• Do something different
• Make a difference in young lives
• Gain valuable work experience
• Live in London or Manchester
• Receive training and support
• Enhance your CV
• Be part of a friendly caring team
• Find out whether teaching is a career you would like to pursue
• Work with children who need it most
• Give to others so they can access education and a brighter future

• Full time volunteers join us as a group in September. Together they undertake a few days of training and orientation at Springboard for Children. This is the start of their journey to becoming a skilled literacy tutor.
• Springboard is committed to equipping its volunteers with the skills and knowledge to become confident, independent and successful literacy tutors. Full time volunteers will learn to use tried and tested teaching programmes and will have responsibility for planning and evaluating lessons for their individual children.
• Full Time Volunteers work in allocated Springboard centres in 2 or 3 different primary schools every week. At each centre they will be matched with pupils who they meet twice a week during their time at Springboard. Each week a full time volunteer meets with the same pupils and builds a mentoring relationship which encourages the child to recognise and realise their potential.
• When pupils come to Springboard they receive tailored one-to-one support where we pace the learning to suit each individual child. Most children love coming to Springboard as this is where reading, spelling and writing begins to make sense. For some of the children it may be the only time in the week they will get that one-to-one attention to help them with learning.
• Full Time volunteers will also undertake additional responsibilities alongside teaching, including resource making, administration, helping on trips, helping to keep the classroom tidy and organised and helping out with fundraising events.
• If you have a specific interest to get involved in other areas of the charity as part of your placement (such as administration, fundraising etc.) you are welcome to approach Springboard to see if this can be arranged.

What is life like for our full time volunteers?

• “Busy, exciting. It’s like working with a big friendly family! This year has been fantastic, I love living in Peckham and teaching the children.”
• “Its hectic and there are always things to do, children to teach, lessons to plan, pencils to sharpen, papers to file and biscuits to eat.”
• “Great! I’ve learnt so much in the first term and still have loads more to learn. It is hard work but worth all the effort to see the kids progress, some quickly and others not so fast. Everyone is always friendly and helpful. It is a great atmosphere to work in”

What are the challenges?

• “Staying patient with children who misbehave or take a long time to understand new teaching points.”
• “It is challenging to work with children who have such low self-esteem. It can sometimes be hard to find ways to help them grow in confidence and feel valued.”
• “Moving to London and finding my way around was one of the new challenges for me. ”

What do you enjoy most?

• “Collecting children from their classrooms and seeing their faces light up when they see me. The children love Springboard and it’s so rewarding to teach them new things.”
• “It is so satisfying when children suddenly understand something that I’ve been teaching them for a while.”

Training and Experience
Spending a year at Springboard for Children, not only brings great benefits to the children we work with, but as a literacy tutor you will find that your skills, knowledge and experience will develop in many ways.

Future Prospects
In the past we have had a few gap year volunteers apply to stay for a second year enabling them to give even more to the children.
There may be opportunity to undertake further external training in your 2nd year which may lead to future employment opportunities.
Many of our volunteers move on to related professions like teaching, speech and language therapy and children’s nursing.
Most importantly you will know that you have touched the lives of many inner-city children and provided invaluable support that they otherwise would not have received.

All our full time volunteers benefit from the informative, structured training provided at Springboard for Children, supporting them to become specialist literacy tutors.

Your training will include:

• Induction and orientation week in August/September
• Workshops during term.
• Modelling of teaching concepts by experienced tutor
• Observation of your teaching with feedback
• Team meetings
• 1:1 supervision and mentoring by a qualified tutor
• Peer support

Accreditation

• There is opportunity for volunteers' learning and expertise to be externally recognised by completing an internally run, accredited training course. Springboard's course, 'Teaching Children With Literacy Needs', is accredited through the Open College Network London Region (OCNLR), providing 15 credits at level 3 (equivalent to A-Level). Accreditation validates your new skills and will be useful not only for your CV but will also enhance the quality of your teaching and maximise your experience at Springboard.

