Volunteers
First steps
Number Partners relies on the enthusiasm and commitment of its
volunteers. That's why it is important that all new and current
volunteers feel confident and comfortable when they are working in
schools and helping students to develop their skills with numbers,
as well as their communication and interpersonal skills. You don't
have to be a mathematician to take part!
The Number Partners programme is all about fun with numbers. It
offers games and number strategies for dealing with numbers
puzzles. It's easy for volunteers to familiarise themselves with
these resources and strategies whatever your level of expertise.
The National Number Partners programme has created a set of easy
steps that all volunteers can follow in order to prepare themselves
fully and make the most out of what can be a very rewarding
partnership for all concerned. Even current volunteers will be able
to refresh their skills, find new ideas and information for the
programme.
As soon as volunteers have registered on this site, they will be
able to begin taking their first steps towards becoming Number
Partners or towards refreshing their volunteering skills.
If you wish to volunteer, you'll need to:
- register to become a Number
Partners volunteer on this site
- prepare yourself, following registration, to become a Number
Partner by working through the online
training available on this site
- familiarise yourself with resources, strategies and appropriate
behaviour for your Number Partners sessions during your
training,
- use the self-assessment tool to check your readiness to be a
Number Partner
- print out your Number Partners certificate when you pass the
assessment to show to the school coordinator before your first
session
- arrange a police or criminal record check using one of
the organisations recommended on this website - this is essential
for those going into schools and will need to be presented to the
school coordinator before you work with any students. Note CRB
checks are only valid in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - for
Scotland, you must get your check completed through Disclosure Scotland.
- arrange an initial visit, if possible, with fellow volunteers
and your volunteer coordinator to discuss practical issues as well
as the needs of the students you will be working with
- select, and familiarise yourself with, the most appropriate numbers games to meet your
partners' needs with the help of the school coordinator.
Don't worry! There is comprehensive, step by step advice
available in the online training
section. If it's a long time since you've been in a school, you
may also be interested in the section
about education which will help you find out about the
curriculum in primary and secondary schools, as well as a number of
educational policies and issues relating to numeracy and personal
finance education. You can also contact us by emailing the
administrator at info@numberpartners.org if you have any questions
regarding the programme.
Request registration with the Number Partners
scheme.
Download the Volunteer Handbook.