Workplace Volunteering with Bookmark
Volunteers are front and centre of our work to help children succeed in school and beyond.
Become a one-to-one reading volunteer through your workplace and change children’s life stories in just one hour a week!
About the volunteer role
By volunteering with Bookmark, you’ll be supporting children in disadvantaged communities who are most at risk of being left behind.
You’ll support a child aged 5 – 11 through two 30-minute reading sessions each week — a small, regular commitment that fits around a busy working life.
Whether you volunteer online or face-to-face, your time helps a child:
- Build essential reading skills
- Grow in confidence and self-belief
- Discover a love of reading and opens the door to a brighter future.
You don’t need any experience; we provide full training and all the materials you need.
In just one hour a week, you’ll help a child build reading skills, confidence, and belief in themselves — changing the direction of their education and their life.
Why volunteer with Bookmark?
There are many reasons volunteers choose to share their time as a reading volunteer, including:
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Help children gain vital reading skills
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Boost a child’s confidence and self-esteem through reading
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Join a supportive community of volunteers
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Witness the impact of your volunteering firsthand
What volunteers say
We take pride in offering a volunteer role that is impactful, enjoyable and accessible.
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Even if one child is influenced to think “books are for me” or “I can do this” or “I do want to go to university and study English” – what an incredible difference to have made just by virtue of spending two half-hours a week with them.
Claire, Volunteer 
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My reader really struggled at first with even simple words but he has improved steadily, giving me a real sense of achievement. I can really see the improvement he is making...
Volunteer 
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It's lovely building the relationship and seeing the child begin to trust you, volunteer their own thoughts and ideas, and become more confident.
Volunteer, Close Brothers 
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It was lovely speaking to my reader in our reading session. She said she loves turtles, so I was able to find a book that captured her imagination for us to read together. She is amazing!
Volunteer, DHL 
