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Volunteer to help children read

Help children in disadvantaged communities build confidence, improve their reading skills and discover a love of stories by becoming a Bookmark reading volunteer.

With just one hour a week – online or in a local school – you can make a real difference through one‑to‑one reading support. No teaching experience needed.

Register to volunteer
Girl having in-person reading session with Bookmark volunteer, they are pointing to literacy playing cards

Discover more about volunteering

Register to volunteer

Explore our volunteering opportunities

Help a child aged 5 – 11 build confidence and develop a love of reading through our various literacy volunteer opportunities. Find the volunteering route that suits you.

Child holding up a sign saying “Help a child read,” supporting literacy and reading volunteer programmes
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Become a reading volunteer

As a reading volunteer, you’ll spend two 30‑minute sessions each week, delivered online or face-to-face. You’ll read together, play games and support their literacy using our resources and training.

Learn more
A child wearing headphones taking part in an online reading session on a laptop in a classroom setting.
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Corporate volunteering

Give your colleagues the chance to support children’s literacy through one flexible 30-minute reading session each week. Our corporate literacy volunteering programme fits easily around work schedules and can be delivered online or face-to-face, helping teams make a real difference.

Explore corporate volunteering
A reading volunteer supporting a child during a one‑to‑one reading session in a cosy, book‑filled space.
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Reading mentors (14 – 18 years old)

Reading mentors can support primary school children in structured sessions that help build reading skills and confidence. Perfect for students gaining experience for applications or looking for meaningful volunteering that fits around school or college.

Become a school reading mentor

Why volunteer with Bookmark?

Our flexible volunteering opportunity makes a real difference and lasting impact on a child, all while fitting around your schedule.

  • Support children who need one‑to‑one reading help

  • Choose flexible volunteering that fits your life

  • Boost a child’s confidence through reading

  • Join a supportive volunteer community

What volunteers say

We take pride in offering a volunteer role that is impactful, enjoyable and accessible.

  • 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
    Volunteer with black rimmed glasses sat in front of laptop at her dining room table. She is smiling at the camera and about to type on the keyboard.

  • 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
    woman with short curly brown hair looking out a window. she is smiling.

  • [My reader's] confidence and enthusiasm, and his ability to really engage and talk about what he was reading [had] grown enormously.

    Volunteer
    A person wearing headphones sits at a desk and works on a laptop, with shelves and a light-colored background behind them.

Ready to make a difference?

With just one hour a week, you can help a child gain confidence, enjoy reading and unlock new opportunities.

Register to volunteer