InZone Education Foundation acknowledges National Volunteer Week

June 25, 2020

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InZone Education Foundation went above and beyond through the COVID-19 lockdown period to ensure their rangatahi did not get left behind. Critical to this was the support and assistance of volunteers whose generosity we acknowledge this National Volunteer Week.

COVID-19 had a dramatic impact on InZone as an organisation, it’s rangatahi and whānau. With the kāinga doors shut until Level 2, online learning was critical to keeping the rangatahi on track. Being away from the support of InZone coupled with pressures faced by whānau due to job uncertainty and loss of income made this an extremely challenging time for many of the InZone students, many of whom potentially faced greater challenges than most to reintegrate back into school.

To minimize the negative impact of isolation, our team made the decision to do whatever it took to ensure no-one got left behind. InZone provided students with laptops, calculators and in some cases, covered the cost of internet connections to ensure rangatahi had all the resources they needed. We also provided extra support via tutoring and regular health and well-being check-ins. 15 tutors volunteered their time throughout lockdown to support students one-to-one via zoom. InZone’s Academic Pathways Manager Joy Williams says “this extra support gave our rangatahi comfort”. She can see the confidence in the rangatahi as they returned to school with exams looming.

And the results speak for themselves as over 70% of InZone Form 3 boys attending Auckland Boys Grammar have either have gone up or stayed in the same class following their recent reclassification testing.

The one-to-one help benefits the students greatly as volunteer Elizabeth Towns explains “they are more confident to ask questions than they would be in a classroom and far more time can be given to help students individually”. She says this way they are not judged by their peers and are proud to share successes with the tutor.

Elizabeth chose to tutor because she believes many of the students have not had the same opportunities in their education at previous schools they have attended. “The students blossom at InZone and strive for higher levels of academic attainment. InZone inspires students and offers them wonderful opportunities. It helps them become more confident, motivated young women with immense pride in their heritage. I benefit from the girls, respect, trust and friendship”.

We are grateful here at InZone for the support of volunteers like Elizabeth and funders who help make their vision a reality.