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Leading to Reading Volunteers

Help kids improve their reading and writing skills.

About the service

Leading to Reading is a literacy-based service that assists children in Grades 1-6 who are struggling with reading and writing.

Through the assistance of adult and teen volunteers, Leading to Reading strives to turn reading and learning into a fun and positive experience. Under the supervision and guidance of Leading to Reading staff, volunteers meet with an assigned child at the library for a one hour weekly scheduled session to further develop their literacy skills.

Volunteering with this service can be an extremely rewarding experience for both the volunteer and the child they work with. Helping children gain experience and confidence in their reading ability will have a far reaching and lifelong impact on the child. It will also provide volunteers with a sense of achievement that they have helped their community. Volunteering with Leading to Reading is about giving your skills, time and energy freely and with enthusiasm.

Please note that volunteer hours qualify towards the 40 hours of community service graduation requirement for Ontario high school students.

What the volunteer does

As a Leading to Reading volunteer you will be required to:

  • meet with your assigned child at the library for a one hour weekly scheduled session
  • motivate and encourage them to read
  • read together, as well as play reading-related games and activities
  • help improve their reading skills
  • take notes on each weekly session
  • report to service staff as well as parents/guardians about the child's progress

Volunteer requirements

To qualify as a volunteer with the Leading to Reading service the following qualifications are required:

  • speak and write English fluently
  • relate and communicate well with children
  • work independently
  • act as a mature role model for reading
  • upon acceptance as a volunteer with the service, training will be provided. It is mandatory that all volunteers complete self directed training
  • volunteers must complete and submit a valid Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) form before starting (paid for by TPL)

Volunteer benefits

Volunteer references and confirmation of hours can be provided upon request.

Time and place

Under the supervision and guidance of Leading to Reading staff, volunteers meet with an assigned child at the library for a one hour weekly scheduled session.

Locations and hours

Volunteer Application Form

Please fill out an application form and submit it in person at a branch or email it to LTRsubmissions@tpl.ca.

We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Interviews are scheduled throughout the year when openings become available at select branches. From the interview date, the recruitment process (including processing a Vulnerable Sector Police Check and completing volunteer training) will take four to six weeks to complete.

Volunteer Application Form (PDF Version)
Volunteer Application Form (Word Version)
Volunteer Profile (PDF)

For more information about the service or how to become a volunteer, please contact:

East of Yonge Street

West of Yonge Street

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