Make an impact with Volunteer Brum!

As we head towards Volunteers Week, Michelle Bailey , Outreach and Engagement Coordinator at Schoolreaders shares what their volunteers are doing across Birmingham and what a difference they are making to the lives of local children. Schoolreaders is a national charity but one that works closely with schools across Birmingham, supporting children with their reading through visits to school from our local volunteers. Tell us a bit about yourself and how you involve volunteers I started working at Schoolreaders at the end of 2023 when we had just started reaching out to schools in the West Midlands, prior to that I had been a primary school teacher for over 20 years, so I know what a difference a little extra support in schools can make. Joining Schoolreaders meant that I was still working around schools and supporting reading, which has always been something that I have enjoyed, from being read to as a child, teaching children to read and then reading with my own children. What is my role at Schoolreaders? My main focus is recruiting new Schoolreaders volunteers. Each day brings something different, from reaching out to local community groups and media outlets to hosting talks for local organisations, to coordinating with schools across my region. It’s a mix of creativity, persistence, and a lot of communication! Social media is also a big part of my outreach. Local Facebook groups, for example, are a great way to connect with potential volunteers in specific areas. I also deliver talks to local groups like the Women’s Institute (WI), Rotary, and the University of the Third Age (U3A) to share more about Schoolreaders and the difference our volunteers make. In addition to volunteer recruitment, I also work with primary schools across the West Midlands to encourage them to become Schoolreaders partner schools. Every new placement involves careful planning and support from our small national team, and it’s thanks to that infrastructure that volunteers can step into schools smoothly and start making a difference. Who is the ideal volunteer for Schoolreaders? Our volunteers come from all walks of life. Some come to us with prior experience of education, whether that is having been a teacher, teaching assistant, school governor or university lecturer, but we also have a huge number of volunteers who do not have any experience of schools other than having attended one as a child! As long as our volunteers love reading and want to share this with children and inspire them to become readers themselves, they make great volunteers. What difference to volunteer make? Our volunteers are at the centre of our charity. They are the ones who commit to going into school every week, giving up their time to listen to children read, helping the children to develop their reading and comprehension skills and encouraging the children to engage with books. These weekly sessions have been proven to make a difference to the children’s reading skills but also to their enthusiasm for reading, which will have life long benefits. What do volunteers say about their experience with Schoolreaders? Our volunteers say they enjoy their weekly sessions as much as the children, albeit in a different way. Seeing the children’s enthusiasm for reading grow alongside the progress that they make week on week helps the volunteers to see the value in the support they are giving. “One of my children was very reluctant to read with me at the start of the school year. However, we have made our sessions fun and interesting which has improved his attitude and brought out his innate ability”. “I’m not able to give a lot of time, and have to say I did wonder at the start if I was really helping at all. But at the end of the first term, a Year 5 boy I’d been reading with got his book, turned to the last chapter and told me he’d been waiting for me to come in so he could finish his book - he’d been saving the last chapter all week to read with me! After that, I knew that even the 10 minutes I spent once a week with the children had an impact”. And finally, what do the children our volunteers work with say about their Schoolreader? “My Schoolreader helps me correct the words that I've misread. She's always very kind in the way she does it. " “She always has time for me” “Mr H is very understanding. If you get something wrong in reading, he corrects you in a kind way. He doesn't just tell you an answer, he helps you to work it out”. “We like to read with S, she helps us get better at reading our books” Recruitment is an ongoing process and applications can be made through our website: https://www.schoolreaders.org/volunteer-application-form All Schoolreaders volunteers must be over 18, have good written and spoken English and be able to commit to visiting their matched school for an hour or two each week for at least a year, although holidays and appointments can be taken during this time. Call: 01234 924111 Email: [email protected] Visit: https://www.schoolreaders.org/

