Volunteering

Being an ARCh Reading Mentor is extremely rewarding, building up a relationship with the same three children on a one-to-one basis during the course of a year means you can make a real difference to their self-esteem and ability to read.

Each year we survey the schools we work with and year on year benefits are reported in children’s confidence and self-esteem as well as reading ability and interest.

Our volunteers do not need particular qualifications or experience. They need to be patient, enjoy reading and have the appropriate interpersonal skills to help children and liaise with school staff.

ARCh Reading Helpers are trained to a high standard on our initial two day programme, after which they have continued on-going support from their allocated Field Worker who helps them settle into a school which is local to them.  They are also be provided with all the resources they may need and travel expenses between home and school are paid.

Please see our:
ARCh Child Protection and Safe from Harm policy

At ARCh we offer all our Reading Mentors the opportunity to be part of a friendly and fast-growing community.  Every term we run book exchanges and coffee mornings in seven different locations across Oxfordshire.  We regularly organise educational workshops and at the end of every term we host a meeting, always with a guest speaker who is invariably a children’s author or an editor of children’s books, followed by tea and cake.  Many of our Reading Mentors have established great friendships through ARCh.