Reading for pleasure and mental health service users

The project aims to develop an approach and accompanying resources to running service-user-led reading groups with mental health service users and older people in residential care. It also aims to look at the impact on participants' confidence in a range of settings and engagement with community services, such as libraries.

Eight reading groups in a range of health and care settings are being supported by the project team. Each reading group has received copies of Quick Reads books and book tokens to enable them to purchase other reading material.

NIACE's Catching Confidence tool is being used to measure impact on confidence levels.

The model and resources that are developed will be made available to organisations and individuals on the NIACE website, for free download. Eight reading groups, of varying sizes, are benefiting directly from the support of the project.

From April 2010 the resources developed to support the reading groups will be available for free download.

The project has the potential to provide a low cost, service user led approach to reading for pleasure that can have a positive impact on participant confidence and mental wellbeing.