many available resources for online tutors. There are multiple well-known resources, such as Google Scholar and YouTube, that are commonly known by tutors, parents, and scholars alike. However, the resources listed in this article could provide you with some new and interesting content to use during your tutoring sessions. If you are planning to use additional resources in your sessions, make sure that they are relevant to your topic and students.

Resources should be there to make a session better, not just to fill the time. Using the right resources in an effective manner will ensure your tutee enjoys the sessions fully and looks forward to returning.

At GT Scholars, we run high-impact tutoring and mentoring programmes for young people to help them in their academic and career aspirations. On our website, you will find insightful articles that can provide you with more tips to enhance your tutoring journey. You can also volunteer with us and be part of our tutors and mentors. Together, let’s make lasting impacts on young people’s lives and make their learning experience more enjoyable.

If you’ve ever wondered how you can make a difference in people’s lives, consider volunteering online. There are many people with challenges that you are equipped to solve, and there are multiple ways you can help them. With the use of technology, you can pour into people regardless of their locations through online volunteering. In this blog, we will be sharing 30 ways you can make a difference in people’s lives as you volunteer online.

1. Proofread Books, Articles and Learning Materials

If you love reading and wish to make material available to anyone in need, why not consider proofreading? Volunteer sites such as Do-it.org and uk.jooble.org post various opportunities where you proofread various reading or educational materials.

2. Virtually Exposing Human Rights Violations 

NGO Amnesty International offers virtual volunteer opportunities through its Decoders program. You can help researchers go through photos, data and documents that can help with investigating and potentially achieving justice for human rights violations. You can do this with your smartphone or laptop.

3. Become An Online Translator

Sites such as charityjob.co.uk and bananalink.org.uk are regularly looking for volunteer translators. You’d be translating instruction manuals, documents and educational resources. If you can speak English and other languages, then consider becoming a virtual translator. The ideal skills needed include being a good communicator and having excellent English skills. You should be able to work independently and keep deadlines.

4. Care For The Environment

Friends of the Earth is an international community dedicated to nature preservation and the well-being of everyone on it. They lead campaigns, provide resources and drive real solutions to environmental issues. Volunteer with Friends of the Earth by signing a petition or hosting an online craft fundraiser. Explore opportunities on their volunteering page by clicking here to volunteer online.

5. Support Young People Through Online Mentoring 

Young people face challenging situations, resulting in lowered self-confidence and a lack of direction.  GT Scholars offers 1-to-1 mentoring sessions for young people to help them make informed decisions to better their future. Volunteer online in a meaningful way by becoming a mentor, helping young people regain their confidence for a better future. Check out some other ways you can volunteer with GT Scholars by clicking here. 

6. Lend Your Eyes To Those With Impaired Vision

Be My Eyes is a free app that allows people who are blind or have vision impairments to connect with individuals who can help them see. You would provide visual assistance through the app’s live video call feature. You’d assist with reading instructions or helping the visually impaired as they move around in unfamiliar environments.

7. Offer Emotional Support To The Elderly

Organisations such as Age UK, Independent Age and Re-engage connect volunteers with older people looking for support. You’ll write letters, call or send text messages to the elderly to create a sense of community for them.

8. The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword

The Crisis Project is looking for volunteers to write letters to NHS health workers. This opportunity to volunteer online is ideal if you prefer written communication over verbal communication and enjoy writing messages or letters. Your words of encouragement could be what our health workers need to hear to keep them going!

9. Give Support To Young People In Crisis

The Mix provides support to young people and young adults who need to speak about any topic that affects them. It could be homelessness, finding a job, money matters or mental health. The Mix handles the very challenging and private topics that those needing help might have. They connect you with experts or peers who will offer the support and tools needed to tackle any challenge they may be facing.

10. Send A Text Message To Someone In Need

Organisations are looking to recruit overnight crisis volunteers who can offer help after 10 pm. Crisis Text Line and Shout’s offer free text messaging services to people in need. You will receive 30 hours of training in reflective listening, collaborative problem-solving, and crisis management.

11. Help Find The Perfect Job For A Student

Finding the perfect job as a young person can be difficult in these changing times. Take the time to lend a professional hand by answering questions about your profession. You can register with Career Ear and answer career advice questions posted by young people. You can also explore listings on Charity Job for different volunteer career advice posts.

12. Advocate For The Less Fortunate To Have Better Housing And Schools

Shelter The World aims to create better communities around the world by providing better housing and school facilities in poorer nations and communities. There are several virtual volunteer opportunities available.  You can use blogging and social media to spread their mission. You can also volunteer online by assisting with website development, donating frequent flyer miles, helping to raise donations, and so much more. 

13. Become An Online Researcher

Zooniverse encourages research where those without training or expertise can participate in any Zooniverse project. Volunteers would study authentic objects of interest gathered by researchers, like images of faraway galaxies,  historical records or videos of animals in their natural habitats. By answering simple questions, you’ll contribute to our understanding of the world, history and more. Zooniverse has a wide range of projects, covering many disciplines from science to the humanities.

14. Preserve A Little Piece Of History

SAVE advocates for the protection of threatened historic buildings and promotes sustainable reuse of these structures. You can help with background research for their campaigns, assist at events, and publish books. All this work goes towards helping and saving historic buildings and places that are in danger of demolition or decay. If you’re interested, click here for more information.

15. Lend Your Voice To Those With Speech Impairments

VocaliD’s Human Voicebank brings state-of-the-art speech science to the new era in human communication and connection. They enable those with speech impairments to cope in what is quickly becoming a voice-driven world. Become one of the 25,000 volunteers donating their voice. Do this by recording yourself saying sounds and sentences to be used by VocaliD’s technology.

16. Improve Disabled Access

You can help make your neighbourhood more accessible by ranking shops and restaurants for their disability-friendly credentials. All you need to do is go to the AXS Map website and enter your place of residence. You can rate the businesses with a star system and leave reviews to help raise awareness for disabled access needs in your area.

17. Read A Book To A Young Person

Reading charity Bookmark allows volunteers to book flexible 30-minute virtual reading sessions with children under the age of 8 to help improve their reading skills. Their digital platform matches schools with reading volunteers who are just a click away. You can arrange reading sessions with the young person by using Bookmark’s mobile app. 

18. Volunteer With The United Nations

UN Volunteers are providing vital support to the UN as they continue with important programmes worldwide. When you volunteer online with the UN, you’ll join a community dedicated to bettering the lives of people worldwide. The United Nations Online Volunteering Service requires assistance with research, design, fundraising, technology and translation for projects.

19. Use Your Creativity To Create Happiness

Loving Hands is an online volunteering opportunity for those who enjoy knitting, sewing, and other creative arts. Volunteers from all over the UK make items for different charities. These items range from baby clothes to elephant blankets, bags for baby puffins, fiddle mats and muffs, and various children’s toys. So if you are good at and enjoy knitting, then this opportunity is ideal.

