Business volunteers from BW3 have been transforming the lives of young people in Wythenshawe through a dedicated Reading Mentoring scheme at St Paul’s RC High School.
Over the past few months, BW3 volunteers have been working one-to-one with pupils to help strengthen reading skills, build confidence and increase engagement with learning.
A flagship BW3 programme
The Reading Mentoring project, now in its fifth year, was established to address lower-than-average literacy levels in the south Manchester suburb and has become one of BW3’s flagship programmes.
BW3 was founded more than 20 years ago to channel the volunteering efforts of businesses in Wythenshawe into initiatives that raise aspirations for young people and remove barriers preventing them from reaching their full potential.
This year’s cohort recently celebrated their successes, with 14 young people benefiting from the additional support. The milestone was marked at a special celebration event held at St Paul’s RC High School.
Business support making a difference
Volunteer mentors came from a range of organisations, including Manchester City Council, Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, Aro and Microsoft, highlighting the strength of business involvement in the programme.
Rob Dillon, one of the mentors and a BW3 committee member, said:
“Mentoring is one of the most rewarding things you can do and makes a real difference to young people’s lives.
That is why it is something BW3 has prioritised for years. Since deciding to launch a mentoring scheme specifically aimed at literacy, we have made a real difference to dozen’s of young people and we are grateful to everyone who has supported the scheme.”
Proven impact in schools
Jamie Sharrock, Head of Literacy at St Paul’s RC High School, said:
“We are proud to work alongside BW3 and their dedicated reading mentors to deliver this transformative provision for our students.
By using a business person volunteer as a mentor, the programme creates a supportive, trust-based environment where students can progress at their own pace. Using structured manuals, grounded in synthetic phonics, deliver measurable improvements in reading ages within just a few months, while also boosting confidence, motivation, and engagement.
Last year, every student who participated in the intervention made progress, with more than 70% achieving rapid progress: a clear indication that the BW3 Reading Mentor programme consistently delivers the greatest impact on student outcomes. Once again, several students saw their reading ages increase by over two years in less than six months.
These gains are complemented by increased confidence, motivation, and enjoyment of reading, helping students to engage positively with education. The mentoring model fosters trust, empathy, and leadership skills, and students genuinely look forward to their weekly sessions. Their reading manual equips learners with functional literacy and life skills that transform opportunities both inside and outside the school setting, and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with BW3.”
Mr Whiteside, Head Teacher, added:
“To foster a culture of reading for pleasure, we encourage students to put aside distractions and immerse themselves in books. The BW3 mentoring sessions have been a huge success, so much so that some students were disappointed when their reading time ends! That enthusiasm is exactly what we hoped to spark. We are extremely thankful to BW3 and their dedicated mentors for making such a positive difference.”
Recognised impact
The BW3 Reading Mentoring programme has previously received the backing of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, recognising its impact in supporting literacy and opportunity for young people across Wythenshawe.
Get involved
To find out how you or your organisation can get involved:
👉 Visit: https://www.bw3.org.uk/reading-mentoring/
📧 Email: zara@bw3.org.uk