HAVING a positive impact on a child’s life is the reason so many people are putting their hands up to volunteer their time to read to Bunbury’s school children.
Hands Up 4 Kids is a volunteer organisation who donate their time to visit schools to spend time with children who may not be doing extra reading at home or need some one-on-one time to improve.
The organisation just won the Community Group Australia Day award for the countless hours of work put in to help children in the area improve reading skills.
Regional coordinator Jan Akaczonek said it was an honour to receive the award.
She looks after more than 70 volunteers in the Greater Bunbury area who visit 12 primary schools each week and has been in the role for about four years, since its beginning in 2012.
“I hope raising the profile and being accepted by the community, which has been shown by winning this award, will show what we are doing is really important,” she said.
“The community really believe in what we are doing.
“The bottom line is that we really want to help more children improve their reading skills because everyone knows, the better reader you are, the easier it is going to be when you do other school work.”
She said most volunteers were retired or semi-retired but they had a few mums with young children who help out with reading as well.
“We have a wealth of talent in our group and we just want to pass that on,” Ms Akaczonek said.
Volunteer Rosmarie Williams has been helping out for about four years and said helping future generations was rewarding.
“I read to my own children from when they were tiny babies and they are now great readers so I just wanted to foster that in other children and help the ones that are struggling because it is so important,” she said.
“It is only once a week for one hour so it really is a manageable commitment.”
Carey Park Primary School student Charlie Watts said his reading had improved since spending time with the volunteers.
Ms Akaczonek can be contacted on 0499 240 371.