Brilliant Detroit and Reading Partners

Brilliant Detroit was created to coordinate and connect what works for families and kids in one centrally located, welcoming place. Together with over 50 partners, families and kids choose what they need to be school ready, healthy and stable. We provide the love, safety and opportunities for growth. In partnership with Brilliant Detroit, Reading Partners will launch our virtual platform in Detroit for the first time. Reading Partners Connects, our online tutoring platform, allows volunteers to work with students one-on-one using Reading Partners’ evidence-based curriculum from the comfort of their home. Virtual lessons integrate our trusted curriculum and e-books into innovative presentations to optimize student engagement and incorporate social-emotional learning (SEL) opportunities through relationship-building with tutors. Reading is the foundation for all learning, and a key lever towards educational equity. The United States has a longstanding history of racism that has created inequities, predictable outcomes, and enduring barriers for people of color. Brilliant Detroit and Reading Partners recognize that learning to read is a civil right and we promote equity by helping students develop lifelong literacy skills and confidence to actualize their limitless potential.

Reading is the foundation for all learning, and yet 60 percent of Detroit children under five live in poverty, with the majority of kids not ready for kindergarten. By third grade, only 14 percent read at grade level. We know that, given the opportunity, students who are behind can and will excel in reading. That’s why Reading Partners and Brilliant Detroit are working together to harness the power of community to provide students with access to high-quality learning opportunities. Are you ready to help a student become a lifelong learner? Volunteer roles & responsibilities: Give as little as one hour per week to provide critical literacy support to a Detroit student. Volunteer from the comfort of your own home -- you will be connecting with your student virtually through our online Reading Partners Connects platform! A laptop or desktop computer and reliable wifi are required. Volunteering takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 pm to 6 pm. Volunteers can choose one or two days per week to volunteer! Anyone 14+ can volunteer, and all volunteers 18+ must pass a background check. No experience is required, as we provide volunteers with a structured curriculum, training, and ongoing support to help you and your student succeed. Volunteer next steps: Visit our website to sign up for an online volunteer orientation at a time that works best for you: https://readingpartners.org/volunteer-brilliant-detroit/