A national charity is appealing for local volunteers to help children with communication difficulties in Walthamstow schools with their reading.
Volunteer Reading Help (VRH), established in 1973, recognises the importance of literacy to a child’s self-esteem and development by providing extra individual support to those who find reading a challenge. Volunteers are recruited across the country and trained to deliver support, both in schools and out of school, to children aged 6-11.
Research conducted by the charity has shown that in 2010, 96% of the children helped that year had an improved attitude to and confidence in reading. In addition to this, VRH also claims their work can be of great benefit to the volunteers that get involved. Reading helpers gain valuable skills and confidence that provide a stepping stone in getting back into work – if they were previously unemployed – as well as a rewarding experience.
The group now urgently needs to recruit volunteers for a project they intend to run in Walthamstow. Residents are being asked to get in touch if they can help with two half-hour reading and activities sessions-a-week in local primary schools. As VRH provides full training, no qualifications are required.
More information on the charity can be found on their website www.vrh.org.uk. If you’d like to help, get in touch with your local branch on 0207 7497 974 or by e-mailing londonnorthandeast@vrh.org.uk.
