|
VISE is a volunteer service established in 1989 by a small group of retired teachers and the Tennant Creek Lions Club in consultation with the Isolated Children's Parents' Association (I.C.P.A.). The aim of VISE is to support the education of students in rural areas especially isolated outback families involved with distance education.
Parents living in remote situations frequently worry that they are not providing the right kind of help and guidance in supporting their children's education - and positive and constructive feedback or guidance on how they are filling their role from VISE Tutors is appreciated
The VISE scheme is voluntary. This means that it has no paid personnel whatsoever at any level.
VISE recruits tutors who are retired teachers, and others with relevant experience, who would like to spend time helping isolated students with their education. Distance Education is taught through set assignments. They can be specific needs, such as reading and mathematics; behavioural where the mother is having difficulty relating to her own children; or where students are studying secondary correspondence. Secondary teachers are used mainly with upper primary students who are soon to make the transition to boarding or high school.
It is important that a tutor only takes placements for which they feel suited.
Sometimes a family needs the help of a non-teacher called an Angel. The angel responds to a definite need and will prepare meals, get the washing done, answer the phone and watch younger children so that the parent can concentrate on the schoolroom. Angels can be requested if there is a new baby, or a medical emergency or some kind of real stress.
Parents teaching children through Distance Education face a hard battle due to the other responsibilities that they have to cope with. Travel is expensive, so short placements of only two or three weeks are not cost effective. VISE asks its volunteers to be prepared to give six weeks help.
VISE tutors will work closely with the teachers from schools of distance education.
In Queensland, the Northern Territory and New South Wales, VISE has Local Area Coordinators. The National Secretariat recruits Volunteers and through the use of our Online Volunteer Management System (OVMS) the Local Area Co-ordinators are responsible for their placements. VISE does everything possible to ensure compatible placements, but please remember that Distance Education Schools cover areas twice as large as Victoria so the Coordinators cannot know every family and must rely on the information they are given.
|
