Volunteer at Indy Reads—for one day or many years—and leave a lasting impact
Make an impact in our community
Join us in advancing 100% literacy for all! 1 in 6 Hoosiers struggle to read above a fifth-grade level. At Indy Reads, our mission is to build the literacy, English language, and job readiness skills to empower adults and their families to reach their full potential.
As a volunteer with Indy Reads, you will make a difference for our students every day. Whether you serve in a Community Classroom, in our community bookstore in Fountain Square, as a one-time Day of Service participant, Administrative or Outreach volunteer, your time and talent will have a vital impact.
To get started with any type of service, please fill out our Volunteer Interest Form. Once you complete the form, you will receive an email prompting you to sign up for a Volunteer Info Session. Info Sessions run twice a month, once virtual and once in person.
Learn about different ways to volunteer below.
Community Classroom Volunteer
Indy Reads offers a series of courses through our student centered Community Classroom program. As a volunteer, you will receive training and support to work alongside our experienced teachers and adult students. Volunteering in our High School Equivalency (HSE), English Language Learning (ELL), Literacy Foundations, or Workforce Literacy classrooms is an opportunity to share your time and talents with our ambitious, resilient, and talented students.
In our classrooms, adult learners build the skills and confidence they need to access better job opportunities, help their children with their homework, and more meaningfully engage in the community.
- Time Commitment: 2-3 hours per week for one full semester. Option to return each semester. Classes are available in-person and online via Zoom.
- Skills & Experience: Classroom volunteers should be patient, good listeners, critical thinkers, have a passion for teaching, cultural awareness and sensitivity, and be respectful and curious.
- Training Requirements: New volunteers must first attend a Volunteer Info Session. They will then be invited to complete the provided training and a short interview with our Volunteer Coordinator before being placed in a classroom. Additional training options and materials will be provided for ongoing learning opportunities!
- Must be 18 years of age or older to volunteer.
Not at all! Our classes are English immersion classes, so they are taught completely in English. If you do speak another language, though, please note this in your Volunteer Registration Form as it can be very helpful with assisting our most beginning level learners with testing and other logistics.
Yes! If you are a confident English speaker, even if your first language isn’t English, you can volunteer in our ELL classrooms. In fact, understanding what it takes to learn a new language is a great asset and helps our learners see what’s possible for them in you!
We have virtual and in-person classes on weekday mornings and evenings. Once you’ve attended a Volunteer Info Session and have begun Classroom Volunteer training, we will share current class volunteer needs and schedules to determine what works for you.
Yes! We like to pair classroom volunteers with the subjects they are most comfortable with. At the same time, you are welcome to learn alongside our students. If there’s something you feel you might need to review ahead of time, you’ll be given the opportunity to do that as well. Rest assured that our classes are stewarded by expert lead teachers who will support you every step of the way.
Our virtual classrooms are run in Zoom. Each classroom has a lead teacher in charge of curriculum for the day and will pair volunteers into smaller groups via breakout rooms. Zoom skills can be reviewed during training prior to placement.
That’s ok! Our students often do too. We ask that you try not to miss more than a few classes per semester and that you let your teacher know ahead of time about any days you will miss class so they can plan accordingly. Consistency is very important, but life happens!
At this time, we do not offer any classes on weekends or during the summer months.
Yes! We will work with you to determine the best fit.
Absolutely. Every class has a lead teacher who is in charge of curriculum, testing, and evaluating student learning needs. A volunteer’s role is to guide students through the content and provide encouragement and support. A positive attitude goes a long way as you become part of Indy Reads’ vibrant learning community. Guidance and training will be offered by your classroom teacher as well as Indy Reads staff throughout the year.
Community Bookstore Volunteer
We welcome the help of volunteers in Indy Reads’ community bookstore located in Fountain Square! Our bookstore serves as the center of Indy Reads’ community programming.
We host events for the whole community including open mics, story times, job readiness workshops, and local author events. In our community bookstore, we also turn donated used books into revenue to help fund our academic programs.
