Read Easy Northampton

Who we are

Read Easy Northampton is the Northamptonshire branch of Read Easy UK, the only national organisation in the country which provides a volunteer-led reading coaching programme for adults.

There are 2.4 million adults in England alone – over 7% of the working age population – who can barely read or cannot read at all.

Established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in 2011, Read Easy UK now includes nearly 100 volunteer-led groups helping 1500+ adults learn to read in their community.

The support we provide is: 

• Free – our Reading Coaches and Management Teams volunteer their time, and resources and training are funded by kind donations 
   
• Confidential – only a few people in each group know the identity of our Readers, and all coaching takes place in a private space within a public place so that people feel encouraged to come forward and ask for help  
   
• One-to-one – many Readers have had a poor experience in a school classroom or group setting, so our personal approach allows Readers to develop a supportive and trusting bond with their dedicated Coach.

A Reader and their Coach meet for half an hour at a time, twice a week, in one of a range of approved local reading venues which provide space free of charge. They work in spaces where they are not overlooked, but where there will always be other people around for safeguarding purposes. Some groups also provide coaching online or over the phone.

As people discover that they can read, their self-esteem grows, and they experience a real sense of excitement about the many opportunities that are now open to them for the first time.

Our culture and values

We are creating opportunities for everyone

We help any adult who wants to learn to read. We recognise that the range of service users, volunteers and employees that we engage with should reflect the diversity of the population within the United Kingdom.

We recognise that everyone is unique

We aim to have an organisational culture where differences are not merely accepted but valued and where everyone in our organisation is encouraged to reach their full potential in whatever they do.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

We foster a diverse and inclusive community of Readers, volunteers, and employees

We aim to ensure that everyone feels valued and respected, people can be themselves, celebrate their difference, reach their potential, and help us to reach our goals.

Our vision is:

• To operate within the principles of fairness, respect, equity, diversity, integrity, and empathy for colleagues, and all stakeholders to our charity
• To foster a culture of diversity, inclusion, and belonging
• To develop and nurture our employees and volunteers, making the most of individual’s unique backgrounds and experiences
• To be representative of the community in the UK across all areas of diversity