The National Literacy Trust is the UK’s largest independent literacy charity, working to ensure that disadvantaged children in the UK have the literacy skills they need to succeed in education and in life.

About the project

Through the Literacy Champion's project, we want to address Peterborough’s significant literacy needs on a community level.

The National Literacy Trust has been active in Peterborough since 2014. The charity has worked with the LA, schools in the area, and created links with local partners who have supported literacy in Peterborough.

Literacy Champion's want to help improve literacy in their community. They could be a parent, business professional, teacher, student, sports coach or just passionate about making a difference in their local area. They can do this in many different ways depending on who they are and the communities they are living in and working with.

We have a dedicated Literacy Champion's Project Officer based in Peterborough to work with volunteers, and community-based partners to support the development of ideas that will help improve literacy across the district.

Why volunteer?

Volunteering as a Peterborough Literacy Champion is a great way to get involved and give something back to your community. You will get full training and develop new skills.

Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do. It can help you to:

• Gain confidence
• Make a difference
• Meet different kinds of people and make new friends
• Be part of a community
• Learn new skills
• Take on a challenge
• Have fun!

How will it work?

The Literacy Champion's programme will end in 2024 and we are looking for 30 volunteers to sign up.

We are looking for a diverse range of volunteers who will want to work on different ideas and initiatives across Peterborough.

Literacy Champion volunteers will attend a half day training session to give you practical ideas and inspiration. You will also get a resource pack to help with your ideas.

We will provide ongoing support to volunteers to help the idea develop and make sure it is practical and achievable. Towards the end of the project we will celebrate your achievements through events designed to share your great work and stories with others.

What do Literacy Champions do?

Literacy Champions will:

• Work in your local community to develop ideas that help improve literacy. This could be with a school, community centre, library, children’s centre or elsewhere
• Encourage the people you are working with to make reading part of their everyday lives and something they enjoy
• Develop an idea for a literacy project that you think could make a difference in your community
• Report back on what you do and how it is going

Some ideas we could help Literacy Champions develop include:

• Setting up a reading group for adults or children
• Helping parents visit a children centre for the first time by taking them along and making introductions
• Getting friends or neighbours to sign up to the local library
• Taking children from the neighbourhood to the library during the summer to help them complete the Summer Reading Challenge
• Offering an information session in their home to family and neighbours
• Organising a book swap in their local area
• Planning a literacy-based outing (such as a shopping trip or a trip to the countryside)
• Planning a local poetry session or competition for the community

Can I be a Literacy Champion?

Whether you have previous experience, or simply have an idea to try to see whether you can make a difference, we want to hear from you!

You can be a Literacy Champion if you:

• Have some time to commit to the volunteer role- to fit around your life and commitments
• Are keen to learn ways to help promote literacy in your community

How do I get involved?

If you are interested in becoming a Literacy Champion, please contact:

Emma Morton Literacy Champion Project Officer on: 07874637433

or email emma.morton@literacytrust.org.uk so we can discuss the project and your ideas further.

• Young Reader Programmes
• Sports and Literacy Programmes

What is a Reading Buddy?

• A Reading Buddy is a volunteer who reads with children regularly on a one-to-one basis, helping to develop their enjoyment of books
• As a Reading Buddy you will work with children each week
• No previous experience is necessary as training will be given
• All you need is patience and enthusiasm

What will it involve?

• Reading Buddies will need to be able to commit to an hour each week for at least one school term
• You will work with children to develop their confidence to read and discuss a look, either in English or their home language
• You will support children in their reading and spend time discussing the story to develop their wider understanding
• You will need to agree to the school’s volunteer policy

What are the benefits of becoming a Reading Buddy?

• You will be supporting a local school in raising children’s achievement and enjoyment of reading
• You will be developing a child’s understanding of language
• You will have the satisfaction of watching a child’s confidence, ability and enjoyment of reading progress across the year
• For some children, you may provide the one-to-one support that they may normally find difficult to access
• The training you receive will equip you with additional skills to

What Next?

If you have read through the information in this leaflet and feel confident that you can commit an hour each week for a term then we will be very pleased if you sign up to become a Reading Buddy! Click here to see when the next training courses will be. 

Take a look at what the Reading Buddies have been doing here

Sign up to the #WordsforLife newsletter in partnership with #HungryLittleMinds to receive fortnightly activities for your little ones aged 0-5.

Every two weeks you will receive free fun chat, play and read activities which you can carry out to help your child’s learning at home.

You can sign up here: https://wordsforlife.org.uk/newsletter/