Youth and Future

Youth and Future

We support children and young people through information, advice, and homework club to make informed choices.

For a child from a refugee background, adjusting to a new country, a new language, a new lifestyle and a new school can be an overwhelming experience. The transition from arriving in a new country, starting a new (or first) school and dealing with the day-to-day experiences of being a child is compounded by the difficulty with communicating in a foreign tongue. A large number of children that attend our homework club tend to have a low literacy level in their original language and this makes it difficult for them to rebuild their lives in the host country due to the fact that they speak very little English. These facts make the children easy targets for bullying and further isolation. As well as being highly likely to bullied, most face particular difficulties at school due to the lack of English language skills.

Most of the children that are experiencing the transition process in their new environment have a literacy level below that of a 5 year old; an added constraint to their ability to maximise their academic achievement in comparison to their peers.

After setting up the Homework Club, Warm Hut UK has been able to provide young people from a refugee background with individual and intensive support with their school homework and general educational experience. The club runs from 3:30pm to 6pm Monday through to Thursday each week during school term and from 10am to 2pm on Saturdays.

Our dedicated team support young people with English, increasing numeracy and literacy skills and their general educational experience. Young people are provided with practical means and opportunities to succeed in their studies that will enable them to integrate into the schooling system. Children can learn in a less formal set up and are also able to explore their more creative sides.

Positive peer relationships are developed along with a deeper understanding what areas need more attention. For our Homework Club team, there is an opportunity to further teaching skills, understand the role of an educator better and be more confident in the education system.

Working to boost uptake of vaccine amongst young people:

Our activities include:

  • Numeracy
  • Literacy
  • Social and Leisure activities

Case study:

Elonga, a year 5 pupil first came to Homework Club in February 2014. Initially, her maths skills were weak and in great need of development. Her literacy level was below that of a 5 year old with great need of improvement and individual support. Over the weeks and months that followed, the Homework Club teachers worked hard to improve her maths and literacy skills. With consistent coaching and adult support, Elonga became more confident with the reading and reasoning and this showed in her overall attitude to her learning experience by the summer of that same year (2014).

Feedback received from Elonga: “Homework club has made a lot of difference and made things easier”

The above is the kind of progress report that we aim to replicate for every child at Homework Club. If you need further information about our homework club or how to volunteer as an assistant teacher, please contact:

Mr Richard Cockcroft: info@warmhut.org
Mrs P Miyalu: pipeeh@warmhut.org