From working in the classroom to editing pupils’ writing and designing book covers, the Super Power Agency volunteers and the work they do, is the lifeblood of the organisation—without them we would never have been able to accomplish all that we have.
Our volunteers are a diverse bunch spanning race, professions, age, ethnicity and gender and are as varied as the young people we work with. From doctors to writers, actors to students we have all sorts in our midst. You don’t need to be a writer or have a degree to volunteer with us… a passion for creativity and helping young peoples’ imaginations to flourish will do just fine.
So what exactly do our volunteers do?
Our classroom volunteers are there to listen, encourage and support our young writers and be a cheerleader over a nicely written sentence or paragraph.
The members of E.L.E.P.H.A.N.T (The Extraordinary League of Editors, Proofreaders, Helpers and Nifty Typists!) have become an invaluable asset to the Agency: editing, proofreading, and typing the pupils’ stories as they come in. We’ve got several different volunteer opportunities so if you have a few hours to spare to help our young people, come and join us. We provide super fun (naturally!) volunteer inductions so you can hit the classroom running and those all important PVG checks!
How much time do I have to give?
Whether you can give us an hour every now and again, or would like to be involved on a weekly basis, we’re delighted that you’re part of the team.
A *new kind* of role model
The only adults many of our young writers interact with are their parents and teachers, so learning to feel comfortable enough to meet and collaborate with adults outwith that sphere is an invaluable skill for them to have. And just between you and I, having them trust you with their questions is a wonderful feeling. LOADS of our volunteers say that they get just as much out of volunteering with us as the children and young people do. The relationship that forms between the volunteers and the pupils is where the real power of the Super Power Agency is.
During my first session, I was talking to a boy in an S1 class at Leith Academy. He was working on a project about what he wanted to do as an adult and told me all about how he’d love to run a boxing gym. I asked him a few questions that he might not have thought about before, and quietly moved away from his desk when he started writing. At the end of the class, his teacher told me that she’d never seen him write anything near as much as he did. I also helped a girl write the first poem of her life. I was hooked.
David Robinson, Volunteer
More than just volunteers
We take our work very seriously here at Super Power Agency, and we firmly believe our successes are due to the dedication of our volunteer community who underpin all we do. We provide a fantastic support network with the intention of helping everyone develop skills, learn new things and most of all, have fun!
As a volunteer, you’ll be invited our many social events throughout the year. Offering the opportunity to meet other SPA volunteers (who by now, we all know are incredibly lovely humans), grow your networks and make really good friends in the process. You’ll also get regular volunteer emails so you’ll be in the loop of all the SPA news, opportunities, resources and events.
Other ways to get involved
Please do spread the word among other lovely people you think would enjoy working with the SPA. We’re happy to post out leaflets, organise Orientations within the workplace and set-up corporate
volunteering opportunities.
If you can’t give time, but would like to support us in other ways, donations help us with publishing the students’ work and maintain our year-round programme.
Interested in volunteering with us?
We won’t make you wear a cape, but you’ll undoubtedly feel like a superhero.