Reading Matters!

I spent a large part of the day with the Reading Matters team at The Royal Armouries. I have become a trustee for Reading Matters, a social enterprise ,which for over 12 years has recruited, trained and supported thousands of volunteer reading mentors in schools across Yorkshire. It was great to spend the day with the small Reading Matters team which has developed, designed and delivered a range of tried and tested training programmes, providing a broad range of literacy support.Reading Matters offers accredited training and workshops for school governors, parents and carers, teaching assistants, librarians and other support staff, as well as young people themselves, developing specific one to one literacy support skills.

Their two main programmes are Volunteer Reading Mentors and Reading Leaders.

• Volunteer Reading Mentors is an accredited in depth training course that equips volunteers with a range of practical skills to help struggling and reluctant readers within schools. Through these programmes mentors gain huge satisfaction from the knowledge that they are helping to support and inspire young people by improving their reading skills and by building self confidence. The adult volunteers are recruited from the general public; from all walks of life, all sections of the community and across all ages. What they all share is a love of reading and the time, patience and desire to help to improve the lives of young people in a fun and practical way.
• Reading Leaders is a practical and fun one to one supported reading programme, designed specifically for young people in both Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5. The course provides students with the skills and confidence to partner a younger pupil who may struggle with reading. The programme is accredited through the National Open College Network at level two, can contribute toward Duke of Edinburgh Awards and adds value to a CV.

You can contact Reading Matters at 01274 692219 or you can find out more about their work by visiting their website at readingmatters.org.uk.
Chris