NIACE supports World Book Night’s reach into communities Tuesday, April 23, 2013 - 12:16

World Book Night is about giving books and encouraging reading in those who don’t regularly do so. Last night, half a million books – including Andy McNab’s Quick Read, Last Night Another Soldier - were given directly to the hardest to reach potential readers in prisons, care homes, hospitals, sheltered, supported and social housing and through partner charities working throughout the UK.

Around 1 in 6 people in the UK have difficulty with reading and writing, which holds them back from taking a full and active part in society and can trap them in low-paid, low-skilled jobs. It also means that many parents are unable to support their children’s literacy learning.

Following World Book Night, NIACE is ‘premiering’ this film of learners at Leicester College who are using Quick Reads as part of their literacy class.

Sue Southwood, Programme Manager at NIACE said:

"The message from learners themselves is clear - learning as an adult can be a highly rewarding and fun experience, that’s a million miles away from how some people remember their schooldays. The film of literacy learners at Leicester College is particularly powerful at illustrating the impact that better literacy skills can have on people’s lives and we hope that it will help to inspire and empower many others.

"This year we put together a briefing sheet for World Book Night givers to raise their awareness of just how widespread low literacy is and how it can affect people. It contains advice on how to encourage people to improve their skills and information on how to access local literacy classes.

"We also know from our 2013 evaluation of Quick Reads that working with intermediaries such as tutors, community workers and union learning reps is successful in getting books to the people who will most benefit from them and this can have a positive impact on literacy levels and literacy confidence of readers and learners."