Employee or workplace volunteering, supported by businesses, is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ but a MUST DO

✔️ The moral imperative is compelling - volunteering supports and lifts up those in our society facing disadvantage

✔️ The economic case is overwhelming - billions generated in productivity gains from more engaged, healthier, happier staff

Yet, introducing or overseeing an employee volunteering opportunity is not without its challenges. We’re Chapter One, a UK literacy charity that transforms children’s futures with one-to-one online reading support at the time they need it the most. We partner with businesses to empower them and their employees to support children facing disadvantage in some of the coldest social-mobility spots in the country. This guide is to help you navigate the latest thinking and apply it to developing your employee volunteering programme. It covers:

• the latest research on employee volunteering, including Chapter One’s own expert experience and analysis
• Chapter One’s recommendations - based on a survey of our corporate partners and case studies - on setting yourself up for success

How can companies get involved in Chapter One?

Chapter One’s virtual, time-efficient, flexible model for volunteering will enhance your company’s employee value proposition, whilst fulfilling CSR or social value commitments around education, social mobility and inclusion. Employees can:

- volunteer online directly from their desks with no travel

- make a direct impact on the lives of children from disadvantaged communities

- support local communities across the UK

- improve their own well-being by helping others

- reconnect with your company’s social purpose

Learn more about our Online Reading Volunteers Programme

If you’re interested in joining us, we’d love to hear from you! You’ll find out who we currently work with on our partners’ page. You can contact us here or email sarah.taylor@chapterone.org.