Be a Storyteller (Interactive Session)
Children in under-resourced schools often have little access to storybooks or someone to read them aloud, which holds back language, imagination and a love of reading.
About This Event
Many children in under-resourced schools have few storybooks and rarely hear stories read aloud, which holds back their listening, vocabulary and imagination. In this session volunteers tell stories live over video to a class of children and draw them into the story with questions, voices and predictions.
Impact: Children hear stories told with warmth, build listening and language skills, and see reading as something enjoyable.
Outcome:
- Volunteers tell stories to groups of children in a live virtual session.
- Children take part in an interactive story session and talk about the story afterwards.
Event Details
This is a virtual event. The meeting link and joining instructions will be shared through the calendar invitation.
View on Map60 minutes, live. About 20 minutes to choose and rehearse a story beforehand.
What volunteering here involves
Your role
You are the storyteller for a group of children. You bring one story to life, keep them involved throughout, and lead a short conversation about it afterwards.
Time commitment: 60 minutes, live. About 20 minutes to choose and rehearse a story beforehand.
What you'll be doing
- 1Join the 5-minute host briefing to hear the children's age group and language comfort, and the order in which volunteers will present.
- 2Tell your story (about 10 minutes) with expression, different voices for characters and, if you have one, a picture book held up to the camera.
- 3Pause two or three times to ask the children questions: what do you think happens next, how would you feel, what would you do.
- 4After the story, lead a short conversation: their favourite part, a new word they learned, or what the story teaches.
- 5Listen to the other volunteers' stories and join in the questions.
What to expect
- The children usually join together from a classroom, watching one screen, with a teacher or facilitator in the room. The host confirms their age range and language before the session.
- Several volunteers tell stories in one session, about 10 minutes each, so everyone gets a turn.
- Children respond best to energy, simple words, repetition and chances to call out answers. Keep your language simple and speak a little slower than usual.
- Join from a quiet place with your camera on, and log in five minutes early to test your audio.
- Children or young people take part, so the safeguarding rules apply: keep your camera on and stay in the group room the facilitator sets up; do not take screenshots, photos or recordings; do not share or ask for phone numbers, social media handles or other personal contact details; and flag anything that worries you to the facilitator, who is present throughout.
What you'll need
- A laptop with camera, microphone and a stable connection; good lighting on your face helps the children see your expressions
- Come prepared with one story of about 10 minutes, suitable for young children, rehearsed at least once aloud. Folk tales, Panchatantra stories and picture books work well. The host can suggest one if you do not have one.
- Two or three questions to ask the children during the story, and one to ask at the end
- A picture book, puppet or simple prop if you have one (optional, but children love them)
What CauseConnect provides
- The children's group and a classroom set-up to join from
- A teacher or facilitator in the room with the children throughout
- A list of suggested age-appropriate stories
How it runs
- Host briefing and running order (5 min)
- Volunteer stories, about 10 minutes each (40 min)
- Conversation with the children (10 min)
- Close (5 min)
Event Actions
Add to CalendarHosted By
CauseConnect
Nonprofit Organization
CauseConnect.ai is an AI-powered social impact platform that bridges the gap between companies and nonprofit organizations, making it easier to create, manage, and measure meaningful volunteering experiences. The platform helps corporates discover trusted nonprofit partners, organize employee volunteering initiatives, streamline event coordination, track participation, and generate impact reports—all from a single system.