Volunteer Reading Champions
Why bother? What are the benefits?
When used appropriately, the benefits that volunteers can bring to a Reading Champions project to motivate boys to read are huge. An inspiring talk, particularly from a man with street cred, can have an immediate effect on pupils attitudes towards reading.
A lot of research has also been done on paired reading and buddying schemes. In his report What works for children with literacy difficulties? Greg Brooks (2002) concluded that partnership approaches can be very effective. Research undertaken into the Reading Matters buddying scheme in Leeds (2005) also concluded that the role of the volunteer "was key in encouraging even the most determined 'non-reader'".
Getting the volunteers involved can make a real difference and be a great addition to your Reading Champions project.
How to get a volunteer Reading Champion into your school
Start by thinking about who the boys in your school look up to. Will they be impressed by a policeman, dazzled by a journalist, or starstruck by a sportsman? When you've decided, contact a local organisation or sports club directly. If you specifically want to involve a professional sports player look at these tips on inviting local sports stars into your school .
Alternatively, if you are looking for a lasting commitment from an individual, rather than a one off event, some local authorities (like Peterborough and Leeds) have already set up schemes where volunteers from local businesses, community groups or sixth form colleges are paired with schools in their area. Contact your local authority to find out whether there is anything in place where you are.
If there is nothing already set up, why not contact local businesses or community groups yourself and enquire if they would be able to spare staff for a paired reading scheme in your school.
You could also contact Volunteer Reading Help (www.vrh.org.uk) to see if they have a branch in your part of the country.
Once you have a volunteer working in school you can nominate them online as a Reading Champion and they'll receive a badge and certificate.
Organising a school visit
It can be of great benefit to invite members of the local community into school to talk about their job and reading. If you nominate them as a Reading Champion before the visit you could present them with their certificate and badge as part of the event. You could invite a fireman, a member of the forces, the local shop keeper or any man who is willing to come into school and might inspire the kids children to read.
When contacting a volunteer Reading Champion agree upon:
• What time to arrive
• How long the visit will last
• How many children the Reading Champion will be talking to
• How old the children will be
• What, if there is anything in particular, you would like them to talk about.
To get the most out of a visit it helps to be clear about exactly what you expect from them. A well planned visit can be a real inspiration changing attitudes towards reading in your school. Here are some tips:
• Having contact with the individual in advance will help to ensure your event is a success. If you’ve spoken to them in advance and worked out what is expected of them, they are likely to arrive ready to entertain!
• Spending a session with the children preparing some questions to ask the volunteer Champion is always a good idea. Depending on what the volunteer’s job is you might be able to research their profession before they arrive.
• Most volunteers will relish the opportunity to take part in any of the reading events taking place around school, but some might find speaking to large groups of children intimidating at first. It is always good to be aware and check before hand.
• Try to get information from the Reading Champion about what they like reading and why before they arrive. Ask them if they are able to bring in any props or objects that can be passed round the audience.
• It’s always useful to ask if the volunteer has a favourite book, and to then encourage questions around this. Don’t expect the volunteer to have read it recently and remember it well, but it helps if the pupils have seen or heard of the book as this immediately generates an interest.
• Take photos and make displays based around the visit. This will help to ensure that reading is visible around school and help you in building a reading culture. Including pictures of the volunteer is really important as it provides boys with a male role model that can be seen on the wall within school. You could even invite the local press in to cover the visit.
