Foundations Learning & Skills Saskatchewan (Children’s Literacy Program (Spark) – Volunteer Reading Guide)

• Background/police check required
• Appropriate for volunteers aged between 18 and 55
• Appropriate for volunteers aged 55 and over

Have the opportunity to be a mentor to a student who is struggling with reading while building your resume and practising leadership skills, time-management skills, and strong communication skills. We are looking for volunteer Reading Guides to provide one-to-one support to elementary school students in grades 2-4 who are reading below grade level. Volunteer Reading Guides follow a structured program to help students improve their reading skills in comprehension, rate, sounding out, and fluency. We offer three program terms: fall (October-December), winter (January-March), and spring (April-June). If you prefer a certain term, please let us know. How does the program work? The Spark program is a school-based program, and reading sessions are 30 minutes per student, twice a week, for eight weeks (16 sessions in total) during the school day. Sessions are scheduled according to your availability and the school’s availability, and you are matched with a school/ student who has similar availability. All volunteer Reading Guides will be provided with a mandatory 3-hour Spark training where we will discuss how the program works, effective reading strategies, qualities of a good reader, and session planning. What are the requirements? Volunteer Reading Guides must be 18 years old or older and have strong literacy skills (a minimum of CLB level 8). All volunteers must attend an orientation, submit an application form with at least 2 references, and provide a Criminal Record Check with a Vulnerable Sector Search. For upcoming orientation dates and more details, please visit Volunteers – Foundations Learning. Lastly, all volunteers must adhere to program expectations and guidelines, including maintaining regular communication with the Children’s Literacy Coordinators for support & evaluation purposes. Be a part of a caring and trained volunteer network that helps children with their reading skills through the Spark program. We look forward to hearing from you!