World Book Day, celebrated on the first Thursday of March every year, aims to change lives through the love of reading.
We wanted to share just a few organisations in Hackney which support both children and adults with literacy. Even one hour of volunteering a week with one of these groups can help people discover the joy of reading.
Why does reading matter so much?
According to World Book Day, ‘Reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success – more than their family circumstances, their parents’ educational background or their income.’
Yet in England, more than 40% of children leaving primary school didn’t meet literacy benchmarks in 2021/2022. And almost 15,000 adults in Hackney have low literacy rates, which can be a significant barrier to employment opportunities.
Through volunteering, you can help turn this around.
Here’s how you can get involved in supporting people of all ages unlock their potential through reading:
Volunteer Reading Coach, Adult Literacy Trust
Volunteer tutor, Action Tutoring
Reading Volunteer, Bookmark
Reading Helper, Coram Beanstalk
Literacy Support Volunteer, Hackney Pirates
Community Librarian, Volunteer Centre Hackney
School Creative Writing Mentor, Ministry of Stories
Children’s Writing Mentor, Ministry of Stories
School Creative Writing Mentor, Ministry of Stories
Writing Mentor, Ministry of Stories
Co-ordinator with Read Easy Hackney, Read Easy
Library Volunteer, Woodberry Down Library
Head to our Volunteer page to find other ways to volunteer near you