20. An Opportunity For The Tech-Savvy

Charity Digital supports UK charities in accomplishing their mission by providing technology support. They provide access to online fundraising, email marketing, software and cloud solutions for non-profits. They also offer advice on selecting and utilising the right technology for a charity. You could be asked to do web design, content development or provide other technology-driven support.

21. Become An Online Tutor

GT Scholars offers 1-to-1 online tuition for young people in English and Maths. If tutoring is something you enjoy or are interested in, you can sign up to volunteer for one hour a week for the 12 weeks of the term. To volunteer online, you would need to be DBS checked and have a university degree. Delve into these practical tips to make your online tutoring sessions stand out. 

22. Support Creative Minds

Glimpse is an organisation that focuses on the more creative aspects of non-profit organisations. They offer creative services that help NGOs become more effective and impactful. Glimpse is looking for copywriters, strategists, fundraisers and social media experts who can volunteer online.

23. Help Refugees Find Work

Breaking Barriers assists refugees in finding suitable employment by offering advice and guidance in areas such as operational duties and English language skills. If you’re interested in lending a hand, then browse their website to help make a difference to an entire family.

24. Translate For TED Translate

You’ve probably watched and been motivated by TED Talks over the years. Now you can help get these programmes translated into other languages for more people to benefit by volunteering with TED Translate. As a virtual volunteer, you would create subtitles for the various TED Talks programmes. The skills you would need are speaking English fluently and speaking a second language.

25. Contribute To Conservation

ZSL Instant Wild is looking for volunteers who can assist in conservation efforts by tagging animals in images and videos. They provide helpful field guides for each project to assist those with less expertise. Volunteers would go through photos or watch videos to track animal movements and behaviours.

26. Support Those With Complex Disabilities

Care4Calais supports refugees as they enter the country. Navigating a new country and a foreign language is a big challenge for refugees. Volunteers would help refugees virtually in accessing services such as legal aid or English lessons. These efforts make them feel more at ease with the transition into a new and foreign place.

27. Offer Your Admin Skills

CSSC is a volunteer organisation that manages area finances, runs local events, local sport and helps with marketing or communications. CSSC is looking for volunteers who would curate or support various online activities that encourage members to get active and feel happier. Perhaps you’d love to run a virtual book club or a film club. If this is your passion, why not try to volunteer online?

28. Become A Studenteer

Studenteer is an educational platform encouraging the next generation of professionals to develop skills needed to enter the working world. Studenteer is run by students who put fellow students in contact with good causes and various volunteering opportunities. You’ll help students network with a wide range of individuals and find the perfect volunteering opportunity for them.

29. Support Those With Learning Disabilities

Dimensions supports people with learning difficulties and autism. You can volunteer by lending your IT skills to identify and create a directory of learning. Also, you can volunteer at disability-friendly events and social clubs. You can also create fun exercise videos or upbeat music videos for them to follow along on YouTube!

30. Put Your Video Skills To Use

Numberfit takes learning maths to the next level by mixing learning with sports, music and fun to create interactive learning experiences. Numberfit is looking for videographers to assist in launching and developing new resources for use at home or in schools. These videos are then used to help young children better understand subjects such as maths.

With these platforms, distance does not have to be a restriction when it comes to helping others. There is a virtual volunteering post available to suit your skill set. Why not then take up the opportunity to lend a helping hand?

Ready to make a difference from the comfort of your own home? At GT Scholars, we’re always looking for talented and passionate volunteers to join our organisation. There are several ways in which you can contribute. To find out more about how you can get involved, contact us!

We know there are many volunteering opportunities out there, so you may be wondering – Why GT Scholars?  Why should I volunteer for this organisation? What makes it different from other social enterprises? What can I benefit from it? Volunteering with GT Scholars can be a great and rewarding experience. In this blog post, we will be sharing more information about the organisation and exploring 7 reasons why you should consider volunteering with GT Scholars.

1. Make a Positive Impact

The GT Scholar’s programme tackles educational inequality and social mobility by helping young people from low-income households gain access to selective universities such as Oxford or Cambridge and highly competitive careers. We believe that all young people have their own unique set of gifts, talents and strengths, and they can achieve amazing things when they get the chance to build on their natural strengths and develop new skills.

Moreover, as a tutor or mentor, you would be helping scholars bridge the gap and break free from the social restraints that are prevalent in this generation. Through tutoring in Maths or English for one hour a week for twelve weeks, you would help scholars improve their grades, build their confidence and perhaps even give them guidance in their educational or career path. The same can be said for mentoring. During the 2-3 hours a month of volunteering as a mentor, you would be making a difference in a young person’s life and guiding them through life’s challenges so that they can work towards reaching their full potential and achieving their goals.

2. Flexible Online Volunteering

Our scholars benefit from a blended learning programme. Which means using a combination of online tutoring, mentoring sessions, enrichment sessions and skill-building events. Most of our mentors and tutors are matched with one scholar, while others choose to tutor or mentor up to three scholars per term. We try to make the volunteer experience as flexible as possible. This allows our volunteers to either increase or cut down their hours at the end of each term, depending on their availability.

We believe that, no matter where you are, there’s always a way to give back. Due to COVID-19, a vast number of our volunteer opportunities are solely online. Therefore, you stand to save on travel expenses and gain the fulfilment of making a positive impact on a young person’s life in the comfort of your home. Additionally, you can decide on a schedule that suits you and your scholar, making this volunteering role extremely flexible.

3. Meaningful Work Leads to Meaningful Lives

Each person is unique, and therefore, they choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons.  Every volunteer gets something different from their volunteering experience, including the opportunity to improve their self-esteem, confidence and wellbeing. Volunteering gives you a sense of purpose and fulfilment when contributing to causes you’re passionate about. It offers opportunities to develop new skills or enhance existing ones, such as communication, leadership, and problem-solving. Importantly, volunteering allows you to make a tangible difference in the lives of others and contribute to positive social change. 

Moreover, a large majority of our existing volunteers find their experience fulfilling, and it gives them a sense of purpose. “I believe the best way to give back is to build relationships with people and offer support,” says one of our volunteer mentors. And lastly, one of our volunteer tutors said, “English tutoring has been a fun, challenging, rewarding, and positive experience!” Learn from the experiences of our volunteers by delving into our Spotlight Interviews. These interview transcripts will allow you to understand the different reasons and impact that volunteering with GT Scholars has on our volunteer community. 

