Work for us

We are an organisation driven by how words on a page make people feel and connect.

Our volunteers and staff bring people together to read great stories and poems  – creating powerful moments of connection. We call this Shared Reading.

Shared Reading groups happen all over the country on a weekly basis: in schools, community spaces, care homes. We read with families, with people with physical and mental health conditions, those coping with or recovering from addiction, and people in the criminal justice system.

Shared Reading improves wellbeing, reduces loneliness and helps us find new meaning in our lives. Everyone who works with us, regardless of job role or location, plays an important part in making this reading revolution happen.

Why work for us

“The Reader staff are a warm, generous and supportive team. A real cliché but it really does feel like one big family where everyone has your back.”

We consciously work to build the same warm and welcoming feeling, the feeling of belonging that you’ll find in a Shared Reading group, in our workplace.

Kindness is one of our values and it helps us care about how we treat each other, always aiming for encouragement, openness and trust.

In our commitment to build diversity into our teams and programmes, we are particularly keen to receive applications from people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds; LGBTQ+; those with disabilities, those with unconventional life experience or educational background.

Click here to read our equity, diversity and inclusion statement.

What to expect

“If you’re looking for an employer who cares about you and your wellbeing then it’s the right place.”

We offer staff a generous holiday entitlement, flexible and hybrid working, a salary aligned with the sector and market, wellbeing support (including access to Shared Reading!) and the opportunity for variety, training and progression.

If you’re thinking of applying for any of our current roles and would like an initial chat, book a cuppa or coffee with one of our team virtually or in person. We’d love to hear from you.