Make your story count: four benefits of becoming a reading volunteer
For many of our volunteers, the decision to start volunteering with us starts with a simple idea: to share stories with a child for an hour a week in one-to-one sessions and help them improve their reading skills. But what often follows is something far less simple – and far more personal.
Behind every one-to-one reading session is a story. A reason for showing up. Sometimes it’s about navigating a difficult chapter in life. Sometimes it’s about rediscovering a sense of purpose, or staying connected to a younger generation in a world that’s changing fast. And sometimes, it’s about the quiet, unexpected impact of sharing time with a child – and the realisation that the experience shapes you, too.
As a Bookmark Reading Charity volunteer, you don’t just support a child to read. You become part of their story – while continuing to write your own. One hour a week can open up confidence, connection and possibility for child and reader alike.
From finding a renewed sense of purpose to supporting your own mental wellbeing, we’re exploring four different ways volunteering with Bookmark becomes something more than just giving your time. It becomes a way to make your story count.
1. Renewed purpose: volunteering that fits around life
Major life changes like retirement can leave people feeling disorientated, or wondering what comes next. Volunteering can add structure and a renewed sense of purpose back into your life.
Jane’s story
Jane, a former teacher, found volunteering with Bookmark to be a chance to keep using her skills, learning and making a difference – all online, from the comfort of her home.
And because a child is waiting on the other side, this type of volunteering doesn’t feel abstract. You become someone they can rely on – a familiar face, a warm encouragement, a weekly moment they look forward to.
As Shaksita, one of our volunteers, described, ‘unlike some volunteering you get to see the progress… and it’s super satisfying to be able to see the work you’re putting in come to life. You’re giving, but you get something back.’
In helping children grow in confidence, many volunteers find something shifts in them too: purpose that feels practical, not performative.
2. Volunteering through grief: finding joy in reading
Lisa’s story
After losing her husband, Lisa was told by her therapist that she could gain a sense of validation through giving service – and volunteering with Bookmark felt like the perfect way to do this.
“I have been a widow for two years… Bookmark has been a lifesaver for me and it gives me such validation. I get to interact with amazing children and read really cool books. They remind me of why we do the things that we do. It has truly been a pleasure.’
Susan’s story
Susan, too, has found her experience of volunteering to be a rewarding way to give back:
‘I had just lost my husband to cancer and I needed to give something back to the community and this was it, I have never looked back and enjoy meeting the children, watching them blossom and flourish, it’s so rewarding.’
3. Connecting across generations: sharing stories one-to-one
In a world that’s changing fast, chatting to a child for an hour a week is a great way to stay connected with a younger generation – and connect you back to your own childhood.
Mary’s story
For Mary, speaking to her volunteer allows you to see things through their eyes. – ‘you remember what it’s like to be a child discovering new things’.
Similarly for Nick, being a reading volunteer is a chance to meet a range of young people: ‘You meet young people from different backgrounds across the country. You learn from their unique interests and perspectives.’
4. How volunteering boosts mental wellbeing
Reading itself is proved to boost children’s mental health, with the National Literacy Trust reporting that children who enjoy reading are three times more likely to have better mental wellbeing than those who don’t. But it’s not just the child who benefits – giving your time and energy to help others can reduce stress, anxiety and boost a volunteer’s mental wellbeing.
71% of our volunteers say that their reading sessions improve their own wellbeing, while 92% report feeling a greater sense of personal achievement.
Isobel’s story
‘I have found volunteering has encouraged me in my purpose, in a time when I’ve felt a bit lost. I had to take some time off work for health reasons. Being a Bookmark reading volunteer has really helped me to have some structure and productivity… I feel like I can do something helpful and have a beneficial impact, even while I can’t do other things I’d normally do.’
Hear Isobel’s story here.
Sharing stories with a child for an hour a week is simple – but the benefits are significant, for both the child and the volunteer. It’s a way to find validation while grieving, to rebuild routine and purpose, to stay connected to a younger generation and to feel the lift that comes from doing something genuinely useful.
Every volunteer arrives with their own life story – and, in giving a little time, they become part of a child’s story too.
Make your story count
Become a reading volunteer with as little as an hour a week and change a child’s story – and your own.
