National children’s reading charity Schoolreaders has partnered with a leading furnishing, fit-out and service provider to enhance employee wellbeing and support reading ability in primary schools.
Project Group, sought to expand its ESG programme by offering meaningful, holistic support for its staff working in fast-paced environments.
After research and a word-of-mouth recommendation, Project Group partnered with Schoolreaders, a charity which provides free reading support to primary schools.
Andrea Ball, Group ESG and Social Value Director at Project Group, said: “As a volunteer myself, I’ve had the opportunity to support reading and mentoring programmes with previous employers, and it’s something I’m passionate about. As ESG lead, I wanted to help create a similar initiative within Project Group.
“Providing literacy support to children is so important, and when I learned that one in four children in the UK leave primary school unable to read to the expected standard, I was truly shocked. Reading is key to unlocking countless opportunities in education, and no child should be at a disadvantage due to lack of proper literacy support.
“Programmes like Schoolreaders’ play a crucial role in supporting children and enhancing their educational outcomes, playing a key role in building the workforce of tomorrow, and I wanted Project Group to be a part of that effort.”
In 2024, more than half of children and young people reported that they do not enjoy reading in their free time, the lowest levels since 2005.
One of the key reasons that children are not learning to read is that they are getting insufficient one-to-one reading time with an adult.
Schoolreaders matches volunteers to local primary schools and provides over 33,000 weekly classroom reading sessions in England, connecting volunteers with primary schools.
Working with Schoolreaders, four Project Group employees were matched with schools local to them, half of which were only two miles from their office. Each volunteer supports two classes each week, reading with up to twelve year 5 and 6 pupils.
So far, Project Group staff have found that the programme has allowed them to step away from their usual work-day routine for a few hours, providing them with a break to recharge. Staff have reported improved wellbeing and mental health, acknowledging visits to school as ‘wholesome’ and ‘satisfying’.
Julie Davies, Group HR Operations Manager at Project Group, said: “I’ve really enjoyed being a Schoolreader so far, and I love building a connection with the students I support. Working with the children makes you laugh and gives you a real sense of work-life balance by taking you out of the everyday routine.
“I’d encourage other businesses to get involved with Schoolreaders, even if it starts purely as part of their wellbeing programme. There’s definitely a place for it, and companies can gain so much – improving wellbeing, building skills, and more. That’s why our directors are fully behind it too.”
Employees successfully managed their workloads while making time to support others. The programme has helped staff gain a better perspective on their work, while also fostering greater work-life balance and a stronger sense of autonomy.
Equally, the local schools, and the students involved, have benefitted from having additional reading resource.
Sara Cockroft, Co-Headteacher at Beech Hill Primary School, said: “When we looked at the end of last year where we’d had support from volunteers over that previous year, the children who had received support from Schoolreaders volunteers, had made more than the expected progress.
“Schoolreaders build wonderful relationships with students and that means a lot to us at this school. The children really value that time, and, even if they weren’t making the excellent progress, that would be enough.”
A Year 5 Student, who Julie reads with, said: “I’ve been reading with Julie for a couple of months. I really enjoy it. I like that she asks me questions about the chapter I’m reading. We do quizzes on books after we’ve read them, and it really helps me understand.”
A second Year 5, who Julie reads with, said: “I like that when I say something wrong, Julie points it out and helps me learn. If there was no more reading, I’d be sad because I’d struggle more with tricky words – and reading helps me with spelling.”
Research by Schoolreaders reveals that 94% of children increased reading confidence following volunteer reading sessions and 72% benefited from spending time with a positive role model.
Project Group’s story is a shining example of how volunteering can enrich a company, improve employee wellbeing and support the community.
If this sounds like something your business would like to get involved in, please learn more and get in contact here: https://www.schoolreaders.org/corporate-support