Kimberly Wilson Report
Virtual Volunteering: Online Tutoring for Refugee/Migrant Children or Adults
What the student said:
My time with the Illinois in Vienna Programs volunteering for Station Wien has been an invaluable learning experience. As a Jamaican migrant myself, migrant rights are extremely important to me, so I was happy to be able to help a family of migrants living in Vienna learn English and adapt to Austrian culture. I also learnt a lot about a new language and culture, and I know the experience will help me in my future career advocating for immigration reform.
IiVP Alumna Kimberly Wilson
(Sociology Major)
What the mentor said:
We are delighted to have had Kimberly as a volunteer in our tutoring program that is aimed at establishing contacts between people with and without migration background and/or refugee status in order to enable mutual learning. Extra-ordinary times require innovative solutions so we are excited about this new possibility of connecting refugee families in Austria with virtual volunteers from Ilinois! Kimberly was tutoring two sisters from Afghanistan in English. Not only did she support them with their schoolwork but she also motivated them to practice their English by discussing current events and topics that were meaningful to the girls.
Thank you so much, Kimberly, for your commitment and thank you, IiVP, for initializing this wonderful cooperation!
Katharina Kurzmann, Station Wien
What we say:
Congratulations, Frau Wilson, on completing a Virtual Project at Station Wien! We are delighted and inspired by students like you, who play in instrumental role in helping communities through education in challenging times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, thank you very much Mag. Katharina Kurzmann for mentoring Kimberly!