It is not all doom and gloom that the first lockdown produces. A new platform was born from a brainstorming session. Primary school children have access to a helpline at any time for questions about their Assignmenthomework via an online platform. Moreover, it is all corona-proof.
More than 10% of children in primary school have a learning delay of one, two, or more years. And that’s a problem that continues throughout the course of their studies. Corona makes it all even worse. More than ever, it is necessary to help those children. Our philosophy? “It takes a village to raise a child.” As a society, we must take responsibility for those children.
I myself am of Ukrainian origin, and my brothers did not understand much of the subject matter because it was taught in Dutch. My mom couldn’t help, and that’s very frustrating for a child. Many children today are in the same situation. They grow up in an environment where no Dutch is spoken.
WHICH SUBJECTS ARE THE QUESTIONS ABOUT?
They are about the subjects Dutch, mathematics, French, and world orientation. The subject for which the most questions are asked is mathematics. Dutch comes in second place. It is always about primary school material; sometimes, you have to refresh it yourself. You can search together and think about problem-solving; they have to learn that too. You don’t even need to have a higher degree; a little general knowledge is enough. Most importantly, be open to simply explaining something in a friendly and approachable way.
Sometimes students do not understand what is expected of them. Sometimes they just need a little push. In the beginning, it is a bit of searching, but once you’ve done it a few times, it goes smoothly.
Most conversations last only two to three minutes.
HOW DOES THE SYSTEM WORK?
Children can register via their computers or via an app. They are automatically connected to one of the volunteers. Usually, it only takes three minutes to answer such a question. Try it out as a volunteer! You can easily log in to our website. We do this securely via time because we do not want people with the wrong intentions to end up on the website.
Many children, especially from underprivileged families, do not have their own laptops. But many parents do have a smartphone. That is why we also have an Android app and we are developing an app for iPhones.
Our philosophy? It takes a village to raise a child.
WHAT DO YOU ASK OF VOLUNTEERS?
We are looking for people who can sign up for half an hour a week and who can answer questions from children. Our volunteers have very different profiles. Many of our volunteers are people who work from home and take a quick break. That is possible because most conversations only last two to three minutes. Then there are also a lot of retirees who participate. Those people are now more indoors and see fewer people. That way, they have social contact. Our volunteers are always very enthusiastic. You ensure a better future for those children and a good feeling for yourself.
