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A win-win for students and buddies

Students on programs

09 January 2020

student2student is an 18-week program that pairs students who are behind in their reading with trained buddies who work with them to improve their reading skills. Students often tell us how much easier they find it to read to someone their own age, rather than an adult. And the buddies love it too! Hear from student2student buddy, Poppy, and mum Georgina below and find out just how effective the program is – for all involved.

Georgina

What made you encourage Poppy to get involved with student2student?
Georgina: Well, Poppy’s school provides buddies for the student2student program and I think it's a fantastic program. And Poppy's always been a strong reader. I thought that she would get a kick out of it too.

What do you think Poppy got out of being part of the student2student program?
Georgina: I think it provided her with a really good starting point, at the age of 12 to start talking to different people that might be living within her community. I think the earlier that students who are living a relatively privileged life can be exposed to having an understanding, and compassion, and community focus for how other people might be living and the struggles that they might be facing, then the better off we all are.

And what do you think Poppy enjoys about taking part in student2student?
Georgina: Oh, I think she just loves to talking to her reader and hearing his enthusiasm when he answers the phone to Poppy and that he was always really excited to hear from her. She just loved developing that relationship and helping him with his reading and seeing that he got something out of it.

I think the earlier that students who are living a relatively privileged life can be exposed to having an understanding, and compassion, and community focus for how other people might be living and the struggles that they might be facing, then the better off we all are.

Poppy

Have you always been into reading?
Poppy: Yes. Right now I’m reading The Invisible Hero

When did you start student2student? And what was it like when you first started doing it?
Poppy: At the start of the year. It was really good, and they introduced the buddies really well. [The Smith Family] told us everything we would need to do and what to expect.

What was it like when you first got to know your buddy?
Poppy: It was really good. My buddy was really into it and really wanted to improve his reading and stuff. So, that made it a lot easier.

And did you enjoy talking to your buddy?
Poppy: Yeah, definitely. At the start we were doing really low level stuff and then throughout the time I was reading with him we'd increased in level, and he became a lot more confident.

How did that make you feel when you saw him getting better and better at reading?
Poppy: Well, it's good knowing that you've done something for the community. And I even got a letter from my buddy. It’s just really good knowing that they actually appreciate what you've done and that everything paid off in the end.