UQMSA's Refugee Tutoring Drive

Salam Sejahtera and Hi dear members !

If YOU DID NOT join us for our previous events, no fret! UQMSA has a bucket list of events and programs mapped out for you that screams FUN, EXCITING & TIME WORTHY. But aside from the happening social events (i.e. Mamak Nite, Diversity Week, Laser Tag/Paintball, outdoor excursions etc) which will be rolling out this year, we also believe in giving back to the community and doing our part to help those who are less fortunate.

UQMSA's Refugee Tutoring Drive
Have you ever performed a good deed that made your heart smile? And then have that feel-good satisfaction motivate you to do more now and in the future, whenever & wherever? Yes or no, here's your chance to add another good deed experience onto your impressive good-deed-resume, or at least start the first experience of this feel-good vibe with us! :)

We'd like to introduce & encourage all of you to participate in our first charitable event, UQMSA's REFUGEE TUTORING PROGRAM

The Gist of it (A Message from VoRTCS)

Tutoring program coordinated by Volunteer Refugee Tutoring & Community Support (VoRTCS), a non-profit, non-religious, volunteer-run organization based in Australia and supported by the St. Vincent De Paul Society. UQMSA will be collaborating with them in organizing this drive for our members.
Pairs of volunteer tutors visit the homes of refugee families who have recently arrived in Australia. Most of our families are African (many Sudanese), and we have some from Afghanistan and Iraq also.
Tutors help the children (usually several children per family) with homework and reading/writing skills, and help the parents with conversation skills where needed.
Volunteers can choose the day and time that they visit their family, and can change if needed. Most tutoring visits last for 1-2 hours, and you continue visiting your family for an extended period of time. All of our tutors are volunteers, and we provide insurance for all tutors while they are visiting their family.
VoRTCS will assist all volunteers in applying for a Blue card (compulsory under Queensland Law for working with children), and will provide tutor training and regular support to our tutors


All volunteers will attend an interview session conducted by VoRTCS on the 17th of April (Sunday) from 1-2pm (venue TBA) (during which VoRTCS will help each member apply for a Blue Card), and two compulsory tutor-training sessions in May. These are compulsory procedures we will go through together towards obtaining the Blue card, before we can begin tutoring (we will notify everyone of the time and place once we collect your responses). The actual tutoring drive for our members will probably start NEXT SEMESTER, as it takes 2-3 months to have the Blue Card applications processed.



One great thing about this program is its flexibility! Tutoring sessions can be scheduled to fit your timetable :) We’ll all have busy schedules, no doubt, but we truly believe there is at least ONE HOUR of our time to reach out and bless a soul who’s not as fortunate as we are. So come on fellow Malaysians, let’s set aside that one/one & half/ two hours (absolutely up to you!) to help these people! 



Benefits for our members

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* Invaluable learning experience in teaching and communicating.

* Personal satisfaction of having helped people who are less fortunate (priceless !)

* Sharing of experience and insights with people from different cultures.

* Something impressive to put into your CV / Resume.

* Networking with fellow tutors and people involved with VoRTCS

* Flexible tutoring times !

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So if you decide and make a serious commitment to give back to the community, DROP US an email at uniqmsa@gmail.com (by 11th April 2011, Monday) with the email title - "Refugee Tutoring Volunteer". Please remember to include the following details:

- NAME
- STUDENT ID
- EMAIL ADDRESS
- MOBILE NUMBER

If you’re not sure about timing and busy schedules, register with us first and attend the interview session in which the VoRTCS representatives will be able to answer all your questions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON VoRTCS, LOG ON TO

http://www.refugeetutoring.org/ or contact our UQMSA's Educational Convener, Jess Wong (jesswhl@hotmail.com). 

Click here to view this FB event page

Thanks everyone! and to those who will be having mid-semester papers, good luck! :)

Warmest Regards,
UQMSA Committee