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AMEP Volunteer Tutor Scheme

About AMEP

The Adult Migration English Program (AMEP) offers free English lessons to eligible migrants and refugees, helping them develop essential language and settlement skills for social and economic participation in Australia.

AMEP is funded by the Australian Government.

About AMEP Volunteer Tutor Scheme at North Metropolitan TAFE (NMTAFE)

At NMTAFE, we seek volunteers to support our migrant and humanitarian entrants in learning English. Volunteers can assist in classrooms, at students’ homes, or in public spaces like libraries and online. As a classroom volunteer, you’ll work alongside a qualified lecturer, who will handle lesson planning and delivery.

No previous teaching experience is required, as comprehensive training will be provided, as well as tutoring resources such as books, worksheets and flashcards.

What do I need to know?

  • Help vulnerable people and make a difference to their lives 
  • Make our community a better place
  • Get to know other cultures while helping students settle into their new life in Australia
  • Give something back to the community or to make a difference to the people in their community
  • Develop new skills or enhance existing knowledge and experience.

AMEP volunteer tutors are welcome to spend as much time with their student as they require. However, when volunteers join the program, they make a six-month commitment to meet with their student, for at least one hour per week.

AMEP Volunteer Tutor Program sessions are negotiated between the AMEP volunteer tutor and the student - with the flexibility to reschedule sessions when required.

As an AMEP volunteer tutor, you will receive comprehensive training, as no previous teaching experience is required.

NMTAFE AMEP volunteer tutors also receive:

  • Free training via A Course in Volunteer English Language Tutoring, which includes tasks to develop cross-cultural awareness and tasks to assist students with their settlement needs
  • Skills training for one-on-one tutoring
  • Ongoing support from the AMEP Volunteer Tutor Program coordinator
  • A term newsletter
  • Access to our libraries 
  • An opportunity to make a difference in someone's life.
Assisting in the classroom 

Volunteers can assist by providing opportunities for extra conversation in small groups; a valuable way for newly arrived migrants to learn more about Australia and share their settlement experiences.  Volunteers can also help in classes where there are low literacy levels. The lecturer will plan the lesson and the volunteer can follow the lecturer’s directions to help individuals or groups. 

No immediate training is required for a volunteer to help in the classroom. This is because you are working under the instructions of a qualified lecturer.  The lecturer will be responsible for the planning and delivery of the lesson. 

Our classes are held at North Metropolitan TAFE campuses in Perth, Leederville, Balga, Ellenbrook, Midland and Joondalup. The majority of classes are held at Perth campus in Northbridge.  All classes in Perth are coded to help you in finding the correct rooms: 

  • N is for North Block 
  • E is for East Block 
  • S is for South Block 
  • W is for West Block 

The first digit in a classroom code stands for the floor level.  For example, room N325 means the room is in the North Block on level 3, room 25. 

All AMEP volunteers are welcome to help themselves to tea and coffee that are provided in the staff room. 

Home tutors and the AMEP Volunteer Tutor Scheme 

Every AMEP student can request to meet with a volunteer tutor. This is a volunteer who agrees to meet with the student for at least one hour a week.  The tutor can discuss with the student the best way for them to learn English and help them understand daily life in Australia. 

As a volunteer home tutor, you will be asked to go to a student's home or a public space like a library for one or two hours per week to help them improve their speaking, listening, reading and writing. 

Home tutors need to complete a compulsory online training before being matched with a student. Full resources and ongoing academic support is offered.  Students who study with a volunteer tutor do not follow a set national curriculum and are not assessed. 

Many of our volunteers go to a student’s home.  However, some meet eligible students on campus or in a local library or church.  Where and when you decide to meet with your student is up to you. 

Can I be a classroom volunteer and a home tutor? 

Yes!  Many of our volunteers choose to work in the classroom and have a home student.  This allows volunteers to observe professionals at work and then have a go at applying the skills themselves with their own student(s). 

There are no restrictions on how much work you do.  For example, you could assist in two classes of varying abilities as well as working with two separate home students.

AMEP Home Tutor Volunteers

How do I become an AMEP volunteer English tutor?

The process to become a volunteer tutor involves six (6) stages:

  • Register your interest below by completing the AMEP Volunteer Expression of Interest (EOI) form below.
  • Induction You will be sent a link to make an appointment to attend one of our fortnightly inductions.
  • Application You will be asked to complete an electronic form and apply to the Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check with the Department of Education, to do so you will need to have proof of identification. 
  • Training You will complete a 15-hour online tutor-training program that is self-paced to suit your needs.
  • Matching We will start working on matching you to a student in your local area or allocating you into a class

How to apply


AMEP volunteer expression of interest form
Register now

If you want to be an AMEP volunteer, register your interest now by completing this form.

