With the internet down, Jason’s buddy became his learning lifeline

Courtney had always tried so hard to help Jason thrive with a learning disability. Like many in their low-income community, she struggled with the cost and demands of modern family life. Trying to help Jason achieve his best and juggle the needs of his two siblings was overwhelming.

Then the pandemic began. Her partner Stephen lost his full-time job. Her two year-old could not attend day care in the lockdown. Courtney had to supervise Jason and his sister Imogen’s remote schooling. Jason’s learning disability meant he could not sit still, get settled and listen. It was chaos.

“The hardest thing with the pandemic was that our kids had been pulled out of school. Mum had turned into the teacher and they’d never dealt with that before,” says Courtney. “It was almost impossible to get Jason to do anything.”

Their family was also suddenly facing an added layer of hardship – digital poverty.

The internet connection was often down because upgrades were underway on local phone towers. This meant for weeks they were forced to read and complete remote lessons on a small, prepaid smartphone. Jason could have been cut off from learning completely in the lockdown. But thanks to amazing supporters like you, he was invited to join our student2student program. He began working with a student buddy, who called two or three times a week, to help him with reading.

Reading out loud with a buddy became Jason’s learning lifeline. It was more fun – and less stressful – than squinting at words on his mum’s smartphone. “Jason’s a maths kid – he’s not a reading kid,” says Courtney. “But student2student made a huge improvement to his literacy.

“I’d listen to the way Jason’s buddy helped him sound the words out. He had such patience.

“Over time, I heard Jason’s vocabulary change. The results were unreal, especially for a child who has behavioural issues and usually can’t sit still, let alone read one page.”
Courtney says the fact a young person – and not his mum – was helping Jason read is why student2student worked in lockdown. “Jason was suddenly connecting to his buddy, who was a couple of years older and a bit more mature. It was a bit of an outlet,” she says.

“These buddies deserve a lot of credit, because they work really hard with kids like Jason,” says Courtney. “Jason’s buddy has worked around his after-school sporting activities – even calling him on the weekend at a time that fit around his football.”

Last year’s lockdown left many excluded from learning. With Jason now back in the classroom and she’s excited about other opportunities to help him build skills and confidence. Learning Club is one – a safe space to get homework help.

Today, Courtney credits your support – and Jason’s wonderful buddy – for keeping him learning in lockdown, despite the digital divide. “We couldn’t have coped without those student2student phone calls,” she says. “They were the best thing that could’ve happened."