Six Book Challenge in association with Costa

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Six Book Challengein association with Costa
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What is the Six Book Challenge?

• A proven way of engaging and motivating adults to
  improve their literacy skills
• An invitation to read six books and record
  reading in a diary
• Library support for choosing books
• Certificate for those who read six books
• Chance to enter a national prize draw sponsored
  by Costa

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What does it provide?

• A positive and enjoyable way of supporting new
  readers
• I never thought I could read one book, never
  mind six! I feel so proud. Ive never felt so
  good about myself. I feel like I can do anything
  now.
• Noleen Vine, 2008 Challenge completer,
  Warrington

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• A mechanism for linking reading for pleasure and
  purpose into your work with learners
• Reading is such an important part of what we
  do. It was great that we had the support and
  resources to really sell the benefits of reading
  to our adult learners.
• Val Wood, Skills for Life Co-ordinator, Stoke on
  Trent College

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• A flexible partnership tool to be used in
  colleges, community centres, libraries,
  workplaces and prisons
• Well be running the Six Book Challenge again
  in 2009 by popular demand from adult tutors and
  learners.
• Andrew Fisher, Reading and Learning Librarian,
  Dorset Libraries

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• The best opportunity yet to collect evidence
  about the impact of reading for pleasure on
  learners
• Numbers participating and completing
• Comments and answers in reading diary
• Local evaluation process
• National evaluation for The Vital Link

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Impact from 2008

• An estimated 7000 Challenge participants across
  the UK - 69 of library services UK-wide signed
  up plus another 50 learning organisations and
  more than 50 prisons
• Average completion rate of betwee 40 and 50
• 88 said they gained something, eg a new or
  renewed interest in reading, use of the library,
  introduction to different reading material and
  progress with their reading and writing
• 60 felt that their literacy skills had improved
  endorsed by tutors
• 89 expected to use the library more to borrow
  books,
• 85 to read more magazines and newspapers
• 77 to write more (eg diary, stories, letters,
  emails)
• 76 to read more fiction than they had before

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News for 2009

• Main SBC activity to run from January to June but
  can be run at any time
• Continuing sponsorship from Costa offering prize
  draws
• Continuing support from bestselling author Mike
  Gayle as patron

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Opportunities for growth

• Adult community learning strong SBC library
  authorities show engagement of high numbers
• workplaces more than 250 participants in SBC 08
  through unionlearn in Yorkshire, eg Foxs
  Biscuits, Fletchers Bakery, Royal Mail, BT and
  Corus Yorkshire unionlearn committing 5K to SBC
  materials and new Quick Reads for 2009 to involve
  up to 30 workplaces, plus support from national
  TUC
• prison education more than 50 prisons took
  part, some of which run the Challenge year-round
• FE college libraries several colleges took part
  using their own libraries/learning resource
  centres
• family learning, childrens centres, extended
  schools big potential for running the Challenge
  with parents

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Finding the right books

• Books specially written for new adult readers
• Quick Reads and series published by Sandstone
  (Vista), New Island (Open Door) and Barrington
  Stoke
• Books specially selected using the Vital Link
  criteria
• Non-fiction on topics ranging from cars to
  childcare
• Fiction from short stories to sagas
• Poetry
• Graphic novels
• All listed at www.firstchoicebooks.org.uk

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Useful links for resources

• www.vitallink.org.uk
• www.quickreads.org.uk
• www.sandstonepress.com
• www.newisland.ie
• www.barringtonstoke.co.uk
• www.ransom.co.uk
• www.newleafbooks.org.uk
• www.gatehousebooks.org.uk
• www.avantibooks.com

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National contacts

• www.sixbookchallenge.org.uk
• genevieve.clarke_at_readingagency.org.uk
• Tel [phone]

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Local contacts