Call for volunteers to get children reading

Call for volunteers to get children reading

As children go back to school across the country, two charities are looking for adults to go back to school too by volunteering to help children improve their reading skills.

There are opportunities for local residents to give back to their community and volunteer to help children who are struggling with reading. Save the Children and Beanstalk are working in a partnership to help children improve their reading and need the support of local residents who could spare some time to share their love of books with pupils.

The partnership trains volunteers to read with children on a 1-2-1 basis developing their skills and confidence. Recent research by the Read On. Get On. campaign revealed a quarter of all children leave primary education without reading well each year, with poorer children nearly twice as likely to fall behind. Not being able to read can have a devastating impact on their life chances, so early intervention is vital.

Desiree, a local Born to Read reading helper, said: “‘I wanted to do some voluntary work and I really like children so I thought when I heard about this it interested me because it was more than just listening to children read, it’s about trying to introduce children into reading for their life’s, to enjoy reading.”

Schools are looking for new reading volunteers. Potential volunteers must be able to commit to visit schools twice a week during term time and will receive specially designed training so they can deliver one-to-one reading support to primary school children.

Both Save the Children and Beanstalk are part of the Read On. Get On. coalition which aims to get children reading well by age 11, by 2025.

For more information about volunteering in your area please call Save the Children’s Volunteer Support Team 020 7012 6997 or visit savethechildren.org.uk/borntoread