Volunteer Resources
This is the place for all Fighting Words volunteers to keep up to date and make the most from your experience.
News, events, resources and more for the Fighting Words volunteer team!
Check out the latest news, sign up for your next session and to find out how you can enjoy being part of the Write to Right.
Sign Up For Your Next Workshop Here!
SPOTLIGHT - Primary School Workshop Volunteer Roles!
At most Fighting Words locations, the primary school workshop is our most regularly used format.
It's a team effort - and every role is important. Let's explore more about each of the roles - every mentor has the ability help out in each of them.
Training ALWAYS provided and our staff is on hand to help.
Let's take a look at them all.
FIRST HALF - Group Writing
Welcoming Helpers
When participants arrive, we need volunteer mentors to welcome them, write their names on name badge stickers and hang up their coats.
Storyteller - the workshop facilitator
Storytellers guide the students through their story, solicit ideas and characters and translate them to the typist. Storytellers guide the students in a good storytelling direction, are responsive to all suggestions, but keep the participants focused on their story.
Sometimes this job is split between two people. For example, one person could lead from the welcome to the introduction of our cranky editor. The other person can take over for the story writing.
List Maker
If using a flipchart or whiteboard to keep track of ideas for the main character, best friend, greatest wish and greatest fear, the List Maker will write up the ideas on the flip chart to help the Storyteller.
Story Illustrator
The illustrator creates two drawings, i.e. the cover and one other illustration, during the course of the session. The illustrator can add to the creation of the story and also call on students to give ideas or comment on the work in progress.
Typist
The typist sits at the side of the screen, typing the story that the students write as a group, in conjunction with the Storyteller.
SECOND HALF - Individual Writing Time
Mentoring Students - everyone's role!
Following the group work part of the session, the participants have the opportunity to write their individual stories, either finishing the group story. This is everyone's job and the most important part of each workshop.
Each helper sits at a table with 2-3 students and chats to them about their work, offering advice, guidance and encouragement.
This is what builds confidence and encourages everyone to explore their own creativity.
Below you should find all the tips and resources you need to support your volunteer experience.
Check out all our volunteer handbooks and policies here:
"There is nothing more gratifying than to see the smile on the face of a young person when, with the help of the facilitators, they realise that they have actually written a story."- Philip, volunteer writing mentor
More information about supporting students and how Fighting Words puts your safety first:
"Something I noticed during workshops: when a younger writer knows they're being taken seriously, they start to take themselves seriously too" - Zach, volunteer writing mentor
Pen to Paper - the writers' group just for Fighting Words mentors!
Join our volunteer-led volunteers’ writers group Pen to Paper, which meets regularly at the Fighting Words centre in Dublin. New members welcome in this relaxed and creative atmosphere.
No writing experience necessary.
Contact us for details!
More Information and Links
- Become a Fighting Words volunteer - click here to learn more
- Find out more about Transition Year Work Experience with us
- Are you a designer, editor, animator? Join our Creative Cohort
- Click here for our Volunteer FAQ
