1. ASCEL Conference 8 November 2013
Miranda McKearney OBE
Founder Director, The Reading Agency

2. Libraries’ Universal Reading Offer

3. 1 in 3 people suffer from mental ill health in any one year
We’re really excited about Reading Well, the new national BOP scheme were working with SCL to roll out across all English library authorities. Its based on existing best practice from Wales and work that’s going on locally but develops the model to combine both the health information and creative reading aspects of the public library health offer. So as well as a core self help reading list the scheme will also signpost to other well being services provided by libraries such as Mood Boosting Books and reading groups.
It attracting enormous interest from health partners and agencies
Working with a set core partners including the Royal Colleges of Psychiatrists, GPs and Nursing, Mind, DH through their Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme, BABCP, The British Psychological Society and Mind
Aiming to roll out across England in May
I am very aware that there is a lot of developed BOP best practice here in Scotland and a developed creative bibliotherapy network. I am really keen to explore how we might join some of this up and share learning.

4. England’s 16-24 year olds scored 22nd out of 24 for literacy
England’s year olds scored 22nd out of 24 for literacy. The rising generation is less skilled that older people, raising major concerns about workforce skills

5. Research: transforming effect of reading for pleasure
“those who read books often at 10 and atleast once a week at 16 gained higher results in all three tests at 16 […] Reading for pleasure is more important for children’s cognitive development between than their parents’ level of education”
Institute of Education, 2013
“for 16 year olds, reading for pleasure is the only out of school activity demonstrably linked to securing a better job” Oxford University, 2011

6. Shared quality activity
Economies of scale
Energised staff
Public affairs
Summer Reading Challenge: value to sector
Children’s outcomes
Volunteers outcomes
New members
schools partnerships
Shared quality activity
Year round website
Positive media profile
Boys
Author support
Targeted work
Partnership support
Book issues
Young People’s Outcomes

7. 2013 Results 776,297 children participated 446,090 children completed
5,154 young volunteers supporting
66,592 new library members
44% boys  

8. 2013 – 51,000 more children signed up
2012 saw 45,000 children sign up

9. THANK YOU!

11. Summer Reading Challenge 2014
Date
Key milestone timeline
w/c Nov 4
Core logo artwork finalised and agreed with ASCEL exec
w/c Jan 6
Printed order forms delivered to all library services
Jan 24
Closing date for orders
w/c Mar 31
Delivery of invitations to all library services
w/c Apr 7
Start of regular fortnightly update newsletters to be sent to all SRC co-ordinators
Apr 22 - May 2
Contingency by 16th May
Delivery of all materials to Scottish and Irish library services
w/c Apr 28
Resources for libraries available online
May 5 – May 24
contingency by 6th June
Delivery of all materials to English library services
w/c May 26
contingency by 14th June
Delivery of all materials to Welsh library services

12. Drivers for change: Summer Reading Challenge schools strategy
Pivot for step change in school/library partnerships
Link to library joining pilots
New education sector champions and partners SRC in school improvement plans
Best practice programmes of work: summer and autumn terms
Incentivise through healthy competition
Accredited CYP ambassadors in schools

13. Year round website Need image and info from Lynne
summerreadingchallenge.org.uk

14. Chatterbooks
readinggroups.org/chatterbooks

15. Volunteering
“My advice for anyone thinking about volunteering for the Summer Reading Challenge  is to go for it, because all people should be given the opportunity to become something great.”
Louis Howell, 17, Volunteer, Lewisham

17. Reading Activist Challenge
By 2018, the new national programme :
Is recognised as a leading social action opportunity for young people
Has evidenced benefits to participants and beneficiaries
Is fully supported by local authorities, schools and youth sector organisations
The Reading Agency is seeking funding to develop a network of young volunteers currently engaged within our Reading Activists programme who will support children at primary school level through our national reading programme the Summer Reading Challenge (which currently engages 780,000 children every year to read six books over the summer). This will form part of our work on a new Reading Activists Challenge, a year round volunteering offer being developed with Paul Hamlyn Foundation funding. This link will support more young people to volunteer and provide follow through opportunities.
Our vision is that by 2015, the Reading Activists Social Action programme is recognised as a leading volunteering opportunity for young people, with evidenced benefits to participants and beneficiaries, whilst being fully supported by local authorities, schools and youth sector organisations.
 Your funding will enable us to increase the number of young people volunteering by 40% leading to 8,000 young people helping 80,000 children to build their reading confidence and enjoyment through creative and engaging social action activities within 80% of English Library Services. This is in addition to supporting: 
4,000 young people will improve their employability skills (team working, communication);
1,200 young people gain accreditation for library and reading based social action opportunities.

18. "We are delighted to see a 12% increase in our A
"We are delighted to see a 12% increase in our A* - C grades in GCSE English results – proof that participation in the Six Book Challenge really can help to develop skills as well as enjoyment." 
 John Bexson, Deputy Principal, Northampton College, which has rolled the Challenge out to all Functional Skills and GCSE English students

19. ADIEU