Volunteers help us to sort and shelve donated books, greet patrons, and keep our space beautiful, warm, and inviting for all.
- Time Commitment: Minimum 2-hour shift monthly for 3 months. Days/times can flex!
- Responsibilities: Help with shelving, pricing, sorting, and general organization. Provide customer assistance. Help with book transport. Assist with community events (Big Chair Story Time, Drag Story Hour, Author Readings, etc.).
- Bookstore Hours of Operation: Wednesdays-Saturdays 11am-7pm. Sundays 11am-5pm.
- Training Requirements: New volunteers must attend a Volunteer Info Session. They will then be invited to complete a Bookstore Volunteer Training before their first shift.
- 16 or 17 year olds with reliable transportation may volunteer if a guardian attends their Volunteer Info Session and Bookstore Training Shift and signs consent forms. Otherwise, this position is 18 years or older.
Day of Service Volunteer
Days of Service are a great way to give back to your community while strengthening team bonds. If your company, book club, or other organization is searching for an opportunity to engage with Indianapolis in a new way, we welcome you!
Our Days of Service all support all of Indy Reads’ initiatives.
We schedule one Day of Service each month on a first come, first served basis, so reserve yours now! Days work best for groups of about 10 people.
Additional Day of Service options are available for our sponsors. Sponsors exponentially increase the impact of our programming. For more information about our sponsorship options and recognition opportunities, please email [email protected].
To explore Day of Service volunteer opportunities, please contact Volunteer & Engagement Coordinator, Lee Bennett, by emailing [email protected].
We cannot wait to meet you!
Day of Service Activities May Include:
- Wrap Surprise Reads! Surprise reads are a big seller in our community bookstore. Help us keep plenty in stock by selecting, wrapping, and decorating them!
- Cleaning the Bookstore! Help us keep our community space nice and tidy. Dust, organize, and sanitize shelves.
- Participate in a Mailing Party! Mailing parties are essential for letting our community know what’s happening at Indy Reads. If your Day of Service falls during mailing season, we will have you fold and stuff letters for us!
- Helping Hands for Literacy! Help Indy Reads get some of our used books into Little Free Libraries around Indianapolis. This is a great option for larger groups who want to see more of the city.
- Must be 18 years of age or older to volunteer.
Administrative Volunteer
Administrative volunteers help Indy Reads staff with various office projects throughout the year.
- Time Commitment: Administrative Volunteers help on a weekly or bi-weekly recurring schedule. The schedule and time commitment is flexible, but generally must take place during regular business hours, 9am-5pm at Indy Reads’ office.
- Responsibilities: Projects vary but often include logging attendance and other data into our CRM or other data tracking systems. Volunteers have also created custom Excel spreadsheets, interactive maps, and designed print materials. If you have a skill you feel could be valuable to our team, let us know!
- Training: Training for your specific task will be provided, however working knowledge of Microsoft Office and comfort with technology is necessary.
- Must be 18 years of age or older to volunteer.
Community Outreach Volunteer
Showing up in-person in and around our community is crucial to providing equal opportunities for different communities to know about the services we provide. Our Community Outreach volunteers represent Indy Reads at different events around the city, including community resource fairs, street fairs, school literacy nights, and more.
- Time Commitment: Once you’re a part of the Outreach team, you’ll receive updates on upcoming events and sign up only if your availability allows. Shifts range from 2-4 hours depending on the event.
- Responsibilities: Responsibilities may include picking up our community engagement box from our office in Fountain Square and attending the event, but sometimes you may sign up just to attend. During the event, you will set up our table, speak with community members about our work and programs, and break down the table afterwards. You will also return the community engagement box to the office.
- Training: Volunteers will complete one Outreach Team training session with our Volunteer Coordinator prior to signing up for an event. New volunteers will be paired with experienced volunteers or staff until they feel confident enough to attend on their own.
- Must be 18 years of age or older to volunteer.