Young people across Birmingham are taking the lead on health and wellbeing in their schools through a growing network of Volunteering for Health School Clubs . What began through the involvement of young volunteers in the wider Volunteering for Health programme has now developed into something new and exciting: student-led clubs created in response to ideas put forward by young people themselves. Ten schools have already signed up, showing the appetite among students to have a stronger voice in the health issues that matter to them. Designed for young people aged 14 to 21, the clubs give students the chance to explore real health topics, speak openly about issues often overlooked, and make a positive difference within their own school communities. Each club is led by students, with light-touch support from school staff for safeguarding and administration and support from several colleagues in the NHS who help coordinate city-wide gatherings and information flow for the clubs. Young people decide the direction of their club and choose the issues they want to focus on. Topics already identified include: immunisation and vaccination healthy eating sleep and wellbeing mental health women’s health local public health campaigns transition from children’s to adult healthcare Activities can include awareness campaigns, assemblies, information sessions, events, and peer-led discussions. Students also gain opportunities to connect with healthcare professionals, learn about careers in the sector, and build valuable skills such as teamwork, confidence, communication and leadership. Alongside activity in schools, members are supported through monthly online catch-ups and termly in-person events where clubs can share ideas and learn from one another. Leaders Day Brings Clubs Together On Wednesday 8 April, young people from the clubs came together for a Volunteering for Health Leaders Day at Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust headquarters in Aston, Birmingham. The day began with a masterclass from Olli Hills of TikTok agency Nonsensical, who shared practical advice on creating effective video content and using social media to reach young audiences. In the afternoon, students worked in groups to develop ideas for future club activity, with many creating their own TikTok videos to promote health messages. Young Voices Making a Difference One of the young leaders attending the day was Afsana , from King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls and a member of the Volunteering for Health leadership team. She said: “I got involved in V4H as I really valued the purpose, which is to make healthcare opportunities more accessible to students. “I've seen many students struggle with securing healthcare opportunities in person due to how competitive they are. Through V4H, I hope to contribute to creating a more inclusive and accessible pathway into healthcare.” Speaking about the impact in school, she added: “The club has allowed students to gain leadership experience, as the co-chair and I have put together a leadership team, and we hope to increase the confidence and knowledge of other students within our school.” Yalda , also from King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls and a young leader in the programme, said: “I got involved because I genuinely wanted to make a difference and have my opinions heard in a way that could help shape the future of healthcare. “Healthcare affects us directly, yet we’re often left out of the decision-making process.” She said the club is already making an impact: “The Club is already providing confidence to young leaders, even though our first official session hasn’t taken place yet. “Engagement with healthcare topics has already increased, because the messages come from people of the same age group, making them relevant and relatable.” A Strong Foundation for the Future The creation of the Volunteering for Health School Clubs shows what can happen when young people are trusted to lead. Rather than being told what matters, students are shaping conversations themselves, supporting their peers, and helping build healthier school communities. With ten schools already involved, this is only the beginning. Find out more about Volunteering for Health

Watch the video : So! You think you're autistic | Videos & Movies on Vimeo April is World Autism Acceptance Month . It is a time to raise awareness, promote inclusion, and build understanding of autism. It also reminds us that autistic people should be supported, understood, and valued. To mark the month, we are sharing a video created last autumn by young volunteers who took part in the Volunteering for Health programme. The video was co-created with young people and the Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Neurodevelopmental Pathway team. It is narrated by the young people in their own words, with support from the team. Using animation and real voices, the video asks an important question: Do you think you’re autistic? It shows supportive conversations between young people, explains common autistic traits, and talks about how to get an assessment. The video also explains what help is available while waiting for an assessment, including how schools can make reasonable adjustments to make everyday life easier. It also looks at what happens when a young person turns 16 and moves into adult services. This can include creating a hospital passport , which explains what support someone may need during appointments and what adjustments can help. Watch the video : So! You think you're autistic | Videos & Movies on Vimeo Find out more: www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/ndp-asd Find help and support: National Autistic Society (NAS): www.autism.org.uk/ Autism Support Service Directory: www.autism.org.uk/autism-services-directory/r/resources-for-autism-birmingham Autism West Midlands: www.autismwestmidlands.org.uk/