A Heart for Helping: Lorraine’s Path from the Classroom to the Community

When Lorraine Manning steps into the bustling corridors of the Bankstown Intensive English Centre (BIEC), there’s a sense of purpose about her. The former maths teacher, who once spent decades guiding Australian high school students through equations and problem-solving, is now doing something just as important – helping newly arrived refugee students take their first confident steps into a new life.

Lorraine’s journey to becoming a dedicated Mercy Works Connect volunteer began not with a plan, but with a heart for service and a belief in the transformative power of education.

“I really believe that education is the key to success in life,” she says. “So, helping young people achieve their best, especially when they’ve already faced so much, is something I care deeply about.”

Born and raised in Sydney, Lorraine’s roots are part Australian and part English, her father having immigrated to Australia in 1911. Though English is her native language, she also studied French, German, and Latin at school, and even picked up some Italian before a trip abroad. Her love of learning languages and cultures makes her a natural fit at BIEC, where students from countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Sudan are learning English as they find their footing in a new country.

Lorraine first came to volunteering after retiring from a long and successful career in education. Her first job was as a librarian at the State Library, a role she took on after earning a science degree and winning a scholarship. But it wasn’t long before her passion for teaching took over. In the 1980s, she returned to university to become a qualified maths teacher, a profession she held until her retirement in 2010.

But Lorraine wasn’t ready to stop helping others.

“I started volunteering with Sudanese refugee students after I retired,” she recalls. “Then I worked with Syrian refugees at a private high school in Granville. Eventually, a friend encouraged me to join her at Bankstown IEC. She said it was a great place… and she was right.”

BIEC is a unique space, a dedicated intensive English centre within a high school, where newly arrived students spend up to four terms immersed in language learning. Lorraine quickly became a familiar face there, supporting classroom teachers and students alike, not just in English, but in maths too, her specialty.

Surrounded by teachers and support staff, Lorraine says “It is such a warm and inviting place. The students are delightful. They’re keen and really impressed that someone would come… for nothing… to help them settle into Australia. It’s a great place to work. I’d invite anyone to volunteer in the same way.”

The role Lorraine plays in helping with basic lessons, explaining tasks and encouraging students, may sound simple,  however is profoundly meaningful. Many of the young people she supports have come from traumatic backgrounds. For them, adjusting to a new country, a new school, and an unfamiliar language can feel overwhelming. But having someone like Lorraine in the classroom, week in and week out, offers stability and hope.

Ask Lorraine what brings her back every week, and she’ll smile warmly: “I get a lot of joy from working with the kids. Seeing them grow more confident, watching their language skills improve… it’s incredibly rewarding. And the staff here? They’re wonderful… cheerful, supportive, and completely dedicated to their students. It’s an honour to be part of it.”

Outside of volunteering, Lorraine leads a full and vibrant life. She enjoys knitting, quilting, and staying active by going to the gym. But it’s clear that volunteering has become more than just a hobby for her, it’s a calling.

At a time when Australia is celebrating National Volunteer Week with the theme Connecting Communities, Lorraine’s story is a shining example of what that really means. Through patience, compassion, and a willingness to give her time, she is helping young people build the foundation for a better future. And in doing so, she’s strengthening the very fabric of our community.

Her message to others thinking about volunteering is simple: “If you’ve got a little time and a lot of heart, this is one of the most meaningful things you can do. You don’t need to be a teacher. You just need to care.”