Would you like to help someone build confidence through reading and writing?
At the Rural Youth and Adult Literacy Trust (RYALT), our volunteer literacy coaches play a vital role in supporting learners to strengthen essential reading and writing skills. Through one-to-one online sessions, you’ll work with a student at their own pace, helping open doors to greater independence, employment, and further study.
About Our Students
- Our students are everyday people who haven’t had the opportunity to fully develop their reading and writing skills.
- They range from learning the alphabet to working towards essay writing, with most somewhere in between.
- Many struggle with the literacy skills needed for daily life, employment, and further study.
- They are aged between 13 and 65 and come from diverse backgrounds and life experiences.
We carefully match each volunteer with a student they’ll feel comfortable working with. Your enthusiasm, patience, and commitment matter far more than formal teaching experience.
What You’ll Do
- Work one-to-one with a student via video conference
- Support foundational reading and writing development
- Provide approximately two hours of coaching per week
- Usually one main session, plus one to three shorter catch-up sessions
- Allow some additional time for light preparation
- Participate in online professional development workshops and ongoing training
Training and Support
- Moderate technology skills are required, and tech support is available if needed.
- You do not need to be a qualified teacher. Full training and ongoing support are provided to help you feel confident in the role.
- Coaches use Slack for communication and access to our online resource library.
Literacy changes lives. By volunteering as a coach, you’ll help someone gain confidence, independence, and new opportunities for work, study, and everyday life.
If you’d like to be part of that change, we’d love to hear from you.