4. Enhanced Resume and Personal Growth  

When it comes to volunteering, many think that only those on the receiving end of the volunteering service benefit. However, volunteering provides valuable experience that can enhance your resume or CV and make you more attractive to employers.  It challenges you to step out of your comfort zone, learn new things, and grow personally and emotionally. If you are passionate about education and decreasing education inequality in your community, then volunteering with GT Scholars is a great way to start. We’ve had undergraduate students in humanities gain experience from volunteering with us and heads of departments retire into the education sector upon finding their calling after volunteering with us. 

Furthermore, there are many short-term and long-term benefits that volunteers receive when they choose to take on this role. One of these benefits is how this volunteer role can boost your CV, especially for undergraduates. Potential employers mostly seek to see what extracurricular work you have done during the course of your studies. When they see that you have previously taken on the role of a volunteer, it reveals a few things about your character and the kind of person they would be bringing on board to work for them. Read our blog post to explore more about the impact of volunteering on your CV.

5. Be Part of an Innovative Social Enterprise 

Volunteering is important for communities because it supports organisations to provide vital services to groups and individuals within the community. Most charities use a simple funding model where funders and donors donate money to the charity to help some young people from low-income homes. We operate a unique funding model. This means we are sustainable and we don’t have to rely on grants and external funding to continue serving the community.

Equally important, we’ve set up a social enterprise business model so that we can help more people with less charitable funding. We charge means-tested fees to our scholars. Hence, for every child from a high-income household that we support, we can support two young people from low-income households. This is an innovative model, and we hope that you can be part of the change that we’re trying to create in the world.

6. Engage Beyond Tutoring and Mentoring

Volunteering at GT Scholars is anything but linear. Apart from tutoring, mentoring and supporting young people and parents at events, our volunteers are the backbone of the organisation. We know that our volunteers have so much more to offer than just tutoring and mentoring. As a social enterprise, we welcome different forms of assistance from our volunteers and individuals who wish to make a difference without the commitment, from corporate partnership referrals to parent or scholar referrals. 

However, we have a blog post that delves into the different ways that one can volunteer with GT Scholar in more detail. This could be in project management, workshop facilitation, photography, videography, fundraising, communications or marketing. We know that not every volunteer has the time to commit to one hour a week of tutoring or mentoring. Therefore, these alternative options give you the opportunity to use your skills and knowledge to give back and contribute to the GT Scholars’ mission. Explore the different roles by clicking here, or feel free to get in touch with us if you’d like to know more.

7. Connect With Like-Minded Individuals

Our volunteers are passionate about making a difference in young people’s lives. When we started the programme, we were amazed by the large number of people who understood our mission and chose to use their time to volunteer with GT Scholars. Our volunteers come from all walks of life and many of them study full-time, work, or are retired. We are always inspired by our volunteers. If you decide to volunteer with us, we would love you to meet other inspirational volunteers that we work with. 

Lastly, as a volunteer with GT Scholars, we will give you access to our weekly volunteer newsletter. It will keep you up to date with tips, resources and upcoming events in which you can participate. Our online webinars and events cover a range of topics. There are many ways in which you can benefit from attending these events. Either by gaining a new skill, networking or sharing ideas with other like-minded individuals. This is perfect for undergraduates who are still deciding about their future career path or graduates who would like to build their professional network and establish some contacts within different industries. Subscribe to our volunteer newsletter, Friends of GT Scholars!

At GT Scholars, we are committed to tackling the issue of educational inequality. If you would like to find out more about volunteering with GT Scholars, then get in touch with us! We are particularly keen to meet undergraduates, graduates and other professionals who work in careers or study at universities that our scholars aspire to. Our recruitment process includes an interview, background checks and a training course. These are done to ensure that you are well-prepared and informed before you begin your volunteering journey with us. If you have a genuine passion for social mobility and educational equality and wish to get involved, get in touch with us by filling out this online contact form.

In a world where academic success and career advancement are essential markers of progress, the journey to success can be intimidating for many young people. Mentoring and tutoring can make a difference for pupils who need extra support and guidance to achieve their aspirations. 

Young people today face many challenges that can negatively affect their academic and personal growth. GT Scholars was started with the mission of helping young people to unlock their potential and talents to achieve academic and career aspirations. Through our programmes, including one-on-one tutoring and mentoring, we have managed to empower many students across the UK to achieve their educational and personal goals. 

You may be wondering how YOU can make a difference in the lives of young people. This blog will share the impact that mentors and tutors can have on the attainment and success of young people today. 

Empower Young People To Overcome Challenges

These days, young people face many challenges in their day-to-day lives. These can range from financial constraints in their families to the mental health struggles they experience as developing young adults. One of the most significant challenges young people face is the overwhelming pressure to excel academically and secure a successful career path. Also, this pressure can also lead to burnout, anxiety and a lack of confidence, which further worsens their stress, making it harder for them to achieve their goals. 

Any combination of these challenges can become obstacles that make it difficult for young people to stay motivated and focused on their studies or goals. This is why mentors and tutors play an important role in the success of young people. Support from mentors and tutors can make a difference to a young person being challenged in these ways.

Guide Young Minds To Achieve Their Goals And Aspirations

For young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, a lack of access to quality educational resources and mentorship opportunities can magnify these challenges. That is why, many young people in these circumstances also struggle with navigating the complex education system and job market. They often feel unsupported and uncertain about their future. But mentorship can make a difference in this. 

Through mentorship, young people can receive guidance, support and encouragement that can make a difference in achieving their goals. As a mentor, you can offer advice on how to tackle goals. You can also help students stay focused by checking in on their progress and keeping them accountable for the goals they have set for themselves. Also, you can help them to identify areas of improvement or be a source of inspiration by sharing your achievements and encouraging them to believe in themselves. 

Be A Positive Role Model

As a mentor or tutor, you are a living example of what is possible to some of the students you will work with. Your personal experiences, achievements and journey will inspire young people to also aspire to reach their full potential. Your actions, behaviours and decisions can serve as guidance for them. The positive attributes you demonstrate and share such as determination, resilience, integrity, and compassion, can make a difference in how they navigate their own path to success.

Young people become more motivated to achieve their own goals when they connect with someone who is an achiever. Your encouragement, support and belief in their potential will shape their attitudes and beliefs about themselves, which can positively affect their success. The impact of a role model extends beyond real-time interactions and can shape the trajectory of young people’s lives.

By embodying positive traits and serving as a source of inspiration and guidance, you play a crucial role in empowering young people to realise their potential and achieve success in all aspects of their lives.

Cultivate Academic Success

Tutors and mentors can make a difference in enabling academic achievement for young people. Tutoring is an effective way to provide additional support to students who may be struggling academically. By providing personalised support, targeted instruction and valuable resources to students, you can narrow achievement gaps between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds as a tutor. 

