The Edinburgh Reading Champion Project

The Reading Project is an innovative city-wide initiative aimed at encouraging reading activities for looked after children and young people in residential care in Edinburgh, so that books and reading become part of their everyday experience.  Involving a range of partner organisations, the project will bring together library and child care staff who are committed to improving the reading experience of children and young people in residential care.

The main objective of the project is to increase the number of looked after children and young people who read for pleasure. This will involve:     

• Encouraging young people to find the books that they want to read
• Increasing the number of books and magazines utilised within the units
• Increasing the range of reading material available
• Building on staff reader development skills
• Providing activities to inspire reading

Joint staff training for Library and Care staff on reading and reading development is a key element of the project. A Reading Champion Officer has also been appointed to work directly with children, young people and staff.

The project is funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation ‘Right to Read’ scheme, with match funding from the Council Children and Families and Services for Communities departments and is likely to run until September 2008.

We were one of the three finalists for the Libraries Change Lives Award (the library Oscars). Watch a video about the project on the CILIP web site.

The project was granted the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) Scottish Executive ‘Delivering Excellence’ award in March 2007.