Sarah Taylor (left) and Lisa Barea (right) accepting the Enabling Technology Award on behalf of Chapter One at the Social Value Awards 2024 in Birmingham

We are over the moon to have won the Enabling Technology Award at the Social Value Awards 2024. At Chapter One, the power of connection is at the heart of everything we do, and we have found a way to use technology to enable human connection and deliver social value in areas of deprivation.

Using smart technology, our Online Reading Volunteers Programme connects corporate volunteers with children aged 5-8 in need of extra reading support for remote reading sessions. Children sign in from the safety of their classroom and volunteers join from their workplace. Our programme is the largest online reading programme in the UK.

Thank you to all of our amazing corporate partners, volunteers, schools and funders who are helping us to close the literacy gap and transform children’s futures!

How can companies get involved in Chapter One?

Chapter One’s virtual, time-efficient, flexible model for volunteering will enhance your company’s employee value proposition, whilst fulfilling CSR or social value commitments around education, social mobility and inclusion. Employees can:

- volunteer online directly from their desks with no travel

- make a direct impact on the lives of children from disadvantaged communities

- support local communities across the UK

- improve their own well-being by helping others

- reconnect with your company’s social purpose

If you’re interested in joining us, we’d love to hear from you! You’ll find out who we currently work with on our partners’ page. You can contact us here or email sarah.taylor@chapterone.org.