According to a study by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, students who have a mentor are 55% more likely to enrol in college. Another study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology revealed that students who received tutoring demonstrated significant improvements in their grades compared to those who did not receive tutoring. This research indicates that students who received tutoring support achieved higher grades in their courses.

Foster Emotional And Social Well-Being

Through mentoring and tutoring, you can help young people develop their social and emotional health. By taking on one of these roles, you can offer more than just academics and create a safe, nurturing environment where students feel appreciated and understood. Also, mentors and tutors act as positive role models through compassion and respect, which promotes emotional stability and a sense of belonging. 

In this environment, you can make a difference in the lives of scholars by building a positive relationship with them. They may feel comfortable expressing themselves, sharing their problems, and developing critical social skills. The relationship between a mentor and mentee can help young people become more resilient and confident. This is because they experience empathy, support and receive feedback. By continuing in this supportive relationship, mentors lay the groundwork for the long-term emotional and social health of young people. 

Help Young People To Maximise Their Opportunities

By mentoring young people, you can make a difference in how motivated they feel to maximise the opportunities before them. A study by the National Mentoring Partnership found that mentored youth are 81% more likely to engage in regular extracurricular activities. This shows that mentorship can empower young people to actively participate in diverse opportunities for personal and professional growth. 

Besides this, mentorship influences long-term success. Young people who have mentors are 78% more likely to volunteer regularly and 130% more likely to hold leadership positions. Also, employees who have a mentor are promoted five times more than those who do not. These statistics prove how you can make a difference through mentoring young people. Generally, some students do not realise they need help or that there are ways to receive it. Many students might not be aware that they need a maths tutor or personal mentor to help them overcome the challenges they are facing or achieve their high aspirations. 

Offer Individualised Support To Help Them Build Confidence

Individualised support is essential when trying to help young people develop their self-confidence. Students who receive one-on-one support and encouragement, through academic tutoring or mentorship, are more likely to have the tools they need to overcome obstacles and trust their own skills. In education, individual support makes a big difference for pupils. By getting to know the specific learning preferences and needs of their student, a tutor or mentor can offer intentional guidance and support. As a result, it will promote the academic success and personal development of the pupils. Eventually, as the students continue to succeed, their confidence is boosted, and they feel more self-assured. 

By becoming a mentor or tutor, you can empower young people to unlock their potential and achieve success. Through personalised guidance, encouragement and support, you can directly influence their confidence and resilience. Hence, you will be helping them build a strong growth mindset to thrive in their personal and professional lives. A growth mindset helps them to understand that focusing on personal development will likely lead them to good results. You can read more about this in our blog post on developing a growth mindset.

A Success Story Of Tutoring And Mentoring At GT Scholars

The GT Scholars Programme aims to assist every child to access the needed support to reach their goals. One of the exceptional success stories of the GT Scholars Bright Ambitions programme is Faith. She participated in the year-long programme, which involved tutoring, mentoring and enrichment programmes. This programme helps young people gain the skills, strategies and support they need to get top grades, get into top universities or enter competitive careers. 

Through this programme, Faith felt more confident in participating in her class and pursuing her goal of studying medicine. Her mentor helped her work towards her goals by providing her with what she needed to achieve them. Additionally, she also felt that her tutor was supportive, understanding and patient. And this helped her achieve a higher grade in Maths. You can read more about her experience with GT Scholars at this link. 

This is why we need YOU!

Our scholars are eager to learn and achieve their goals. However, they need guidance and support from undergraduates, graduates, and professionals like you. We believe that you could make a difference in a young person’s life, and that’s why we would like to invite you to join the GT Scholars Volunteer Programme by clicking here.

Just one hour a week could make a huge difference in a young person’s life. Your support could help our scholars reach their full potential and gain entry into top universities. We know that you have the power to make a difference, and you can start your journey to helping young people by clicking this link to sign up for the programme.

Becoming an online tutor can be a rewarding experience for you and your tutees. Not only do you get to see your tutee improve personally and academically, but you also experience invaluable growth throughout the tutoring process. A key factor that influences the effectiveness of this process is enjoyability. 

By regularly examining your tutoring sessions, you can determine if they’re still enjoyable for you and your tutees. This will help you to identify if you have gotten into a teaching rut. Such a stumbling block can interfere with the effectiveness of your sessions. 

As an online tutor, being aware of these barriers can help you work towards creating an enjoyable experience for both you and your tutee. After all, these are the environments that cultivate the most success. Whether you want to revamp your tutoring approach or you want to make your sessions more effective, we’ve got tips to help you achieve your goals. 

Here we will discuss ways that you can identify when change is beneficial and how to go about implementing factors that can help you to make these positive changes.

Build Rapport

As a volunteer tutor, you play a very different role in your tutee’s life as opposed to the role of your tutee’s parents or school teachers. This puts you in a unique position to offer support to the student that is different from the kind of support they get from others. 

Due to the nature of this type of relationship, your role as a tutor is directly related to helping your tutee thrive. The less effective your approach, the less the tutee will gain from your programme. This means that it is important that the relationship between student and teacher is built on mutual trust and respect. This is just one of the things that a successful tutor does.

The more connected your student feels, the better your student will learn and apply themselves during the programme. It may help to spend time getting to know your tutee better. Ask them about their hobbies, interests, or career aspirations. When you incorporate these into your lessons, you are bound to wind up teacher of the year!

Another way to build a strong relationship is to listen carefully to your student. Without realising it, they could be telling you where they feel you need to adjust your teaching technique. Be attentive when they express themselves and make changes where needed. 

Set Definite Goals for Your Tutees

As an online tutor, it is a great idea to set learning goals for your students. This will help give them a clear idea of what they need to work towards achieving in a given period. You can use the information you gained from their assessments and your initial meeting with their parents to determine clear learning objectives. 

These goals can then be broken down into short and long-term goals. For example, you can set goals for each lesson, then per week, and finally per 12-week programme.  When completing your pupil progress planner, write down what information was covered in your session and what needs to be completed in the next session to reach your desired goals. 

Allow for flexibility where, if you notice that your tutee is not meeting their set goals, you may decide to re-evaluate these goals or consider adjusting your teaching approach or style. You may want to regularly review the goals to determine your tutee’s progress. 

Involving your tutee in the planning process and setting goals will help them to understand how important these are and motivate them to work towards achieving these goals. Allowing your tutee to feel like they have a say in the process will increase their accountability to attaining their goals.

Make Your Sessions Challenging and Productive

Being a successful online tutor means making learning relevant to your students. It is also rooted in having a good understanding of the topic you are teaching including various concepts, ideas and principles. By focusing on content relevant to your tutee’s situation, your sessions will be more productive.

A successful tutor will thus be able to adapt any teaching content to suit the needs of their student. For example, you may transform learning content into effective project-based activities or provide opportunities for real, hands-on work instead of abstract assignments or rote worksheets.

