Edmund Rice Community and Refugee Services has been providing free tuition and homework support to refugee students in Brimbank for more than 10 years.

Program co-ordinator Dane Stammers (pictured) says that for people in the Primary Homework and Learning Club, based in St Albans, English is their second or even third language.

"We've got about 100 kids coming down. When they arrive in Australia they're given some English lessons; after that they're slotted into the education system. They might have arrived with no English at all and they often lack the fundamentals of the language."

Nearly all the students have a Sudanese background and most join up after being encouraged by friends already in the program.

"Participants gain an enormous amount of confidence from being involved. There are all sorts of education and social benefits: improvement in literacy and increased confidence and social interaction."

New group leaders and assistant group leaders are needed for when the program resumes on February 13. More details: 0439970002.