Become a Crewmate
Volunteers are key to our after-school sessions, supporting the Young Pirates with their reading and writing. You will work with one, two, or three children, under the guidance of a qualified teacher who will tell you exactly what to do and who is there to support everyone.
We are currently running a Virtual Ship on Microsoft Teams. We will be back to working in our learning centres in Hackney and Haringey when restrictions ease.
4 steps to becoming a volunteer Crewmate
- Sign up – fill out our volunteer sign up form and tell us why you want to become a Volunteer Crewmate.
- Book on to training sessions – we hold training sessions every month. These are currently all taking place online and are divided into two sessions.
- Complete a DBS – after training we will be in touch to arrange a time to complete your DBS application. This will take place via video call.
- Book volunteering slots and attend a tech induction – once your DBS has arrived you will be invited to book into Sessions you would like to volunteer at. You will need to attend a short 30 min tech induction on Microsoft Teams where we will show you around the platform.
What skills do I need to be a Volunteer Crewmate?
As our sessions are led by trained teachers, no qualifications or previous experience working with children is necessary, just enthusiasm and an interest in supporting local young people.
As a minimum requirement, we ask that you possess the following attributes:
• You are able to independently support Young Pirates in their learning. As we are running a Virtual Ship, you must also have basic IT skills and access to a device that allows you to share your screen.
• You have a patient and respectful approach to children and adults.
• You have functional English skills.
• You have good communication skills; the ability to follow, retain and then relay instructions.
• You are reliable and punctual.
• You are self-reflective, seeking ways to improve individual practise.
• You are able to implement our learning strategies and behaviour management techniques.
What equipment do I need to be a Volunteer Crewmate?
As our sessions are currently all online, you will need to have:
- A Desktop or Laptop computer with Windows (edition Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows server 2019, Windows server 2016), minimum 4GB RAM available and 3GB of free storage.
or
- Macs (version macOS Bir Sur or macOS Catalina or macOS Mojave), minimum 4GB memory available and 1.5GB of free storage.
- Internet speed must be not lower than 13 Mbps (you can check yours on www.fast.com)
We run our sessions on Microsoft Teams and we offer full training on how to use the platform in advance of your first session.
When can I join?
We run sessions every weekday during term time, generally from 3:45pm to 6:15pm. We ask that you complete at least 10 sessions in total and this can be done on either a weekly or a flexible basis.
We recruit on a half-termly basis and hold trainings at least 4 weeks in advance of a new half term starting. If you’re interested in joining us, you can sign up here. We’ll be in touch with more information.
What are the benefits of volunteering at Literacy Pirates?
- A sense of giving back to the local community in a meaningful and impactful way
- Gain skills in interacting with a variety of different people, as well as communication skills and collaboration skills
- Having fun! Most of our volunteers keep coming back because they enjoy working with our Young Pirates
- Additional training and ongoing support from the Education Team and the Volunteer Team
- Make friends, and meet new people in session
- A regular newsletter featuring updates and top tips