Try to provide your tutees with the opportunity for both academic and practical approaches to learning. It helps to make sure that your sessions challenge the student. Be careful not to overchallenge them. This is a common reason for the student to lose interest. Aim for a balance where the content is stimulating but not impossible to grasp.

Prepare in Advance

To be a successful volunteer tutor, you will need to set sufficient time aside to prepare. The students that you tutor are all different. They respond differently to various teaching methods and materials. When you prepare a session, it is useful to keep your tutee’s interests and needs in mind. 

You can start by asking yourself what material and approach would suit them best. It could be that some respond better to tactile learning, while others prefer a lecture style of learning. Whatever the case may be, adjust the session to meet the student’s needs.

Aim to teach your tutee something new in every lesson. You can also focus on building on previous knowledge. It is useful to include homework for them in your preparation. This helps tutees to put what they have learned into practice. 

The materials that you prepare in advance should be from reputable sources. Aim to use content that is in line with the goals that you set in your lesson progress planner. Aim to use materials that serve a purpose rather than using them to try to pass the time.

You can also request that your student send you any information that he needs help with before the session. During your preparations, you can then add this to the lesson. This will give you time to think of ways to best explain or present the work to your tutee. 

Have Clear Expectations

It is helpful for your tutee to have a clear understanding of what is required of them and what goals you are both trying to achieve with the programme. These expectations could include how much time your tutee should try to set aside for homework and extra practice.

Try to set realistic expectations as a student may also be very busy with school work and other extracurricular activities. These should be discussed with your tutee at the beginning of the programme. It is a good idea to note these down so that you can refer back to them.

Try to show your student the benefits of meeting these expectations with simple rewards. Being flexible during the process is important. Especially as your tutee’s circumstances change. This means making adjustments where necessary if your tutee’s workload increases. 

By doing so, your tutee will enjoy their sessions rather than stress about them.

Be Professional and Organised

As an online tutor, the way you approach the session influences the outcome. Be mindful of approaching the session with a lack of enthusiasm, the student may sense this and could potentially view the sessions with the same disposition. 

Even though it is a volunteer tutor role that you are filling, always approach your sessions professionally. This approach shows that you take the learning process seriously and this motivates the student to view it the same way.

Here are some factors of professionalism that you can focus on:

• Booking your lessons in advance and confirming the date and time of the lessons 
• Practising punctuality so that you set the precedent for your students
• Communicating openly with the tutee’s parents regarding challenges
• Being prepared for sessions by planning enough content to cover during the lesson that it is relevant to the student
• Showing empathy and understanding to your students and treating them with respect

Being organised will help you to have a considerable impact during your sessions as an online tutor. If you have an untidy work area, messy notes, or no clear thought pattern, this will be evident in your teaching. Your tutee may think that you are not serious about helping them.

It is always great when you take pride in your sessions by having a neat work area, having notes that are legible and being well organised. Your students will see your approach and understand how being organised can lead to more effective learning sessions. You can even show your student how organisational skills can promote clear thinking in any environment.

Encourage Critical Thinking

As an online tutor, try to encourage your student to go beyond fact memorisation. Effective tutors like to motivate their students to share their opinions about various subjects, analyse new ideas, and ask questions about the information they don’t understand. 

Motivate your student to think about the bigger picture and where this information fits in. How can it be applied in real-life situations, how does this knowledge build on what I know now, or how will this help me to understand something new in the future? You can do this by showing them how to become problem solvers and develop critical thinking skills.

This is achieved by applying what they have learned by giving them a real-life problem where they can put their newfound knowledge into practice. 

The Bottom Line

The key to becoming a successful tutor is to always look for ways to improve your methods. By being open to growth and positive criticism, you can work towards making each lesson an effective one. Your tutees look to you for advice and guidance on how to improve in various aspects of their lives. Your role as a tutor is directly related to helping your tutees work towards a better future. So, try to make the most out of the time you have with them by making your lessons fulfilling and enjoyable. 

At GT Scholars, we run a range of tutoring, mentoring and enrichment programmes for young people, aged 11-18, across the UK. If you’d like to sign up as a volunteer tutor or mentor, you can get in touch with us by clicking here.

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” — Oprah Winfrey

Would you like to become a good mentor and run effective mentoring sessions? Then you’re in the right place! There’s no doubt that volunteering as a mentor for young people means that you’ll be making a difference in their lives. Mentors are there to guide their mentees through life’s challenges so that they can work towards reaching their full potential.

Being a great mentor means showing up for your mentee and giving them all you’ve got during your sessions. It takes planning and dedication, and a whole lot of patience and care. Like with all things, you can become an excellent mentor with some practice and there are always ways that we can improve. 

At GT Scholars, we want to help you to become the best mentor you can possibly be! That’s why we’ve written this guide on the qualities of a great mentor and how you can run successful mentoring programs. We hope that this will be the start of an amazing journey between you and your future mentees! 

The Qualities of a Good Mentor

If you’re wondering what you can do to be a great mentor then you’re already halfway there! While there are many qualities of a good mentor, here are some of the ones that we feel are really important. 

You might find that you have these qualities already! If so, that’s great, and if not, don’t worry. We’re here to help you to become the best mentor you can be! 

They Have a Positive Outlook

A good mentor is aware of their emotions and filters. So they make a conscious effort to look at things in a positive way. You won’t be able to influence your mentee to think positively if you have not learned to develop a positive attitude yourself. Take some time to learn about and improve your outlook on things and make sure you’re thinking positively.

One aspect that can help is to focus on developing your emotional intelligence. People who are emotionally intelligent understand their emotions and know how to use and manage their feelings in positive ways, especially in difficult situations. They are also better at managing their relationships with others. It is for this reason that good mentors are also emotionally intelligent.

Apart from having a positive outlook on things, you also want to be a positive role model! Your mentee will learn a lot from you by simply observing how you handle different situations. 

They’ll pick up on your standards, ethics, values, and attitudes and they’re likely to follow your lead and adapt to your approach because of the nature of your relationship with them. So it’s important to make sure you’re modelling a positive attitude.

They’re Enthusiastic!

Mentors who make the biggest impact are enthusiastic! They are more likely to get their mentee excited about their sessions. Learning is also more memorable when it is related to an emotion, which is why mentees are more likely to enjoy and remember their sessions when their mentor is enthusiastic.

What does enthusiasm look like? You want to be the mentor that gets excited to share knowledge, wisdom, and expertise with your mentee. Being enthusiastic doesn’t mean being inhuman and permanently putting up a front. It means being passionate about what you can do to help your mentee to the best of your ability. 

It means being prepared and going the extra mile to show your mentee that you care about your role as their mentor. If you, as a mentor, always show enthusiasm towards your sessions, this attitude will rub off and your mentee will start looking forward to their sessions with you.

