Become a reading volunteer
Help a child discover the joy of reading by volunteering just one hour a week.
Join our One-to-one Reading Programme and support children aged 5 – 11 to improve their reading confidence, literacy skills and enjoyment – either online or face-to-face at partner primary schools in disadvantaged communities.
What is a reading volunteer?
As a reading volunteer, you’ll deliver structured one-to-one reading sessions for 30-minutes, twice a week. You will use our library of fun books, literacy games and tailored activities to support a child’s reading development and help them feel confident and enthusiastic about reading.
What does a reading volunteer do?
Our reading volunteers are central to our vision of helping children succeed in school and beyond.
As a reading volunteer, you will:
- Deliver two 30-minute reading sessions per week with the same child
- Read stories and play literacy-focused games to support their reading progress
- Use our resources to assess interests and reading levels
- Help children build confidence and long-term reading skills
You don’t need to have previous formal teaching experience. With plenty of online training and resources, we’ll give you everything you need to feel confident from day one.
Become a Reading Volunteer
Just one hour a week can help a child gain confidence, improve literacy, and fall in love with reading.
What we ask of you
By becoming a reading volunteer, you’re agreeing to the requirements and commitments that help us make the biggest difference for children.
To become a Bookmark volunteer, you must:
- Be 18 years or older
- Be willing to complete an enhanced DBS check and safeguarding training (we guide you through this process)
- Have access to a PC, laptop, MacBook, iPad, tablet, phone or Chromebook with a webcam and internet connection if volunteering online
We invest time and resources into training, safeguarding checks and matching you with a child. Because of this, we ask that you apply only if you’re able to make a genuine, regular commitment to the role.
As a reading volunteer you'll need to:
- Commit to 1 hour a week, split into two 30-minute sessions
- Choose from available time slots that suit your schedule
- Volunteer either online via our secure digital platform or face-to-face at a local partner school
Before applying, we encourage you to read the full volunteer role description which explains responsibilities, safeguarding expectations, training and support in more detail.
Reading Volunteer Role Description
pdf 221.485 KB
How to get started
Becoming a reading volunteer with Bookmark is simple. The full onboarding process usually takes a few weeks, including training and safeguarding checks.
- Apply online – quick and straightforward
- Complete training and DBS checks – typically 4 – 6 weeks, we guide you throughout
- Join the volunteer community and begin reading with your matched child
Watch our step-by-step video guide
See what’s involved in becoming a reading volunteer in our short step-by-step guide.
Want to find out more?
Join one of our online open sessions to discover what it’s like to volunteer with Bookmark. We’ll talk through the benefits of becoming a reading volunteer, the simple steps to get started, and how our one‑to‑one reading programme works. Sessions are delivered on Microsoft Teams, and everyone is welcome.
My pupil's gone from being a bit shy and easily disheartened, to a child who is so happy to read and now tries even the tricky words.
Ready to make a difference?
With just one hour a week, you can help a child gain confidence, enjoy reading and unlock new opportunities.
Frequently asked questions
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A reading volunteer spends 30 minutes twice a week helping a child with their reading. Using our library of books, games and structured activities, children can build their reading fluency and gain confidence, with personalised one-to-one support.
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You’ll be a great fit if you:
- Are aged 18 or over
- Can commit to regular reading sessions during school hours
- Are comfortable using a laptop or tablet for training and session notes
- Can complete an enhanced DBS check (we’ll guide you through it)
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Our One‑to‑One Reading Programme involves delivering two 30‑minute sessions each week with a child who needs extra support with their reading. These sessions can take place in two flexible ways:
- Face‑to‑face, in a local primary school, where you’ll work directly with a child in a quiet space; or
- Online, through our secure digital platform, where you’ll connect one‑to‑one using your computer or tablet.
Both options are simple, supportive and designed to help you build a consistent relationship with the child - giving them the confidence they need to thrive as a reader.
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As a Bookmark Volunteer, you’re in control of your schedule. You’ll start by choosing the days and times that suit you best for delivering your reading sessions.
Once you’ve set your availability, our 360 Learning digital platform will show you the primary schools and children who need support at those times.
From there, you can simply select the programme that feels right for you.
Our platform ensures that every match is:- Local or online, depending on the type of programme you choose
- Consistent, so you support the same child throughout their six‑week journey
This way, you’re always volunteering at a time that works for you - and helping a child who genuinely needs your support.
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Programmes can be posted at any time during the academic year. Schools have flexibility to decide which children will take part and for how long.
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It's simple to become a literacy volunteer with no prior teaching experience.
You’ll get:
- Full volunteer training for reading support
- Access to our digital platform with resources, books and activities
- Ongoing help from the Bookmark team
- Simple safeguarding guidance
- A friendly, supportive volunteer community
