Excursions are a vital part of Wednesday Night Tutoring. Although we are a voluntary tutoring service that aims to provide academic help, our core aim is help the students grow as people and aid them in integrating into the Australian way of life. This involves befriending the kids and developing strong relationships with them and their families. As such, excursions are a way of spending time with each other, outside the �academic environment' we provide each Wednesday night.

A major benefit of excursions is the interaction between the tutors and the students. It is a great chance for the students to practice their spoken English and their social skills. We have organised many large-scale excursions involving all tutors and tutees, such as to Kids' Space Indoor Centre and a Park\Tennis\BBQ day. These events involve tutors collecting the children from the flats in Richmond and driving them to the venue for a night of laughs and enjoyment. However, there have also been many smaller, impromptu outings that have been arranged by tutors independently.

Smaller outings occur regularly and tutors are encouraged to spend time with their student outside of Wednesday nights. It is a tribute to the generosity of the tutors to independently arrange small outings and undertake them with minimal fanfare and acknowledgement. Earlier in 2003, Tom and James took Don, Dan, Doug, Andy and Nilton to see the boys' favourite actor Jackie Chan in his new movie. A McDonald's lunch followed.Some of our senior students will often be accompanied by their tutor on university open days.

Whilst such outings have an educational bias, it is also an opportunity for the tutor and student to develop their friendship. Bernadette and Gen have invited their respective students Sonia and Olivia to their home to cook and share dinner together. Bern has also taken Sonia for driving practices (as Sonia is presently on her learner's permit). It is gestures and outings like these that encompass the true spirit and objectives of Wednesday Night Tutoring.