They’re a Good Listener

The best mentors give good advice only because they listened to their mentee’s needs first. You need to be open to listening to your mentee so that you know which direction to guide them in. 

How can you do this? A good mentoring relationship is built on asking questions rather than telling your mentee what to do all the time. This is a lot easier said than done! As a mentor, you will have to make a conscious effort to pay attention to what your mentee is saying instead of thinking about what you’re going to say next. 

Show that you are interested in what they think by asking yourself what they are up to and why. Listening to your mentee will help you to build understanding with them; the type of person they are, their likes and dislikes, and get to know them on a deeper level. Knowing your mentee on this level will help you conduct the best mentoring sessions.

They Give Honest Feedback

A good mentor will know how to give honest feedback to their mentees. You can use the sandwich principle when you are giving honest feedback. That means that you start by telling your mentee something positive first. Then, you give them feedback and suggestions without them feeling attacked. Finally, you end off by saying something positive again.

This will help your mentee to see that you are not trying to hurt their feelings, but that you care enough to be honest.  You can also share your experience with your mentee. This is a great way to send a message without criticising them directly. For example, tell them about a mistake you made and how you learned from it. Help your mentee to see the wisdom in not making the same mistakes that you did. 

Your approach should be to make them feel less criticism and help them to understand that you have their best interest at heart. As your relationship grows over the term, they’ll trust you more and learn to accept your feedback and work on improving in those areas.

They’re Empathetic

A good mentor is someone who is empathetic. It’s vital to be able to relate to your mentees and understand their perspective and feelings. Empathy will help you understand how your mentee feels and how to best approach a mentoring session with them. It requires effort as you will need to listen more and appreciate that your mentee is different from you and in the way they think and feel. 

You have different strengths, interests, backgrounds and experiences. Be careful not to expect your mentee to respond the same way you do to different challenges. Empathy will allow you to embrace the differences between you and your mentee.

Your mentee will also feel more accepted and comfortable if they can see you are empathetic towards them. This will improve your mentoring relationship with them and, ultimately, your sessions will be a lot more impactful.

So, you can become a great mentor and foster a good mentoring relationship by following these tips! If you’d also like to discover 7 useful skills you can develop through volunteer mentoring, then check out our blog.

The Qualities of a Great Session

We all hope to make a difference as teachers, tutors and mentors. Running impactful sessions is one way to do that! You may be wondering what you can do to deliver impactful sessions? We’ll talk about what you can do to run successful mentoring programmes and how to be the best mentor possible!

They are Well Prepared

To run successful mentoring programs, forethought and preparation are key. Sessions become great when mentors put in a great deal of effort. You may not get it right on the first try, but practice makes perfect. Be open to adjusting your planning approach until you find what works for you and your mentee.

The first step to being well prepared is to know what you wish to accomplish from the session beforehand. Have a discussion with your mentee about what the objectives should be. These objectives should be clear and well-defined. An example of a clear objective is to help your mentee gain confidence with interpersonal skills, instead of just helping your mentee gain confidence. 

Having these clear goals in mind will help you to monitor your mentee’s progress closely as they can now show they are working on specific goals. At the end of the session, you can review what you accomplished with your mentee and then discuss what you wish to achieve in the next session. This way, sessions will be impactful as they now have clear objectives that need to be reached.

They Have Set Times

Successful mentoring sessions last long enough to be impactful. If the session is too short, you run the risk of not accomplishing anything. If the session is too long, your mentee may lose interest in the mentoring sessions. As a guideline, a mentoring session should last between 1 and 2 hours. 

Discuss the timing of the session with your mentee to maximise the time you spend together. Remember to also consider your mentee’s interests and learning styles. Some mentees will respond better to shorter, more frequent meetings, while others will find it easier to have longer, more detailed discussions at different times. 

Finally, be flexible and leave some room for adjustments. Anything can happen so try not to be too rigid with the schedule. 

They Offer New Opportunities 

As you get to know your mentee better you will learn more about what they need and what areas need improving. You will now be able to look out for different opportunities that can be beneficial to your mentee. For example, if you know that your mentee has been struggling to choose career options, you could be on the lookout for online career days or virtual workshops that could help them. 

While events are great, be careful not to use them as a way to pass the time. Make sure that they are relevant to your mentee’s goals and impactful. You can also look for opportunities to help your mentee overcome their personal challenges, like finding ways to help them with low self-confidence.

A great way to tackle self-esteem challenges is to let your mentee feel like they have control over the mentoring process. Give them chances to get involved and let them know that you value their input and ideas.

They Have a Clear Plan

Mentoring sessions can easily turn into a one-hour-long brainstorming session, without achieving much. That’s why successful mentoring sessions are well planned so that you and your mentee know how to structure each session. This will increase how productive your sessions are. 

Next, reflect on the progress that your mentee is making. Analysing progress is a good way to see where your mentee has made changes and progress. This could be through celebrating their achievements or a challenge that they have overcome.

When a mentee starts recognising their achievements and progress, they are more likely to engage in their future sessions. They will see the benefits of setting clear objectives and goals and they will feel more confident in the mentoring process.

The Bottom Line

As you can see, becoming a good mentor and running successful mentoring programmes will take time and effort. But it is well worth it! Focus on being empathetic, a good listener, and maintaining positive thoughts about yourself. Not only will these qualities positively impact your mentee, but they will also have a positive impact on you too!

Remember to always set clear goals and outcomes, stick to a suitable time, and always be on the lookout for opportunities that your mentee can benefit from. Again, this may take some preparation and forethought. The more you put into the sessions, the more impactful they will be!

If you can focus on working on these approaches and strategies over time, then you’re likely to have impactful sessions that make a huge difference in your mentee’s life!

Being a good online tutor means your sessions with your students are meaningful and impactful. So, what can you do to improve your tutoring style and make your lessons stand out? First and foremost, a good tutor needs to have a deep knowledge of the subject they are teaching. 

Secondly, there are certain “soft skills” that go beyond just having knowledge of the material. These soft skills help you to take the information that you have and share it with your students. These soft skills may not come naturally to everyone but they can be learned and strengthened with practice!

Just like soft skills, hard skills are important too and refer to how well you can do tasks relating to your job. These could be tasks like setting lesson plans, using a PowerPoint presentation for your lessons or anything else that requires a “know-how” skill.

In this article, we’ll be discussing some of the skills that tutors need, and how improving on these will help you to up-skill your tutoring style.

Communicate Effectively

Effective communication means doing more than exchanging information with someone. It is important as an online tutor to listen clearly to what your student is saying. You also have to understand the emotion and intention of the conversation. 

There is a lot involved when it comes to being an effective communicator. It’s good to know that communication skills can be learned, so don’t worry if this is an area you struggle with! 

