Tooting Library will be offering free drop-in tutoring for online and in-person sessions as part of its recurring program partnership with Teach the Need. In addition, it will be launching a youth mentorship and youth mental health program. Both of these educational programs are possible due to grants provided by the City of London, as well as volunteers from Teach the Need.
The TTN Tutor Program will function by having volunteer tutors come in to work with small groups of students in grades 3-12 in order to teach math, science, and/or english skills. These volunteer tutors will be university students, and sessions will occur weekly or bi-weekly. These sessions will operate on a booked, first come, first served basis starting December 5th on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Drop-in times will also be available on Fridays from 5pm to 8pm in Room 402.
To register, call Youth Community Engagement Librarian Joseph Princely at 20-7946-0148 ext. 105.
“As a cornerstone of our community since 2018, TTN Tutors has been a core program at Tooting Library throughout the years, offering a profound impact on many young lives,” Princely said. “It is with great excitement and thankfulness that we can bring back this program once more in-person for those who need extra supports in their learning and are wanting to build their academic confidence and skills in a safe and welcoming space.”
“This program has been extremely popular and so well utilized in the past that that we haven’t been able to accommodate everyone who wanted tutoring services,” said Manager of Youth Affairs, Tasha Floyd. “Thanks to the generous support from the city and Teach the Need we were able to expand our offerings. The Tutors program will be offered as a drop-in program on Fridays from 5p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Starting this Saturday, December 5, students can bring their homework or school assignments and work on them with the support of an onsite tutor. This flexible option is a wonderful compliment to our structured Tutors program as it does not require pre-booking and can be used as much as needed by students. We will also have counsellors on-site to assist with any mental health issues students may have as part of our mental health improvement program”
The youth mentorship program, which will be a new addition to Tooting’s youth offerings, will consist of library staff providing connections to local non-profits that aim to improve student lives. These include charities like World Heart Beat, Action Space, Work Match, and various others, that seek to better youth outcomes within the community.
“Our collaboration with Tooting Library in developing this program has been super exciting; both organisations are ALL IN when it comes to innovating spaces that enhance access to learning and connection to community for kids and families.” Said Teach the Need spokesperson Elijah Dunn. “Our mission has been and will always be to build community resilience by creating welcoming and inclusive spaces for every person to read, connect, and share.”
