Celebrating World Volunteers Week 2023

“I appreciate having a connection to the local community outside of OUP and volunteering gives me the opportunity to learn about the school environment and children’s reading habits and requirements, so we can make the best possible products for them”

Volunteering is one of the ways that we make a difference to our communities, as we mention in the Supporting our communities section of our latest Responsible Publishing Report.

This year, our colleagues spent almost 400 hours volunteering. Here are some highlights:

1. Sharing a love of reading

Through ARCh (Assisted Reading for Children), Oxford-based colleagues spent time with children in schools across Oxfordshire to improve their reading skills.

Catherine Blom-Smith, in the UK Primary Literacy team, said:

“Unfortunately, 20% of children leave primary school with a reading level below expected. Struggle with literacy has a huge impact on children’s lives.

“As part of OUP’s volunteering hours, I read with two children a week in a local school. I appreciate having a connection to the local community outside of OUP, and as an Editor in the Primary Literacy team, volunteering gives me the opportunity to learn about the school environment and children’s reading habits and requirements, so we can make the best possible products for them. It’s humbling to see the work teachers are doing, as well as a pleasure to share the joy of books with budding readers!”

2. Supporting young writers

Our colleagues who volunteer for The Orwell Youth Prize, an organization that aims to support the next generation of socially engaged young writers and thinkers from across the UK, read entries and write feedback on entrants’ submissions, as well as helping to shortlist entries for the judging panel.

3. Distributing books to those in need

Group Ethics & Compliance team members from 13 countries reunited in person for the first time since 2019 for its biennial conference. Colleagues got to stamp and pack 1,000 books for Book Aid International to distribute to communities in need worldwide.

Read more in our case study.

4. Giving joyful gifts

Colleagues in Hong Kong decorated, packed, and donated gift boxes for Box of Hope, bringing joy to children who wouldn’t normally receive a gift over the festive period.

5. Building inviting reading spaces in schools

Meanwhile, as part of our Raise a Reader campaign, colleagues worked at ten schools across underserved communities in Oxfordshire to help create inviting reading areas. Tasks involved tidying, stocking shelves, stamping books, and decorating the newly purposed libraries. One of our colleagues said:

“Having spent a day setting up a room in one of the schools, where many hours are never enough, the staff were continually coming through and commenting on how great it was. For the teachers that saw it once it was almost finished, their reactions were a lot more dramatic! One teacher walked in and exclaimed ‘Wowsers…’ and waxed lyrical about the reading space.”

Find out more about OUP’s work in our latest Responsible Publishing Report.