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Interact with children - library volunteering

A number of volunteering roles within the library are available:

Rhymetime

Minimum age 18, 14 if assisting.

If you enjoy working with children you could enjoy this role. Rhymetime sessions are popular across all libraries. They are aimed at pre-schoolers, along with their parents and carers. The events are based entirely on singing nursery rhymes and action songs, occasionally with toys or percussion music. It is fun, interactive and noisy! Volunteers may be the leader or assistant. You would set up/tidy away the area, select the songs, and depending on the level either lead or assist with the singing. Sessions are pre-set and weekly with some libraries holding sessions on a Saturday, so a regular commitment of about an hour to suit the advertised event schedule is required.

Fill in an expression of interest form

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Storytime

Minimum age 16 years.

Do you enjoy a good tale? Do you want to share that with children? Storytime sessions take place in many libraries. They are aimed at very young children, accompanied by their parents and carers. You would set up/tidy away the area, select a story and read it aloud in a child friendly manner. Sessions are scheduled so a regular commitment to suit the library is required. You would commit to around an hour a week.

Fill in an expression of interest form

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Children's reading group assistant

Minimum age 14 years.

Could you assist a member of staff to develop children's confidence in talking about books, and to encourage children to read more widely? These reading groups are for children aged approximately 7 to 12. The groups usually involve 10–12 children, mostly taking place monthly either after school or on a Saturday. A session usually lasts for 1 hour, plus setting up and clearing away time. Each session includes time talking about books and also some fun book- and reading-related activities which you would assist with. The following libraries currently have active groups: Camberley, Chertsey, Cranleigh, Dittons, Dorking, Egham, Guildford, Reigate, Staines, Shepperton, Walton and Woking.

Take a look at our Chatterbooks blog where various groups post updates on what they've been up to.

Fill in an expression of interest form

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Summer Reading Challenge

"I felt like I had done something worthwhile with my summer, I love books and it was great to help the children, so I really enjoyed it!"

Each summer we recruit volunteers aged between 14–25 to help us run the annual Summer Reading Challenge - where children of primary school age sign up to read at least six library books over the school holidays and collect incentives along the way. It's a busy time for libraries and we appreciate your help. In this role, you would encourage children to read more by talking to them about their books, help with events and activities, sign children up to the challenge and give them rewards for reading. It is a great way to get experience for your CV and our volunteers have a lot of fun. We need you to be enthusiastic about reading, friendly and enjoy working with children. The minimum commitment is at least 10 hours during the Challenge period, which can be intensive or throughout the summer to suit your holidays and the library.

You can apply to be a Summer Reading Challenge volunteer from 31 March 2019.

Summer Reading Challenge runs Saturday 13 July to Saturday 21 September 2019.

Fill in an expression of interest form

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https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/libraries/volunteering-in-libraries/children-libraries-volunteering
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