Friends of Simon Tutoring Project

Imagine a child who has recently arrived from a war-torn country, with little or no formal education. They are placed in a classroom where they are not able to understand others or express their thoughts. Imagine their anxiety, frustration, fear and isolation.

You have the power to improve this child’s life.

The Friends of Simon Program connects empathetic, high-achieving SFU students with children and youth who are struggling to achieve because of a range of challenges, such as recent immigration and/or refugee experiences, poverty and learning disabilities. With their cooperating sites, Friends of Simon works to increase school success through after-school programs in small groups and individualized settings. As one site coordinator said: “They find a friend who perhaps speaks the same language. They help each other and solve problems together. They have a group that they know in there. They exist in this space. They feel seen and heard.”

Donate now to help program participants grow and achieve their full potential. With your generosity, we can build classrooms that are full of empowered children who are truly confident, curious and excited about learning.

Learn more about the program and read these stories:

Rekindling Curiosity: Friends of Simon Field Trip Returns to SFU!

Giving Back to the Community: Interview with Dr. Kanwal Neel