Everyone’s Literacy Volunteer

Location of the vacancies: Saffron Waldon Library

What is the role about?

Supporting in a children’s book club once a month at Saffron Walden Library on a Saturday afternoon

What will it involve?

An hour to an hour and a half per month on a Saturday afternoon. Volunteers will work with a staff member to run the book club, initiating conversation with the kids about the books they have read and helping with bookish activities. The book club will be aimed at primary aged children roughly aged 8-12. Most of the time the book club will be run by both the volunteer and the staff member, but sometimes the volunteer may run it by themselves.

What will you get from volunteering?

Satisfaction from playing a key role in delivering fun, engaging book club for children as well as organising and helping out with bookish activities for children, and encouraging reading amongst them.

What skills and experience do you need?

·       Preferable experience being around children but not essential

·       Warmth and friendliness with the ability to interact enthusiastically and inclusively with children of all backgrounds

·       Able to work with other staff members and children

·       Adaptable to changing circumstances

·       An enthusiasm for libraries, reading, and literature

How much time would you be asked to contribute?

An hour to an hour and a half once a month on a Saturday afternoon. Exact day to be discussed with volunteer

How do you apply?

Read the volunteer role outline and complete the volunteer form. Library staff will be in touch to discuss the application and forward any paperwork for completion.

What training and support will you receive?

A meeting will be arranged with the member of staff in charge of the book club to decide on dates for the book club, as well as to organise the structure and activities that will take place.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

What will you be doing?

Support or lead literacy based sessions for customers. This could be through anything from guided reading sessions, phonics sessions, creative writing sessions, or any session that would support raising literacy standards in our customers.

As this role covers a range of activities the timings cannot be specified. It can be noted that each course will have regular timings over a set period of weeks. The sessions will all take place in a public library (location tbc) or on the outreach mobile unit.

What will it involve?

Volunteers will be given the contact information of a member of library staff who is their main contacts. The local Community Connector team will also be available to support volunteers throughout on the projects.

You will receive induction, a welcome pack and specific training for your volunteering role. This may be shadowing or an occasional training session or just talking through what’s involved. There will be ongoing support from local library staff.

If you are running your own course, you will need to provide your own materials. If you are running a course of our own design, we will support you with course materials, such as plans and resources.

Skills

It is not necessary to have any qualifications for this role, however a good level of English is necessary.

You need to have the interest and skillset to support reading and writing of either children and/or adults that need additional support.

Safeguarding and best practice guidance training will be provided.

A DBS check will be required when working with children.

How do you apply? 

First register with Volunteer Essex or contact your local library.

Discuss with your local library what kind of support they need and what you are comfortable with offering.

All volunteering activities are subject to completing a registration form, an informal interview with library staff, two satisfactory references and ID documentation of your right to work in the UK. 

For more information or to apply, please email Libraryvolunteer@essex.gov.uk or contact your local library.          

What training and support will you receive?

All volunteers are engaged for an introductory period (usually 1 to 3 months depending on the frequency of volunteering). This is to ensure the volunteer and activity are properly matched and either side may decide to end the agreement at this stage.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. 

What could you get out of it?

•  Volunteers enjoy sharing their skills to encourage children and/or adults to read for pleasure and improve writing skills. Improving the literacy levels will also lead to children and adults improving academically and grow in confidence, enabling them to expand their horizon of opportunities.
• You will also have to opportunity to attend community events as part of our outreach team.
• Pleasure from seeing the improvement in people’s skills develop.
• Meeting people and making new friends.
• Satisfaction of using your skills and experience to support residents in the community.