Why we do it

The Importance of Literacy

Poor literacy skills seriously disadvantage young people and greatly increase their risk of underachievement at school, truancy and experiencing social exclusion.

Poor literacy in adults has been linked to unemployment, poverty, financial exclusion and offending behaviour.

Lack of basic literacy skills is linked with low esteem, academic failure, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, delinquency, unemployment, low productivity and welfare dependence.

Literacy is an individual’s ability to read, write and speak in English at a level of proficiency necessary to function at school, at work and in society and to develop one’s knowledge and realise their full potential.

Improving Literacy in Young People

• Providing books to young people is a simple, effective and relatively inexpensive way to promote language and literacy growth.
• Owning books is a critical feature of every child’s intellectual development.
• Reading aloud to children is the single most effective parental practice for enhancing language development.
• Children with books at home are eight times more likely to list reading as one of their favourite activities.
• Let’s Read Literacy Programme supporting schools with volunteers using proven methods of teaching remedial reading.