Remote​/Online Literacy Coach

Volunteer Literacy Coach

Become a Volunteer Literacy Coach with Rural Youth and Adult Literacy Trust (RYALT).

Are you passionate about literacy and keen to make a real difference in your community?

At the Rural Youth and Adult Literacy Trust (RYALT), our volunteer literacy coaches are the heart of what we do. One coach. One student. One life steadily expanding.

Our students are everyday people who haven’t had the opportunity to fully develop their reading and writing skills.

• They range from learning the alphabet to working towards essay writing, with most somewhere in between.
• Many struggle with the literacy skills needed for daily life, work, and further study.
• Ages range from 13 to 65, from all walks of life and backgrounds.

We take care to match you with a student you’ll feel comfortable working with. Your enthusiasm, patience, and commitment matter far more than prior teaching experience.

• Work one-to-one with a student via video conference.
• Teach foundational reading and writing skills.
• Commit approximately 2 hours per week of coaching, usually one main session plus 1 to 3 shorter catch‑up sessions.
• Allow additional time for light preparation.
• Participate in online professional development workshops and ongoing training.

You don’t need to be a qualified teacher; we provide training and ongoing support.

The qualities that matter most are:

• Friendly and encouraging
• Patient and reliable
• Analytical and willing to learn
• Passionate about helping others succeed

You will need moderate technology skills. Coaches use Slack for communication and access our online resource library. Tech support is available, but using these tools is an essential part of the role.

• Excellent spoken English and reading/writing skills.
• Good level of tech knowledge (e.g. Slack, online video conference).
• Reliable.
• Friendly personality.
• Analytical mind.
• A Police background check is required.

• 3 hours per week: 2 hours with the student and 1 hour preparation.
• Training: approximately 15 hours online, completed at your own pace.
• Professional development: one webinar per school term.

This position requires a minimum commitment of one year, with consistency and time.

If you believe literacy changes lives and you’d like to be part of that change, we’d love to hear from you.