An international student who struggled to talk to his classmates because of a lack of confidence in his English skills is now volunteering to help others improve their language skills.

How Ming Feng struggled slightly during his first year of an arts degree at Melbourne University, feeling too shy to approach classmates or his lecturers.

But he took a leap of faith and joined an English conversation class at the Melbourne Multicultural Hub, run by AMES Australia.

“I felt a sense of isolation because I’m not that confident with my English skills,” said How from Malaysia.

But he realised that he needed to step up, so after his end-of-year exams, How mustered the courage to join a free English conversation class at the Multicultural Hub.

The experience inspired him to become a volunteer which has led to How building friendships and finding a richer life in Melbourne.

“I was a bit apprehensive before my first time joining the English class. But my worries vanished when the volunteer tutor and the other students welcomed me and made me feel comfortable,” How said.

“Eventually, I became more relaxed and my confidence increased.

“If I made a mistake, they gently showed me what was the correct way. This was so different to my experience at school, where teachers would harshly correct me,” he said.

Feeling comfortable and accepted, How attended classes at the Hub every week.

“Suddenly, I realised it was OK to make mistakes. That’s how you learn. I realised I was learning English and it was not as scary or as hard as I had thought,” he said.

His new-found confidence led How to consider volunteering himself.

“I think the experience and the chance I had to practice my English in class made me realise that maybe I could do something as a volunteer,” How said.

Before long, he was running his own weekly conversation classes at the Hub.

“I interact with lots of people from different backgrounds and I’ve become more confident through volunteering, especially talking to new people,” How said.

“I find it very rewarding, and it gives me a sense of purpose,” he said.

After more than a year volunteering, How still remembers to create the friendly, gentle atmosphere in class that helped him overcome his shyness and other barriers.

“We try to make things as casual as possible, talking to people about something that is relevant to their culture of daily life,” he said.

“I also gain wisdom by learning from the older people who come to my class to earn English as retirees. It’s a valuable lesson to keep learning, no matter how old you are,” How said.

He said he would recommend volunteering to others.

“It’s very rewarding, you learn a lot from the people you meet, and you get more out of it than you put in,” How said.

To find out more about the Multicultural Hub, classes or volunteering, go to: https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/multicultural-hub