NEWS, VIEWS & OTHER INTERESTING THINGS

It’s a new school year and another chance for us to do what we do best: help children learn to read. It’s always an exciting time of the year as we meet new learners who will start their journey on our reading help programme, connect with our Volunteer Reading Helpers, both old and new, and kick off our year-long Literacy Tutor Programme.

In 2018, our mission is to connect more learners to the reading support they so desperately need. Devastating statistics released late last year show that 78% of South Africa’s Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning. In light of this, we are more determined than ever before to tackle the ongoing literacy crisis in South Africa. We are calling on you and all active citizens, to join us in tackling the literacy crisis.

Over the years, we have seen just how effective one-on-one attention and reading help can be for struggling readers. This is why our team has been hard at work to recruit more Volunteer Reading Helpers this year.

In January, we welcomed the new school year with our #MyReadingHelper campaign, which highlighted the beautiful relationship that Reading Helpers have with the learners who they assist. We took to the airwaves, internet and local newspapers to spread the word about the opportunity to make a life-changing impact on a child by becoming a Reading Helper.

We also launched Coffee Mornings, information session where interested individuals with time to give back can learn more about help2read and the various opportunities available for volunteering as a Reading Helper. This is also an opportunity for our existing volunteers to find a time to connect with each other, share tips and answer any questions they may have.

Our recruitment drives have paid off, and we are thrilled to have such a diverse group of new volunteers join the programme, many of whom have already been trained and are beginning their journey with this February. We can’t wait to get them matched with learners at their respective schools!

While recruiting volunteers is vitally important to expanding the reach of our programme, we also want to ensure our volunteers and partner schools get the support they need. Over the past month, we’ve met with a number of our Volunteer Reading Helpers and coordinating teachers to learn how we can improve our programmes and better support our volunteers and partners.  

In the process, we have not only made new improvements to our Volunteer Programme, we’ve also identified new learners who we can support, and have enhanced our resource boxes, ensuring we’re all set for sessions to start.

We are excited about what the year holds, and are ready to go even further than we’ve gone before to see illiteracy erased in South Africa.