Bookmark Reading Volunteers directly support children who are at risk of leaving primary school unable to read well. Struggling to read can contribute to poor educational attainment, lower literacy in adulthood and has even been linked to a lower life expectancy. You can help ignite the joy of reading and change a child’s story.
Key information
- Volunteer: Weekly
- Availability: Monday AM, Monday PM, Tuesday AM, Tuesday PM, Wednesday AM, Wednesday PM, Thursday AM, Thursday PM, Friday AM, Friday PM
- Tasks: In this volunteer role, you’ll have 30-minute one-to-one reading sessions on 2 days per week, with a child aged between 5 and 11 years old. Each session will involve reading stories and playing literacy games on our secure online platform or face-to-face (depending on availability). You’ll book your reading programme through Bookmark’s Volunteer Hub and select sessions on days and times that work with your commitments.
Volunteers tell us they find the role flexible, impactful and rewarding. More than 60% also say their own wellbeing has improved because of volunteering with Bookmark!
The role is also set up for you to bring your own personality into the sessions and get to know your reader’s interests. Volunteers report they enjoy providing the child one-to-one attention and being able to introduce a book, comic or poem for the first time that they love!
To become a Bookmark Reading Volunteer, you should be:
18 and over, and currently living in the UK.
Able to provide enthusiasm, encouragement, empathy and patience.
Free to commit to 30-minute one-to-one reading sessions on 2 days per week.
Able to provide two references for your application (for safeguarding reasons).
Prepared with access to a PC, laptop, Chromebook or iPad with a webcam and internet connection, and feel relatively comfortable using technology (for online reading programmes). - Training: Bookmark pays for your DBS checks, provides online training and offers volunteers ongoing support so that you can deliver fantastic and fun reading sessions, enabling all children to discover the joy of reading.
- Requirements: Willing to travel by public transport or find own way to volunteering location
- Interests: Children, Education
- Activities: IT, Mentoring, Teaching, Technology, Training, Virtual Volunteering
- DBS Check: Yes
Volunteers tell us they find the role flexible, impactful and rewarding. More than 60% also say their own wellbeing has improved because of volunteering with Bookmark!
The role is also set up for you to bring your own personality into the sessions and get to know your reader’s interests. Volunteers report they enjoy providing the child one-to-one attention and being able to introduce a book, comic or poem for the first time that they love!
To become a Bookmark Reading Volunteer, you should be:
18 and over, and currently living in the UK.
Able to provide enthusiasm, encouragement, empathy and patience.
Free to commit to 30-minute one-to-one reading sessions on 2 days per week.
Able to provide two references for your application (for safeguarding reasons).
Prepared with access to a PC, laptop, Chromebook or iPad with a webcam and internet connection, and feel relatively comfortable using technology (for online reading programmes).