Learning enriches people’s lives. It has been shown that, amongst older people, those who stay mentally active retain good cognitive skills for longer. This helps to maintain independence, making daily tasks more likely to be performed without accident. Mental and physical health may well persist for many years under these circumstances. For those who are isolated, learning with a partner can provide valuable social interaction and the acquisition of new knowledge and skills can improve self-esteem and quality of life.

Volunteers also benefit from the arrangement. They get free-of-charge access to courses run by a professional tutor and learn a new topic. By sharing the learning process with a home student, they then gain added insights into the subject. They can also improve their own teaching skills and enjoy the interaction with someone who might normally not be found in their own social circle. Likewise, in the case of courses delivered in schools, the pupils who participate in the scheme get involved in a meaningful Community project in which they see the difference they make to the lives of more vulnerable people.

Hence, HBL’s two core beliefs are:

–   Learning enriches people’s lives and helps with “mind fitness”