Why Be a Good Communicator?

Being a good communicator is key to being able to conduct effective tutoring sessions. It’s the ability to listen to your students and understand their needs. This helps you to make your lessons more relatable to your students. Effective communication will also help establish a good relationship with your student and contributes positively to your tutoring style.

The Role of Active Listening 

This is necessary for effective communication and rapport building with your students and their parents. Many of us are still mastering the skill of active listening. It’s easy to find ourselves hearing the words our student is speaking, but not actively listening to them or being preoccupied with other thoughts. So we are missing out on important information that they may be telling us.

If we don’t take the time to actively listen, and understand what our student is telling us, we will not learn about their needs. Active listening is thus a key part of the tutoring skills that you need to develop.

How Do I Listen Actively?

Active listening is the process where you direct your attention toward the speaker by taking notes, maintaining eye contact, nodding, and asking clarification questions where needed. By developing strong listening, speaking and observation skills as an online tutor, you can create a high-quality learning environment. 

To show that you understand what your student is saying, you could give a short review of how you understood their point. Each student is different and expresses themselves in their own way. You can learn how your students speak so that you can learn how to understand them. Sometimes, you may find that you need to change the questions you ask to suit their communication style.

Another important thing to do is to take note of your student’s body language. This could tell you that they are uncertain or don’t understand certain points. Take note if they are folding their arms, or have a confused look on their face. This type of body language may signal that you need to change your tutoring or teaching approach.

Speak So That Your Students Understand

Speaking is another skill that tutors should focus on. If you speak too quickly, you could leave your student feeling confused and frustrated. Speaking too slowly, on the other hand, could lead to your student losing focus. 

To improve in speaking, consider conducting a trial session with a friend and ask for feedback. You could also record yourself and see if there is any room for improvement. Listen to the modulation of your voice. Is the pitch, pace, and power of your speaking at an acceptable level? Do you pause to see if your student is following along? 

As a tutor who will be conducting most of your sessions online, make sure that the mic you are using is set to a comfortable level for your student. It is also important to make sure there are no background sounds that could cause distractions during your session. 

Strengthen Your Teaching Abilities

Teaching involves far more than just the ability to speak well. Teaching ability is the skill of taking your knowledge and delivering it to your student in a way that they will understand. If you are unable to teach well, your student may be unable to apply the knowledge that you are giving them. Here are some tips on how to strengthen your teaching or tutoring skills.

Build More Self-Confidence 

It is important to have confidence in your teaching abilities as having low self-confidence could affect your tutoring style. Tutors who struggle with confidence could come across as being unprepared, nervous, uninterested or disorganised – even when that’s not the case. Ultimately, students can tell whether their tutor is confident or not. 

To gain confidence in yourself and your teaching abilities, you need to know your subject content well. You may also look into innovative and new ways of teaching. Another thing that you can do is to spend some time reading up on developments and trends that are taking place in education.

Finally, read forums and see which methods other tutors are finding useful. By giving yourself the tools you need and by being more prepared, you are likely to feel more confident.

Listen to Your Students’ Interests

Why is it important for online tutors to consider their students’ interests? Knowing their interests is a powerful motivational tool as it relates what they are learning to what they like. It helps to keep students engaged during the session and will energise their learning experience.

You could also try out a more student-focused learning approach by asking your students to share their thoughts and opinions on different subjects or topics. By engaging with your student during the learning process you gain confidence knowing which areas you are having an impact on and learning which areas need improvement.

Design the Lesson around Your Student’s Learning Style 

To become an online tutor who makes a difference, it is important to note that students have unique learning styles. Some are reflective, meaning they like to prepare before each tutoring session. They are likely to prefer having the material beforehand. This allows them to feel confident in the material you will be covering. 

On the other hand, some students may be tactile learners who prefer a more hands-on approach. Such students prefer to learn as they go, seeing how their new knowledge applies to real-life situations. While other students may respond better to a more visual learning style using images, diagrams and videos. 

Knowing this ahead of time will help you to design lesson plans that are inspiring. By adapting your tutoring approach you will bring the best out of each student. So it’s helpful to spend time getting to know each student’s learning style.

Have a Positive Mindset

Having a great mindset is one of the many qualities of a good tutor. It means finding the good in situations and believing that all challenges have a solution. This is the best thing you can do as a tutor to inspire your students to think about their learning positively. Here are some qualities that help you to develop a positive mindset:

Be Patient 

Patience is the ability to remain calm and respectful in any situation. By staying calm and approaching your student with patience, your session will run smoothly and you can help your student learn to be more patient with themselves during the learning process.

Remember that even though you are an online tutor, you are still a role model to your students. Showing a lack of patience will make the lesson uncomfortable for your student. A patient tutor is also likely to be more adaptable to different teaching environments. By being patient, you will learn alternative teaching tactics that can be applied and become an effective and well-rounded tutor.

Be Adaptable

The teaching environment changes a lot so it is good to be adaptable. This shows that you are resourceful and determined to succeed as a tutor no matter what. By being adaptable you will also teach your student to be flexible when it comes to learning.

Being adaptable also means changing up your tutoring approach and style if you see that your student is not engaging or showing interest. 

Have Empathy

Empathy allows you to connect with your students and is one of the most important tutor skills to have. Being empathetic will help you to understand any challenges that your students are facing. It also allows you to work through any learning challenges together.

To show empathy, try putting yourself in your student’s position. For example, you could ask yourself, why are they not doing their homework? What is holding them back from showing confidence? Thinking about their challenges could help you to understand your student and work with them to overcome these barriers.

Another way to connect with your student is to share common interests with them. These could be shared hobbies, interests, or stories about yourself. Doing this will allow your students to relate to you as a person which ultimately leads to better relationship building.

Smile and Have a Friendly Attitude

Having a friendly attitude is another essential quality for a good online tutor to develop. Your students will feel more confident to approach you when you express a friendly attitude toward them. It is also likely to motivate students to learn and improves your tutoring style!

When your student sees you as being approachable, they’ll also feel more comfortable asking questions and engaging with you. A friendly disposition will enhance student-teacher communication and create a more positive learning environment. 

Focus on Classroom Management

It is important to manage your classroom well because chaos can lead to less effective learning. By making sure your classroom and lesson management strategies are in place, you ensure that any learning that takes place is meaningful. 

Build On Your Problem Solving Skills 

Being a good problem-solver is another skill to add to the qualities of a good tutor. You will be able to identify any problems that could hinder the learning experience. Try to see what is holding them back from fully understanding a subject before you even begin the teaching process. 

By solving these problems that slow down progress, you’ll learn what works and what doesn’t in your particular learning environment. If something does not seem to be working, then you can find a solution that works for you and your students.

