Reading Buddy
One in ten children in Irish schools have serious difficulties with literacy. In some disadvantaged schools, this is as high as almost one in three. This has a long lasting impact on children’s lives.
Kinia’s Online Reading Buddy Programme works across Ireland to support primary-level students who are struggling with their reading.
Through one-to-one volunteer-based support, children aged 8 – 12 years receive one hour of online literacy support each week for eight weeks.
How does the programme work?
The primary-school students log into an online meeting space to read with their Reading Buddy twice a week for 8 weeks. The student and Reading Buddy volunteer are both on camera and each has a copy of the book so they can read along together.
The 30 minute sessions are a space for the student to read aloud to their Reading Buddy. The Reading Buddy helps them through any difficult words or sentences, while encouraging them, and praising them for their reading. The student and Reading Buddy can also discuss what’s happening in the book, the student’s favourite part of the story and what they think will happen next. This helps build a positive relationship between the student and volunteer, helps to develop the student’s comprehension skills and increases their confidence in their own ability.
Who can get involved?
Kinia’s Reading Buddy programme is open to:
For Reading Support
Primary school students across
the Republic of Ireland
To be Reading Buddy Volunteers
Corporate partners/volunteers
Who can get involved?
Reading support for primary school students
If you are a primary-school teacher/principal/or school management and are interested in running the Reading Buddy programme, register your interest below.
One of Kinia’s Reading Buddy managers will be in touch with you to discuss:
- Running the programme in your school
- The resources and set up needed
- The timelines for the programme
- Any questions or issues you have
Corporate Volunteers
We work with a number of corporate partners across Ireland who provide volunteers for the Kinia Reading Buddy programme. This is a great way to staff to get involved in a worthwhile programme, support young students across the, and spend 60 minutes a week on something different and enjoyable.
If your company or organisation is interested in providing volunteers for the Reading Buddy programme, register your interest below.
One of Kinia’s Reading Buddy managers will then be in touch with you to discuss:
- Running the Reading Buddy programme in your company
- The resources and set up needed
- Application process, training and Garda Vetting
- The timelines for the programme
- Any questions or issues you have
The impact of the programme
Find out more about the impact of the Reading Buddy programme