Any young person who enjoys reading and working with others can play an active part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.
Volunteers will experience a number of rewards including:
– Gaining valuable experience for future employment
– Making a difference in their community
– The enjoyment of working with children
– Learning new skills and making new friends
The Summer Reading Challenge is a national programme, delivered by local library, where children are challenged to read up to six books and talk to library staff or volunteers about them.
Those children who take part in the reading challenge will receive stickers and other rewards as they progress through the books. In Telford and Wrekin more than 1200 children take part each year.
Volunteers help librarians in a number of ways including:
– promoting the challenge through displays
– talking to children and parents about the challenge
– registering children and giving them incentives
– talking to children about the books they have been reading
– helping the librarians with activities
The hours are very flexible to suit both the volunteer and the libraries.
Councillor Hilda Rhodes, cabinet member for Customer Services, Libraries and Transport, said: “The Summer Reading Challenge encourages children to continue reading over the summer holidays as well as getting them into their local libraries where there are so many things to do and books to choose from.
“What is even more special about this scheme is that young people themselves are being asked to help the children who take part in the Challenge and I have no doubt that anyone choosing to volunteer will get an incredible amount out of it.
“Volunteering can be so rewarding and anyone who thinks they might like to give it a go should definitely get in touch.”
Training will be provided before the challenge begins and there will be a chance to meet the other volunteers at the same time.
Anyone interested in finding out more about volunteering can email libraryenquiries@telford.gov.uk or visit www.telford.gov.uk/libraries.
Applications for volunteering close on Saturday 14 June, with training taking place on Saturday 21 June.