Getting Involved
Students wishing to become volunteers in the Compass Program will firstly need to be accepted on the Student Leadership Certificate Program run through the Transition and Advisory Service; students must also have and maintain a Grade Point Average for their studies of 5 or higher. Future intakes of volunteers will also involve a brief interview to ensure that opportunities we offer fulfil student aspirations and that we also have students with appropriate skills and personalities for the various roles. A Police check is also required for all Compass volunteers. Volunteers may wish to offer their time to one or more different areas within the program.
Literacy Support
The ability to read at the same level as your peers is a huge deal at any age but particularly when you're in Primary School. For some ‘being one of the crowd' in reading ability simply needs a little extra help, and our volunteers are able to provide this through reading support or through the more structured ‘Multilit' Program. Training is offered in the ‘Multilit Program' for students keen to be involved in this aspect of the Compass Program.
Literacy support is provided to students selected by the schools. Sessions are one-on-one and may be for students throughout the primary year's age range. It is preferred that volunteers involved in literacy support commit to at least one term in the school calendar, sessions would usually be weekly.
On Campus Events and Curriculum Support
A major part of the Adelaide Compass Program is the familiarisation of school students with individuals from the University - be they academics, current students/volunteers or Compass program staff. Initially we prefer for the school students to meet these people at their school, where they feel most comfortable. Student volunteers would get to meet the school students during curriculum activities where they assist academics or Compass program staff in delivering predetermined sessions. Later as part of the ongoing program the school students, who are by now familiar with the University staff and volunteers, meet at the University, where activities that ‘build upon' those run at school are introduced in the campus setting.
Curriculum support and on campus event activities run for a range of subject areas and tend to run less frequently than the literacy support. On campus events are likely to run in the week prior to University breaks (usually a morning or an afternoon) and curriculum activities would run several times per school term at each school. Volunteers can commit to as many or as few activities as they wish although it is preferred that the school students have some familiarity with volunteers before they visit the Campus for an event.
Study Hubs
Study Hubs run after school hours (usually 3-5pm) on participating school premises. Compass volunteers are on hand to offer study assistance where necessary to a range of students of differing ages, abilities and subject choices. This is a great opportunity to interact with school students in a relaxed environment for study. Study sessions would usually be run on a weekly basis and a minimum of a school term's commitment would be preferred.