The Role That Being Organized Plays

Being organized plays an essential role in being a good online tutor or tutor. It allows you to work towards meeting and completing deadlines, expectations, and tasks. To do this effectively, you could make notes after the class, jotting down anything that you need to keep in mind for the next session. 

This way, you will know what you need to prepare for the next session. You will also know how your student is progressing and will be in a better position to inform students of what is expected of them. If you set an example of being well organised, your student will understand how important it is and how it contributes to reaching goals.

Be a Good Time Manager

Another useful skill for tutors is time management. This helps you to ensure that everything that you planned is covered during the lesson. Additionally, staying on task allows you to make sure that none of your lesson time is wasted.

It helps to take note of the time you need to spend on each task during your lesson. Share this with your student so that they can be part of the time management process. Remember to be flexible in your tutoring style as you may find that you may need more time for certain activities and that others go faster. It’s always good to have something extra prepared.

Make use of Technology as an Online Tutor

In the modern world of teaching, there’s no denying the difference that technology can make for your lessons. That’s why we believe that shaping your skills in this domain is important when you work towards achieving your full potential as a tutor.

How is Technology Changing the Way We Teach?

Technology has had a noticeable impact on teachers and tutors in the past few years. You now have access to online collaboration platforms that allow you to conduct a lesson from any location in a more engaging way. You also have access to assessment tools to help assess the level of your students, which will help you build individual plans for each student. 

Technology has also made lesson preparation easier due to the abundance of material that is available online. Additionally, technology has given us more in-class resources such as smart boards and easy access to presentations, videos and more.

What Can You Do to Keep Up With Technological Trends as an Online Tutor?

Firstly, become familiar with the technology that is available to make your sessions better. Find apps, tools, and worksheets that will make your lessons more impactful. Always make sure to learn the ins and outs of the software you are using before the session so that it doesn’t end up slowing your lesson down instead of aiding it.

Secondly, read educational blogs or join forums where you can network with other tutors. This allows you to share different ideas and to learn about other useful resources. You can look for forums that allow you to collaborate with others and share information.

Lastly, subscribe to an e-newsletter. Instead of spending time searching for information, a newsletter can keep you up to date with the latest trends. Another advantage of a newsletter is that because it comes to you via email, you can catch up on your reading while commuting on the underground. 

You can click here to subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on education trends!

To Conclude

Each lesson should have a goal and purpose. A skilled online tutor is always looking for ways to improve the quality of their teaching methods and lessons. By upskilling your tutoring style, you ultimately work towards being a teacher that makes learning meaningful and impactful.

This may mean taking a little more time to prepare but the results will be worth it and will help you to discover your tutoring style. By upskilling your tutoring style, you’ll approach your lessons with confidence, and your students will see how your lessons are helping them to reach their academic goals.

Being a tutor is one of the most enriching experiences. Knowing the difference you are making in the lives of young people is motivating. If volunteering as an online tutor with GT Scholars is something that you’d like to find out more about, you can contact us here.

Volunteering with GT Scholars is a great way to get involved with young people and help them in different areas of their lives. It’s the perfect opportunity to give back to your community and pass down knowledge and lessons that you have learnt throughout your life. Your support can help a young person achieve their goals & aspirations. Wondering how you can get involved? Have a look at these volunteering opportunities to find out which one is best for you.

Become a mentor
We’re always looking for more volunteer mentors to join our amazing team of volunteers and help support young people between the age of 14-16. As a mentor, you’ll help guide a young person as they plan for the future, help your mentee discover all the different options available to them, and give them the support & strategies they need to achieve their aspirations. To offer 1-to-1 mentoring support, you’ll spend 2 hours a month working with your mentee during a 12-week term.

Podcast Interview
Our Youth Board is on the lookout for professionals who are keen to be interviewed on their podcast called Young, Gifted & Talented! The podcast will be for young people to learn from professionals in different career fields. It will also help young people to have a better understanding of the working world and to make career decisions. To volunteer as a guest speaker on the podcast, you’ll need to be available for a 1-hour interview followed by a 30min Q&A session at the end. The podcast interview will be live, and you’ll also have a chance to answer questions from young people across the UK.

Connect with Schools & Parents
Do you or your company have some valuable information that you’d like to share with our network of over 5000 parents and young people? By volunteering to host a webinar, you can do so! A webinar will run for 90 minutes. Each webinar will be broken down into a 1-hour presentation and 30 min Q&A for parents and young people to ask questions. If you’d like to volunteer by sharing some information about your brand or company, this opportunity might be for you!

1-to1 Volunteer Tutoring
There are quite a number of young people between the age of 14 & 16 who need 1-to-1 support with Maths & English up to GCSE level. If you’re interested in helping a young person to reach their full potential in one of these subjects, you can do so by becoming an online volunteer tutor! As a tutor, you will be supporting your tutee for 1 hour per week during the 12-week term.

Careers day – Panel speaker
We host an Online Careers Summit twice a year for young people to learn from professionals from a wide range of career fields, different companies, and from diverse backgrounds. If you’d like to be part of our next Online Career Summit day, you can do so by joining as a guest speaker for one of our many panel sessions. Each panel session has a specific topic and runs for 90 mins.

Run a Masterclass or Workshop
If you have a specific skill that you’d like to share with young people so that they can learn or enhance their skills, you can volunteer to lead a live masterclass or workshop! Each masterclass or workshop will be between an hour and a half to two hours long. This is a great way to boost young people’s skills and build their confidence.

Create an online course
Create a personal development course for young people to watch in their own time. By designing an online course, you’ll have the opportunity to introduce your employer brand to over 20,000 young people in the UK. Each online course will be in between 1 hour & 3 hours long.

Run a Virtual Challenge
If your company is looking to reach more young people, they can do so by running a virtual challenge! Gamification & online challenges is a great way to boost young people’s skills. With this volunteering opportunity, you’ll be able to reach over 50,000 young people across the UK. Each virtual challenge will run from 6 to 12 hours.

Mock interviews
Help a young person by dedicating 1 hour of your time to have a practice interview session with them. This is a great way to give tips and advice to young people who’re getting ready for interviews. Your feedback will help a young person to be prepared, build confidence, and have a better understanding of what they can expect at their first interview.

Online CV Reviews
If you’re an HR specialist, creative writer, or designer, your feedback on a young person’s CV might make a world of difference to them! You can add value by sharing ideas, looking for grammatical errors and ways that they can improve their CV. By dedicating 30mins of your time, you can help a young person’s CV stand out from the rest!

We’re always happy to build our network of talented volunteers to help make a difference in the lives of young people! So, if you are interested in any of the volunteering opportunities listed in this blog, and you’re ready to start volunteering with us, please get in touch, and our recruitment team will guide you through the steps to get started.