Help a Child Learn to Read is a specialised intervention within the broader remit of the Intergenerational Mentoring Network (IMN) CIC.  The Help a Child Learn to Read project, established in 2016, seeks to improve the life chances of young people by matching pupils selected by the school with volunteer mentors. It is evidence-based and runs successfully in two local authorities and is guided by the expertise and insights of the international literacy expert, Professor Sue Ellis. It is designed to raise attainment in literacy through reading engagement, making reading a social, enjoyable and uniquely tailored experience for young children from homes and communities where reading is not traditionally seen as pleasurable or relaxing.

Our volunteer mentors are mostly retired  and want to help young people and their local schools. They have time to create safe, nurturing spaces to help their mentees cultivate the love of reading, relax around books while supporting their emotional wellbeing and overall attainment. Many are from professional backgrounds and bring enriching life experiences and take time to explore and understand what might inspire and interest their mentees. One-to-one sessions involve selecting and sharing stories and opportunities for escapism while enhancing mentee confidence, literacy and communications skills. They allow broader conversations to take place, fostering curiosity and allowing mentees time to make sense of text and ideas. The intergenerational nature of the project encourages mentees to gain new insights and inspire a deeper cultural and social knowledge of the world.

“What we like about the mentoring is that someone can give the children one-on-one time that actually is so precious -that is actually a real gift, and when you see the children working with their mentors – it’s glorious. I think it’s enjoyment, it’s time, it’s just chatting about books. The children read a book, they choose a book they’re interested in, the mentors then think about their own interests and the children’s interest and they go off and try and find other things and bring them in, so it’s definitely replicating what a parent might do. For children not brought up on a diet of bed time stories you know that’s a huge part of reading for pleasure, for relaxing, for imagination, talking about feelings, understanding sadness and empathy, there’s a whole range of things that our children do not come to school with, and whilst in a class we know that, and we are trying to give the children stories, our teachers read to them, support staff read to them,  it’s completely different to having one-on-one.” Headteacher, Oakwood Primary School Easterhouse

Children who have a reading mentor have told us:

“I have enjoyed chatting about the books. When I used to read books I got stuck on a lot of words but since having a reading mentor you talk about the words and it had helped me to spell them out.

“Now I read better in class”

“Now when I’m finished with my work in class I get a book to read and I’ve got a bookmark so I know where to read from. This is the first time – I’ve never done this before.”

‘I got two books to take home – books which I hadn’t finished and I was allowed to take them home to finish.’

Volunteer mentors have the opportunity to engage in a short training course before helping support an individual child develop their reading ability.  If you would like to participate in this project or require any further information please fill in our form.