“Knowing the theories behind every part of the lesson (especially Phonological Awareness) gives more sense to what I was doing. I see the point of why we have to do some activities in a particular manner. Applying the theories I learned in my lessons makes those theories useful “

Full Time Volunteer

You need to be:

• a team player willing to participate fully in the life of the organisation
• passionate about working with children
• patient and empathetic
• mature, reliable and trustworthy
• able to take on board the training and develop the necessary skills

You do not need …

• Any previous teaching experience; just a desire and ability to learn the skills required for tutoring, through the training and support from Springboard.

“Full Time Volunteers inspire the team – their enthusiasm, commitment and enormous talent means that Springboard can offer an excellent service to these children who struggle so much at school.”

ACCOMMODATION

• In London, full time volunteers have been joining us for ‘Year Outs’ for over 10 years. We have rented out a number of different properties around the Peckham area where we have placed Full Time Volunteers.
• Full Time Volunteers normally live alongside other volunteers. If this isn’t possible we will source other suitable accommodation (such as lodgings).
• Accommodation options and preferences will be discussed with you further at interview and once you have been accepted onto the programme.

SUPPORT

• In London we have a co-ordinator with responsibility for settling in new FT volunteers and helping with orientation. She will also act as a point of contact throughout the year for any non-teaching issues.
• You will also be introduced to a contact who is external to Springboard on whom you can call if you need to talk to someone for additional support during your year.

If you’re applying through Careforce, Time for God or Agape:

Please see their websites for details of the financial arrangements.

• www.careforce.co.uk
• www.timeforgod.org
• www.agapeadventures.ie

If you’re applying directly to Springboard for Children

Springboard will provide full time volunteers with the following:

• The cost of your furnished accommodation and household bills (electricity, Water, heating) as agreed before you start your placement in September.
• Your food/grocery expenses set at around £35 per week
• Travel costs related to your volunteering.

You need to:

• Provide your own pocket money of about £1,500 for the placement. Some volunteers will do this through fundraising, some a part time job, some are supported by parents or savings. We normally expect you to raise your pocket money before starting. If there are difficulties with that, we will need to discuss your options.
• UK full time volunteers are also requested to apply for Housing Benefit to contribute to the cost of their accommodation during their voluntary placement.

Please note:

If you are keen to undertake fundraising to support your year at Springboard for Children, we can provide you with ideas and resources. You could undertake a sponsored challenge event or host a coffee morning … there are loads of ideas to get you on your way to raising the £1,500.

Applying through Careforce, Time for God or Agape:

• Please follow the instructions on their website – filling in their application forms. Please let them know that you would like to placed with Springboard for Children

Applying directly to Springboard for Children

• Complete an application form and return by post or e-mail to Beck Lambourne if you feel this is the opportunity for you
• If your application is successful at this stage, you will be invited to attend a visit. This is a chance for you to experience the Springboard set up and watch some literacy teaching. You will also meet current volunteers to hear about their experience.
• You will then have an interview with 2 staff members of the Springboard team.
• Following a successful interview, you will be offered a place on the team which we ask you to confirm as soon as possible.
• We will also take up two references and a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosure form will need to be completed. This is an essential part of the selection in our commitment to good practice in working with children.
• Volunteer places are then subject to satisfactory references and disclosure.
• You will then be contacted to finalise details of your accommodation and starting dates.

• Our current support package requires volunteers applying from overseas to be able to cover the cost of their own travel to and from the UK.
• Overseas applicants applying directly to Springboard are still required to raise £1,500 as pocket money for the year. So the minimum cost of the placement for those from outside the UK will be £1,500 plus travel costs.
• We are unable to sponsor visa applications for overseas applicants so if you require a visa to volunteer in the UK you will need to apply through Careforce or Time for God.
• Please note: Your visa will not allow you to take paid work in the UK.

• We accept applications on an ongoing basis until vacancies are filled. Early submission is encouraged.
• Once you have submitted an application, we will contact you to set up a visit. If there are school holidays then the visit will be set up to take place once teaching has started again.
• We encourage you to apply early to avoid disappointment. To enquire as to the current spaces, please contact Beck Lambourne on becklambourne@springboard.org.uk
• If you want to find out more about Springboard for children’s work then have a look through the rest of our website.