Get Involved

Our Volunteers

Recruitment reopens this summer!

The Adult Literacy Trust’s primary model is to deliver its service by committed volunteers, recruited and trained by the organisation. Our Reading Coaches support the delivery of literacy learning by working with and providing support to adult learners on a 1-1 or small group basis. To be eligible to serve as a Reading Coach, volunteers need no prior teaching experience or qualification.

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  • Be at least 18 years old.
  • Speak, write, and understand English well enough to communicate clearly, and have a minimum education of a secondary school level or equivalent.
  • Agree to tutor a learner for a minimum of one academic term.
  • Be able to meet with a learner at an approved site and provide their own transportation to the site.
  • Successfully complete our training programme.

Our volunteers run coaching sessions at colleges across London, at the following locations:

City Lit, Holborn: 1-10 Keeley St, London WC2B 4BA 

Mary Ward Centre, Southwark: 1 Rushworth St, London SE1 0RB

Mary Ward Centre, Stratford: 275-285 High St, London E15 2TF   

New City College, Hackney: Falkirk St, London N1 6HQ

New City College, Tower Hamlets: Poplar High St, London E14 0BX

Westminster Adult Education Services: Lupus St, Pimlico, SW1V 3EY ; Lisson Grove, NW8 8LW

Sessions take place once a week, most often in the early afternoon, and usually last for an hour. Adult learners will often request sessions before or after their classes, though this isn't always the case; ALT sessions can take place at any time on any day of the week, depending on participants availability.

Our training programme encompasses several modules tailor-made for our reading programmes, an in-depth study of our Volunteer Handbook (a practical guide to running literacy mentoring sessions), and an online safeguarding module. Reading Coaches will benefit from being trained in basic effective tutoring methods and techniques to promote engagement.

Each teaching organisation with whom we partner also offers an in-person, site-specific induction which includes an opportunity to observe a class and meet the teachers and adult learners before volunteering commences. 

To be updated soon for summer recruitment

If you share our belief that literacy has the power to build and transform lives, and are interested in becoming a volunteer Reading Coach or to get involved in other ways, we would love to hear from you.

You can view a copy of the Reading Coach role description here, or reach out directly to our Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected]  for more information.

To apply, fill in our online application form here.

If you are interested in volunteering with ALT at the above locations - or you would like to know about future plans to expand our reading programmes - you can sign up to our waiting list for updates and other news. Please add your contact details to our online form here.