Category: Education, Science and Technology (Special Commendation)
Recipient: Alan Skelton
Nominated By: Queanbeyan Barnardos
Alan has been a volunteer tutor with Queanbeyan Barnardos Kids Friends Mentoring and Tutoring Program for two years. With his passion for problem solving, whether it is a maths problem or a computer issue, Alan always rises to the challenge.
As a part of the tutoring and mentoring program, Alan individually tutors three young people in a foster family. He has developed a trusting relationship with them and has assisted them in literacy, numeracy, maths and various school projects when required.
Alan prepares for tuition by redesigning lessons that put concepts into practical contexts to best assist the individual student and their needs. This provides them with a greater perception of the problems being put before them and allows them to undertake the problems in a way that they have a better grasp of.
He has also taken the students out to various events such as the governor general’s children’s party to give them another outlook on the community as a whole.
Alan is always willing and ready to promote the program and the benefits to both the volunteer and the student in undertaking the opportunity.
Alan puts in considerable time and effort in travelling and in discussing issues re the young people’s learning. He makes himself available for contact with Barnardos, and the family, even when at leisure down the coast and in ‘semi-retirement’.