Earlier this year, in response to COVID-19, Teach Learn Grow launched a new Pen Pals initiative to keep in contact with the students at partnered schools. Four different schools and more than a hundred students from across rural WA were involved in this project. The program was created to help the improvement of literacy and communication skills, and adapt TLG’s mission to bridge the learning gap between urban, and rural and remote students, despite the unprecedented circumstances.

Facing COVID-19 travel restrictions, TLG was unable to run their Winter Rural Program, in which groups of volunteers visit primary schools in remote towns across Western Australia, tutoring students in a variety of STEAM subjects and promoting an enthusiasm for learning. When asked what inspired the TLG team to trial the new approach, one of the program organisers, Mitchell Hughes-Owen commented, “the original idea came from the eMentor team when they implemented a pen pals program to expand their mentoring sessions. In order to give it a broader application, the program was changed to be more general, and focus on writing and keeping up connections with some of the students that TLG had met the semester before.”

“Although the program was targeted to help students with reading and writing activities, we also wanted to keep our ongoing connection with the students and the schools to continue our mission. By maintaining and building these relationships with the students, we are hoping that our next Rural Program will be even better.”

Seventy-one TLG tutors volunteered their time to write letters back and forth to primary school students, fostering relationships from hundreds of kilometres away. “The best part in my opinion,” Mitchell commented, “was being able to run a program despite COVID meaning that the Rural Program could not go ahead. I know that a lot of students and tutors look forward to the Rural Program, so providing a way that allows some of that Rural Program experience was a fantastic feeling.”

One tutor, Grace Hoes, shared her enthusiasm for the pen pals initiative, saying the program was “an amazing experience.” When asked what her favourite aspect of participating in the program she replied, “it was a joy to write, draw and decorate letters for my Pen Pal, and receive an equally enthusiastic letter in return. The number of similarities that I shared with my Pen Pal was insane, and it proved that age and distance are never barriers to friendships. Although the program was short, it was most definitely worthwhile and fulfilling for me, and I can only hope that my student got as much delight out of it as I did!"

As with all new programs, there were some bumps in the road, including time restrictions and last minute challenges. As Mitchell explained, “there are many obstacles involved with trying to run everything online. Attempting to work out the logistics of getting something to students, and building connections without being able to talk to them or see them, has proven challenging… On top of this, having to change the plan for the Rural Program at the last moment once travel was restricted meant that setting up the program was condensed into a very tight timeframe. Marketing, recruitment and training were all created and implemented in a matter of weeks.”

However, despite the obstacles faced, an overall feeling of accomplishment is held by those who organised and participated in the program, and the new initiative has helped open up new opportunities to TLG. Mitchell said he felt that the TLG team should be proud of what they have achieved, “we had lots of positive feedback about the program both from teachers and tutors, and we are hoping to be able to send some tutors to the schools involved in the program, so they will have the opportunity to meet their pen pals in person!”

While still early in the process, the TLG team in NSW is also preparing to launch their own program as limited travel recommendations remain in place, preventing their end of year Rural Program. Planning for their own Pen Pals initiative to take place throughout the last term of 2020, the hard-working tutors and coordinators are currently training for the upcoming program. Hopefully learning from the WA team’s experiences, the program will soon be in effect, helping NSW students to stay connected and practice their reading and writing skills until the end of the year.

All of the schools who participated in the WA Pen Pals program will be visited by TLG tutors at the end of the year during the Summer Rural Program. If you are interested in taking part in the upcoming program, register here. Summer Rural Program 2020 tutor applications will be closing on the 9th of September.