Alfia’s experience helps shape the learning support sector
Alfia is a MY Education Project Support Officer here at CMY. Her journey from program participant, to mentor, to advocate of Learning Support Programs, is one that exemplifies the importance of programs like Learning Beyond the Bell and the broader Learning Support Sector. The impact these programs have on students and enhancing the potential of young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds is clear in Alfia’s story. Here’s a reflection on her journey from Alfia herself.
While there were many times I felt overwhelmed by homework, the presence of Learning Support Programs – after-school spaces where staff and volunteers supported students with homework, study habits, and overall wellbeing – gave me the comfort and confidence to believe that, with extra support, I could succeed in my studies.
Attending these programs up to four times a week not only strengthened my study habits and improved my writing skills but also helped me discover something even more powerful: complete belief in my own potential.
English was a subject I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved exploring different forms of literature, participating in creative writing and poetry competitions, engaging in film and novel comparative analysis, and taking part in debates and persuasive writing on important issues. However, writing was not always my strongest skill. While teachers provided feedback on my assessments, their limited capacity often meant that the feedback was brief and insufficient to help me truly excel in my exams.
This is where Learning Support Programs bridged the gap, by connecting me with a tutor who could take the time to go through feedback with me in detail and offer the space and guidance I needed to improve.
In addition, tutors were able to follow up on my progress, provide access to resources I otherwise wouldn’t have had, especially when engaging with peer tutoring programs, and supporting me in achieving better academic outcomes.
Between university lectures and late-night study sessions, I returned to those same homework clubs a few times a week – this time as a tutor. I had the opportunity to support students with their homework, guide them through subjects I once struggled with, offer advice on effective study techniques, and share my journey to inspire younger learners.
I saw myself in them, and they saw what was possible in me.
In this role, I came to truly understand the challenges that Learning Support Programs face, from recruiting and retaining volunteers, to securing adequate funding, to delivering a program that is both effective and sustainable. Many of these programs are carried by the generosity of community members who dedicate their time and effort to supporting students from low socio-economic backgrounds, all in the hope of advancing educational equity.
Now a graduate, I work in the MY Education team at CMY, specifically on the Learning Beyond the Bell program, where I support and advocate for the creation and delivery of high-quality tutoring for students from low socio-economic backgrounds to promote education equity. I collaborate with organisations and schools, gather and share data and stories that highlight the importance of this sector, and advocate for increased funding for homework clubs to ensure their sustainability.
My journey, from needing help, to giving help, to now helping shape the sector, shows how the right support at the right time can create lifelong impact.
My story is a reminder: investing in students doesn’t just change academic outcomes, it can transform their futures.