At Springboard for Children we have volunteers of all ages and from a range of backgrounds. Some volunteers have recently finished school or university and want to gain some experience working with children for a future career. Some volunteers fit volunteering in with other voluntary or work commitments and some volunteers have retired and now want to spend their time giving something back to their community. What binds all Springboard for Children’s volunteer literacy tutors is enthusiasm and a commitment to give the gift of literacy to disadvantaged young children.

Springboard for Children recruits staff and volunteers on the basis of their skills, experience, temperament and ability, without regard to race, nationality, gender, age, sexuality, disability or religion.

You don’t need to have any specific experience or formal qualifications. Springboard provides all volunteers with excellent training to develop the skills needed for the tutoring. It is important that volunteers have a reasonable level of literacy skills so they can take on the tutoring role with confidence. It can be helpful if volunteers have had some experience of working with or looking after children, but this is not essential. Most important is a willingness to learn the skills and a commitment to the work of Springboard for Children in seeing young lives changed.

After being accepted as a volunteer, you will undertake 3 induction training sessions, providing an overview and introduction to our field of work. Induction topics covered include:

• Introduction to the Springboard child
• Introduction to the teaching of reading and spelling
• A look at learning styles
• Introduction to multisensory, structured teaching
• Lesson planning
• Child Protection

Once you have completed the induction training you will be assigned to a Springboard school unit. There the supervisor will take on the role of your mentor - helping you to develop the skills required for literacy tutoring and training you to use the resources available. Springboard is committed to the training and development of our volunteers; We hold workshops on various topics related to literacy tuition on a regular basis throughout each term. We also hold regular team meetings on relevant topics for all volunteers and staff.

Once you've had a term to settle in at Springboard, there may be an opportunity to undertake an accredited training course in 'Teaching Children with Literacy Needs', alongside your volunteering.

Individuals interested in volunteering are invited to visit one of our partner schools to see the work in action. Following a visit you are invited to complete and return an application form to the Volunteer Recruitment Officer. Applicants will then be invited to an interview to discuss the opportunity further. Following a successful interview and satisfactory references and a CRB Disclosure, volunteers will be invited to join the Springboard team and attend the induction training.

When selecting volunteers we are looking for people who will ultimately enjoy and be competent at the literacy work we do with children. Our volunteers come from all walks of life and we are looking for people with a patient and reliable nature and an empathy and understanding about the nature of our charity. It is important that those looking to volunteer as a literacy tutor have the availability to make the twice a week commitment that is required.

Springboard works with children of primary age and all of whom will have literacy difficulties as a main area of concern. Their difficulties with learning may stem from difficulties such as dyslexia, a disjointed education, lack of learning support at home or emotional traumas making it difficult to concentrate in the classroom. Springboard provides a safe learning environment for these children, where the lessons are individualised to the children’s needs.

• work one to one or in small groups with children between the ages of 6-11 years
• help children to learn to read and write using an easy-to-use teaching programme - it is multi-sensory which makes it good fun for the children to learn
• receive close support whilst working with the children, through the training and supervision of a qualified professional
• learn how to plan lessons and set long term targets with the help of a supervisor
• take the children on a Springboard trip during the summer term
• be available to meet parents to discuss the children’s progress once a term
• attend Springboard team meetings for training and information

Most volunteers work with us on a part time basis, teaching 2 or more children between the ages of 6-11 twice a week. We ask our volunteers to commit to working with us for at least a year in order to give the children some stability whilst they are with us. Part time volunteers come to Springboard for a three hour session twice a week.

Springboard also provides full-time volunteering opportunities for those wanting to take a ‘gap year’. A full time volunteer would be expected to work for around 35 hours per week during the Springboard term. This is a different volunteering opportunity that we offer and more details can be obtained by contacting the Volunteer Recruitment Officer.

Springboard for Children works in selected primary schools in south London, north London and Manchester. We can only offer volunteer placements in the schools where we already have a unit operating.

When we are recruiting new volunteers they will be placed into schools where the need for help is greatest. If you have specific preferences of which school you would like to volunteer in we will try our best to accommodate these, but it may require you having to wait until a vacancy arises in the school you have requested.

Every volunteer really makes a difference and can see the vast improvement that the children make. It is a rewarding and fulfilling volunteering experience at Springboard as you provide a literacy lifeline for the young children you work with. All you need to become a volunteer is time, commitment and enthusiasm. Many of our volunteers are so happy that they stay with us year after year. The one-to-one and small group tuition enables the staff to build strong, nuturing relationships with each child.

"Springboard allows people who have no educational background in teaching but see the needs of the children and want to help, to show their love and concern in a practical way." Full time volunteer

"My first term's experience has confirmed that this is one of the most interesting and rewarding commitments that I have ever made." Part time volunteer

"The things that I will remember most about my year are all the wonderful children I was able to teach and the amazing support that I got from the Springboard staff." Gap year volunteer

If you think you might be interested in volunteering please contact Tom Travell – the Volunteer Recruitment Officer, to arrange a visit to one of our schools. The visit will be an opportunity for you to find out more about our work and see some teaching in action.

Alternatively, you can complete the volunteer response form online and Tom will endeavour to contact you within 5 working days.

Go on take the first step! We would love to hear from you.

Phone: Tom Travell on 020 7582 5487
E-mail:  tomtravell@springboard.org.uk.

Response form: register your interest online.