Many people hesitate to sign up for volunteering opportunities because they’re unsure if they’ll be any good. The truth is, you don’t have to be perfect, just be willing to make a difference.
Tegan’s volunteering experience highlights that the best thing you can do is ‘give it a go’, your time and a positive approach is all you need!
I wasn’t sure what to expect when Dean suggested I try the volunteer reading program. I’d never worked with kids before, so I was a bit nervous and unsure if I’d be any good at it. But I decided to give it a go, and I’m so glad I did! It quickly turned into something I really enjoy, and I always feel happy afterwards. The best part is seeing the positive impact it has.
Tegan, an Assistant Project Manager at Leonardo UK, was matched with Ruby* a Year 1 child at Begbrook Primary Academy, a school in a suburban area of Bristol. The school serves a diverse community, with families from various socioeconomic backgrounds, some facing high levels of deprivation
By volunteering with us, Tegan, hoped to build her partner’s confidence and reading skills through regular 1:1 sessions. Ruby was not reading at home, and was several levels behind where she was expected to be. This, combined with her high school absence rate, meant she missed valuable reading time at school. To help engage her, Tegan kept the sessions light and friendly, as Ruby was shy and unsure when she started with her. They’d start by chatting about her weekend or any fun plans, which helped her relax before reading.
Despite starting off shy, Ruby quickly showed eagerness to improve, and the face-to-face sessions made a big difference. By the end of the year, she was reading at the expected level for her year group, a significant jump from where she started, and her confidence noticeably improved too. This was an amazing achievement and showed with the support and encouragement from Tegan, she was able to reach her full potential.
Ruby’s class teacher was very pleased too, “I saw her confidence in reading and in herself grow over the course of the Reading Partner sessions. She enjoyed going each week, and the consistency and support had a positive impact on her reading progress and attitude towards learning.”
It’s amazing how something as simple as being patient and encouraging can make such a difference! I am so pleased to have helped her grow in confidence and improve her reading skills. Receiving thank you cards from the kids was very sweet and made me smile, but knowing we made such an impact is why I signed up again. It’s great to hear I’ve had a positive affect, especially for something so easy for me to do and I am excited to continue and hopefully make a positive impact on other children in the future too!
Click here to find out more about how volunteering can help your business. If you would like to find out more about our Reading Partners programme we have information for businesses and for schools on our website or you can contact us.
*We have changed the child’s name to protect her identity
