Do you want to become a volunteer?

If you work or volunteer in Dorset including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP), you can sign up for Multiply training to help people with numeracy so that they can better access services, manage their money or use number skills at work and at home.

You don’t have to be a maths expert! You just need to be confident in your own basic numeracy skills and happy to help others. And you don’t need to make a big commitment – just help when and where you can.

This may be at work, supporting colleagues with low numeracy skills and confidence. Or you may have a role working with clients or service-users who need help with numbers – perhaps you already do this and would like to sign up to access resources and be part of a network.

We offer free Multiply numeracy training to anyone in Dorset and BCP. The initial training is online and typically takes 2 to 4 hours with regular refresher sessions. We also offer bespoke training to organisations (groups of 12 or more).

Multiply is the Government’s national scheme to improve numeracy levels among adults with low numeracy skills and confidence in the UK. It offers free courses and workshops for all adults in the UK (19+) who don’t already have a maths GCSE grade C / 4 or equivalent qualification.

Over fifty per cent of UK adults have low numeracy skills and evidence shows they are therefore more likely to earn less, to be at risk of unemployment and to experience worse health outcomes. Basic numeracy skills play a critical role in our day-to-day lives—at home, helping us to understand nutritional information, discounts in shops or bus timetables, and at work, helping us to use spreadsheets, operate cash registers or measure amounts correctly.[1]

Skills & Learning and its partners are offering a range of free courses with Multiply as well as working with community groups and employers on tailored provision.  Learn more

[1] Counting on the Recovery (compressed) FINAL.pdf (nationalnumeracy.org.uk)

Multiply numeracy champions are people who are already working with Dorset residents and can help them become more confident with everyday numeracy skills. Where someone needs more help, Multiply champions can also signpost people to free Multiply numeracy courses or to advice services such as Citizens Advice (CAB).

Multiply numeracy champions help individuals with everyday numeracy skills and confidence by:

• Being available as a point of contact to answer simple questions and take someone through how to do something such as working out VAT or doing a personal budget plan
• Sharing paper and online resources with people which we will provide for you as a Multiply Champion.

As a Multiply numeracy champion you may also:

• Show a volunteer in a cafe how to round up when giving change or quickly add up what’s in the till at the end of the day
• Talk someone in new housing through a budgeting sheet to calculate their income and essential outgoings
• Help a parent understand methods for adding fractions in their children’s homework

If you work or volunteer in a role where you help Dorset residents, you can sign up for Multiply numeracy champion training to help people with numeracy tasks to better access your services, manage their money or use number skills at work and at home.

You need to be:

• Confident in your own basic numeracy skills (have a GCSE grade C or above or Functional Skills Award at Level 2 or equivalent)
• Motivated to help others
• Willing and understand the need to build rapport with residents
• Keen to promote the benefits of having numeracy skills
• A good communicator and active listener
• Trusted and patient

You do not need to be a maths expert!

You’ll get:

• Confidence to help others and signpost them to further help
• Improved everyday numeracy skills
• Job/volunteer fulfilment and recognition from colleagues
• Meet new people in an online community – working across Dorset
• Customers/clients who engage with your services and reduce your workloads as they become more numerate and independent
• Raised awareness of numeracy support available in Dorset and useful online resources
• Opportunities to take your learning further and gain numeracy qualifications if you wish

The next Multiply Numeracy Champions Introduction and Initial Training session will take place online (Microsoft Teams) on 20th September 2023, 4pm – 6pm

To register for this free training, please complete the online form: Multiply Numeracy Champions Introductory Training Session (office.com)

Or email Kate Holmes, Multiply Learning Coordinator to book or with any queries including alterative training dates: kholmes@salbcp.com.