Information meeting

 SIFE/ENACTUS  Keith Loudon – Redmayne Bentley  Other reading volunteering opportunities  Our students want to help in the community  Schools have a need

 Social need  Good experience for both parties  Read with a child for one hour a week for 10 weeks and you could raise their reading age by 1 ½ years  70% of pupils permanently excluded from school have difficulties in basic literacy skills.

 Poor children in Leeds who fall behind in the three Rs at the age of seven already have their life chances virtually determined, according to a hard-hitting new report.  More than one in four seven-year-old pupils who receive free school meals in the city are failing to reach the expected standard in reading, the latest Department for Education figures show.  Just over a third are not reaching the expected level in writing while almost a quarter are not achieving it in maths.  Across Yorkshire, deprived pupils performed worse than anywhere else in England, the statistics reveal.  Save the Children has warned today that failing to harness the potential of the poorest children could cost the economy billions of pounds.  The charity said by the age of seven, nearly 80 per cent of the difference in GCSE results between rich and poor children has already been determined.  The first two years a child is at school is a crucial window for closing the attainment gap, according to its new report, Too Young to Fail.

 Make a difference to a child’s life  Rewarding to see progress  Give something back to community  Develop new skills  Improve employment prospects  Gain confidence  Make new friends  Positive effect on health  Have fun!

Careers Employability Skills Framework Organising & Planning Self-management Positive Attitude Communication skills Team working Networking Problem solving and decision making Commercial & Customer Awareness Numeracy IT skills

87% of employers think that volunteering can have a generally positive effect on career progression for people aged % of those in employment said that volunteering had helped them get their current job – Institute of Volunteering Research

Semester 1 Primary Schools 10 week commitment 1-1 reading support 1 hour – 3 children (15 minute blocks ) Travel DBS checks Training

Agree to follow Leeds Met & Leeds Met Students’ Union’s policies and procedures Understand professional boundaries, issues of self-disclosure and respect confidentially Represent yourself, Leeds Met & the Students’ Union in a positive way Support your fellow volunteers where appropriate Be reliable – you have made a commitment to the project Inform us if you cant attend – at least 24 hours notice is needed Respect other people for their abilities and achievements Make constructive criticism and suggestions to us about how project could be improved

“We really appreciate their commitment and would be very interested in continuing with the same programme next year or anything similar. The children really enjoy their individual support and it is definitely having a positive effect.” Carol Dunworth, Assistant Head. Little London Primary School “I would like to carry on with my volunteering next year, I have thoroughly enjoyed it this semester.” Kate Perry, student volunteer Blenheim Primary School

 5 Schools Coordinator roles – forming a committee  Contact for the school & volunteers  Coordinate volunteers  Ensure monitoring is complete  Oversee the finances for the project  Feedback  Promotion & Publicity  Celebration & recognition Benefits  Develop and enhance leadership skills which will make you more employable  Differentiate yourself from the crowd  Become a confident coordinator  Be responsible for people, resources, publicity and finances  Support from Leeds Met University and the Students’ Union

 Information and application will be sent to you after this week  Information must be back to us by 28 th April.  Training to be confirmed