Location of the vacancies: Brightlingsea, Broomfield, Chipping Ongar, Debden, Epping, Galleywood, Great Parndon, Halstead, Harwich, Hatfield Peverel, Holland, Tye Green, Rochford, Wivenhoe, Stanway, Great Dunmow, Shenfield, Stock and Chelmsford.
What will you be doing?
Support or lead literacy based sessions for customers. This could be through anything from guided reading sessions, phonics sessions, creative writing sessions, or any session that would support raising literacy standards in our customers.
As this role covers a range of activities, the timings cannot be specified. It can be noted that each course will have regular timings over a set period of weeks. The sessions will all take place in a public library (location tbc) or on the outreach mobile unit.
What will it involve?
Volunteers will be given the contact information of a member of library staff who is their main contact. The local Community Connector team will also be available to support volunteers throughout the projects.
You will receive induction, a welcome pack, and specific training for your volunteering role. This may be shadowing, an occasional training session, or just talking through what’s involved. There will be ongoing support from local library staff.
If you are running your own course, you will need to provide your own materials. If you are running a course of our own design, we will support you with course materials, such as plans and resources.
Skills
It is not necessary to have any qualifications for this role; however, a good level of English is necessary.
You need to have the interest and skillset to support reading and writing of either children and/or adults that need additional support.
Safeguarding and best practice guidance training will be provided.
A DBS check will be required when working with children.
How do you apply?
First, register with Volunteer Essex or contact your local library.
Discuss with your local library what kind of support they need and what you are comfortable with offering.
All volunteering activities are subject to completing a registration form, an informal interview with library staff, two satisfactory references, and ID documentation of your right to work in the UK.
For more information or to apply, please email Libraryvolunteer@essex.gov.uk or contact your local library.
What training and support will you receive?
All volunteers are engaged for an introductory period (usually 1 to 3 months depending on the frequency of volunteering). This is to ensure the volunteer and activity are properly matched, and either side may decide to end the agreement at this stage.
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
What could you get out of it?
* Volunteers enjoy sharing their skills to encourage children and/or adults to read for pleasure and improve writing skills. Improving the literacy levels will also lead to children and adults improving academically and growing in confidence, enabling them to expand their horizon of opportunities.
* You will also have the opportunity to attend community events as part of our outreach team.
* Pleasure from seeing the improvement in people’s skills develop.
* Meeting people and making new friends.
* Satisfaction of using your skills and experience to support residents in the community.
Location: This opportunity is available in: Basildon, Billericay & Wickford, Braintree, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Colchester, Epping, Harlow, Maldon, Rayleigh and Rochford, Tendring
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