As soon as you start to enter your details, the form will expand. Just follow the instructions, then once you're complete, click the submit button. Following that, one of our AMEP team will contact you to invite you to one of our inductions.

Name
Personal details
e.g. 1 January 2000
Address


 

What our volunteers have to say

Volunteering makes me feel good. I gets lots of energy from it and it is really de-stressing. It’s just great to be able to help someone. I have learned so much about their own culture.

It’s just been a wonderful experience for me.


Sylvie Huveneers

After my home tutor session, I often walked away realising that I was feeling very rewarded in myself. My lessons with my Vietnamese student are enjoyable and fun and often I get involved with the extended family. They're a delightful family and are excellent migrants for Australia. It is my great pleasure to help where I can.

                                                                             Richard Jolly

What support resources are available for volunteers?

North Metro TAFE values all AMEP volunteer tutors' contribution to the program, and we will continue to assist and support you with your work as a volunteer tutor. The program provides face-to-face training, delivered by AMEP teachers. 

The AMEP Volunteer Tutor Program coordinator supports volunteer tutors via regular communication and training updates.

AMEP Online

AMEP Online is available to AMEP students (to support their classroom study) and to the general public. 

It provides over 170 English learning modules over three different levels, based on identified themes and issues relating to settlement in Australia. It’s easy to use and is designed for use on computer and mobile devices.

Volunteer tutor resources

Volunteer Tutor Resources - Topic Packs are a resource used by volunteer tutors for the AMEP.

Topic Packs are designed to support the tutor in the delivery of sessions and are organised by language levels (pre-beginner, beginner, post beginner and intermediate).

The syllabus focuses on issues relating to settlement in Australia and will provide new arrivals with information about Australian society, culture, laws, services and practices.

They are intended to complement your existing resources and include teaching tips and strategies, ideas for developing a session and excursion ideas.

The AMEP volunteer tutor resources topic packs overview document contains information for tutors on the learner types, session structure and how to use the training materials.

Topic plans | Lessons

More things you need to know

Where will the training be and at what time? 

The majority of our training events are held at either Perth campus (Northbridge) or our Leederville campus. 

Both campuses are conveniently located within a short walk from the train station.  Perth campus is opposite a public underground car park and Leederville campus has street parking for a small fee. 

When do I need to do my training? 

Training sessions will be run twice a term.  You will be informed of training events via email and/or letter.  It is essential that you inform us if you plan to attend an event. Places are often limited and are allocated on a first- come, first- served basis. 

In the unlikely event that a training session will need to be cancelled, e.g. due to low numbers, staff sickness or other unforeseeable circumstances, we will contact and inform all those who have registered. 

What should I do if I cannot attend a training course? 

If you have enrolled in a particular session and you cannot attend, please let your home tutor coordinator or your home tutor support person know immediately.  

Can I fail the training? 

The training course is not examined in any way, so you cannot fail the course.  In order to receive the certificate of participation, you are simply required to attend and participate in the sessions. 

Will I receive a certificate? 

We can arrange for certificates of participation, recognition and completion to be sent to you. We can also write references to outline your work experience with us. 

Engage with the learner

Show them you are enthusiastic, encourage them and praise them all the time.  Rather than correct them, use language like ‘try again’, and ‘have another go’.

Always show patience and empathy so that you build great rapport with your student.

We are currently engaged with the following service providers

Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Services provides a range of holistic services to women from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds.

Ishar is a LGBTQI friendly service and welcomes women of any sexual orientation, anyone who identifies as a woman and anyone who was assigned female identity at birth.
 

MercyCare can help with all kinds of challenges, large and the small – physical, mental, practical and financial.

Challenges such as settlement for refugees and new arrivals into Australia; accommodation so you can get back on your feet; reconnecting or strengthening relationships and families; foster care; interest free loans to build a better life; access to supportive groups and services; and much more.

Kin advocates for Australians with layered disadvantages — those with disability, cultural and language barriers — to have equal opportunity for a better life.  

Kin have the knowledge to help you make informed choices to live a life full of possibility. 

Multicultural Services Centre has been supporting culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) Western Australians for over four decades and aims to address the unmet needs of migrants and refugees. 

Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre (MMRC) pioneers and facilitate the settlement and participation of migrants, refugees and the CALD community in Western Australia.

Using a client centric, holistic approach, MMRC  deliver high quality, culturally sensitive specialised services and programs. 

Empowering people through education and development of community, the Edmund Rice Centre WA has an ongoing commitment to assisting people from a refugee and migrant backgrounds. This enables them to feel included, be active participants and make a positive contribution to society.