Volunteer
Help us provide each child with 60 hours of individualised attention every school year to build English literacy foundations.
Want to get involved?
Volunteers share our belief that children want to learn and are capable of doing so. They just need an environment that works for them, which may be different from a conventional classroom setting.
As a volunteer, you’ll play a gardener-like role in:
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Understanding each child’s learning needs and interests, and
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Adapting sessions to support each child in connecting with new words and worlds.
We look for volunteers who are:
1. Available on Saturday mornings*
We ask that you commit to at least 2 sessions per month for 6 months.
*Can’t make Saturday mornings? We also host a fortnightly book club on Monday evenings (schedule below)!
2. Aged 16 and above
Don’t meet the age requirement? Drop us a note here to explore other ways we could work together.
3. Committed to Child-Led Approaches
How we work with children matters. It’s essential that you’re committed to nurturing each child's confidence as an encouraging guide, honouring their individual pace.
Learn more about Our Beliefs that guide how we work here.
Volunteer opportunities near you
We run weekly sessions at two locations. Let us know your preferred one when you apply.
Where
📍Macpherson Community Club
400 Paya Lebar Way
Singapore 379131
Level 2 (Y2-N1 & Y2-N2), &
Level 3 (Children’s Chapter Room)
When
Saturdays
9.45am - 11.45am
Saturdays
9.45am - 11.45am
Programme
Work with children ages 4 to 6 to introduce the building blocks of literacy – alphabets and phonics.
Work with children ages 6 to 9 to embrace growth to express themselves confidently.
5 Dover Crescent
Singapore 130005
Level 1
📍Dover RC
Saturdays
9.15am - 11.15am
Saturdays
9.15am - 11.15pm
Alternate Mondays
7.15pm - 9.00pm
Work with children ages 4 to 7 to introduce the building blocks of literacy – alphabets and phonics.
Work with children ages 6 to 9 to embrace growth to express themselves confidently.
Work with children ages 7 to 9 to support participation in interactive Book Club activities.
All timings above include 15 mins before the lesson for volunteers' briefing, and 15 mins after for volunteers to pack up.
Learn more about our programmes here.
Volunteer FAQs
Still have questions? Send them to us here.
General
Who will I be working with?
At Reading Roots, children range from ages 4 to 9, many of whom have been growing with our programmes.
What happens in each session?
Each session starts with a group activity.
Once that’s done, individual learning time begins. You’ll work with a child 1-on-1, at their pace, with a customised plan to engage them at their learning levels.
Learn more about Our Programmes.
What's the curriculum like?
Reading Roots uses the Jolly Phonics and Fitzroy Curriculum as foundational resources for teaching phonics and literacy skills.
We design individual learning plans that integrate phonics, reading comprehension, vocabulary building, and interactive activities that suit different age groups and literacy levels.
As much as possible, we include ways for the children to play, move and get creative as they learn.
Requirements
Do I need teaching experience?
We welcome all volunteers who share similar beliefs to help us realise our vision.
We especially look forward to collaborating with volunteers who have experience in:
(1) early childhood education,
(2) supporting different learning needs, or
(3) teaching English
In order to provide a stable and consistent learning experience for our children, we ask that all volunteers (1) have an open mind to our methods and (2) support the children with a positive and flexible approach to meet them where they are.
We’ll provide learning resources, including detailed plans for each session, so you can focus on supporting the children.
What’s the time commitment?
We ask volunteers to commit to two sessions a month for 6 months (at least).
You can decide if Reading Roots is the place for you after attending one session.
What do I need to do?
As a volunteer, you’ll be paired with a child and will:
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Help with setting up and packing up
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Support the child through a group activity (encouraging participation or being their voice, as needed)
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Work with children 1-on-1 through that week’s learning plan. Make adjustments as needed to support the learning pace of each child.
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Provide reflections and feedback after each session to help us and other volunteers better understand and address the child’s’ needs
Our Commitment
To support you, we’ll:
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Provide detailed plans at least one day before each session
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Prepare activity-related materials (e.g. activity sheets, craft materials)
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Include access to learning resources and a small library
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Have lead teachers who will clarify questions, share advice and/or lend any support you might need
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Organise training sessions
Hear from our volunteers
As much as it is difficult to wake up early on some Saturdays, I always end up enjoying myself during the sessions and look forward to the next. I love seeing the heart of the volunteers and the joyful smile of the children each week as they try their best even when the English language is a challenge for them. I also get to practice my skills and share my knowledge with the team as an early childhood trained educator which brings great purpose to the work I am doing each week.
Faith, volunteer since 2023
My favourite memories at Reading Roots is seeing the children build confidence! Of course it is no smooth journey because it is not easy trying to make things fun all the time, but it is about passion and commitment, and as long as they have that confidence – then it means everything for all of us.
Kiki, volunteer since 2022
How to volunteer
01
Complete your volunteer application
It only takes a few minutes!
02
Attend a trial session
We’ll set up a quick call and confirm your preferred date and location.
Experience the session guided by another volunteer before making a longer commitment.
03
Sign up for sessions
We’re glad that you’ll be joining us! Sign up for sessions using the link we’ll share.