How do I become a Bookmark volunteer?

Step 1: Register. You can register your interest in volunteering with us here. This step takes just a couple of a minutes and you’ll be asked to input some basic information about yourself. We’ll also ask you to let us know which type of volunteer you are. If you’re unsure which volunteer you are, please read the brief guidance below:

• Corporate Volunteers – Please select this option if your employer is a Bookmark partner.
• Reading Mentor – Please select this option if you are between 16 – 17 and your school have informed you about this volunteering opportunity.
• Bookmark Volunteers – Please select this option if neither of the above are applicable to you.

Step 2: Apply. After you’ve registered, you can complete our online application form. We recommend using a computer or laptop and the Google Chrome browser for this. The application form is quite detailed and will take around 30 minutes to complete. You do not have to complete your application in one go so, if you would like to come back to your application at a later date, please keep a note of your login details. The application form will ask you for the following information:

• Your employment/​volunteering/​education history in the last five years – If you have had any gaps of three months or more, you can note the reasons for this.
• The details of two referees – Further guidance on who we can accept as a referee can be found here.

Step 3: Interview. If you’re application is successful, you will be invited to a short 20-minute interview with us. This is more of an informal chat and will provide an opportunity for us to get to know you better. We’ll ask you some scenario-based questions, your reasons for choosing to volunteer with us and make sure you’re aware of what’s involved in the programme. It is also an opportunity for you to ask us any questions.

Step 4: Safer Recruitment Checks. As part of the application process, we will need to complete the following Safer Recruitment Checks:

• DBS – We will ask you to complete an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check through one of our DBS partners. This is a mandatory criminal record check to make sure you are well-suited to working with children. Bookmark covers the cost of this check for our volunteers.
• References – Bookmark are required to obtain two references for every person who wishes to volunteer with us. We will your referees our own reference form and follow-up with you or the referee if we need to clarify anything.

Step 5: Training. If your application is successful, you will be asked to complete our online training programme which includes learning about our programme and safeguarding children. It should take around 1 – 2 hours to complete. You can choose to complete your training chapters in your own time around your schedule and you do not need to complete it all in one go!

Step 6: Ready to volunteer: Once all of the above steps have been completed, we’ll send you an email confirming that you are a fully-fledged volunteer. At that point, you will be able to log into our Volunteer Hub here to view our available reading programmes. Our partner schools publish available dates and times, and you can choose a reading programme that fits with your schedule.

Step 7: Starting your reading programme: Now that you are signed up to a reading programme, all that’s left to do is to get going! You can sign up to complete as many programmes as you like. We suggest a minimum of three six-week programmes a year, so we can support as many children as possible. Meanwhile, you can ask questions and share your experiences in our friendly and supportive volunteer community group.