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A new campaign to boost children's literacy levels in the North East has launched, after research has shown the region to be among the most vulnerable to literacy issues in the country.
The Read North East was announced by the North East Literacy Forum today (29th March) at an event hosted by John Mowbray OBE, High Sheriff of Tyne and Wear, and will be led by the National Literacy Trust and supported by publisher Penguin Random House UK, the Education Endowment Foundation and Greggs PLC.
The campaign targets the North East where literacy levels are said to be among the lowest in the country, with 17% of the population aged 16 to 65 (about 283,500 people) found to have literacy skills at or below those expected of a 9 to 11-year-old, according to 2011's Skills for Life Survey. Further, new data analysis by the National Literacy Trust and Experian, looking at the social factors most closely associated with low literacy, reinforces the findings in declaring that 60% of wards in the North East are "at risk of serious literacy problems" and "the second most vulnerable region to literacy issues in the country".
Read North East will focus particularly on early years literacy, encouraging parents to read with their children from birth. A series of events and activities will aim to raise awareness of the importance of literacy skills, while a new creative campaign, featuring characters from PRH UK’s books, has been devised to capture the imaginations of families and inspire them to read. Local businesses will also be involved through a "regional business pledge".
The National Literacy Trust has been working with local communities in the region since 2012, when the charity set up the National Literacy Trust Hub in Middlesbrough to address low literacy levels in the town. The impact has been "significant", it says, closing the gap for development at age five with the national average from 22.6 percentage points in 2013 to 6.27 percentage points by 2015.
National Literacy Trust director Jonathan Douglas commented: “Partnerships are vital to the success of this new campaign and we are delighted to be working with a range of brilliant organisations to improve literacy levels in the North East – a region with such a rich identity of language and writing.
“The early years are a crucial time for young children to develop the literacy skills that will set them up for the future. Working together we can ensure that every child in the North East has the literacy skills they need to succeed at school and in life.”
Mowbray, High Sheriff of Tyne and Wear, said: “I chose literacy as my theme for my year as High Sheriff as it is the key to unlock the potential of young people in our region. What I found as I investigated was a range of organisations doing some amazing work and now working together to support this campaign. I hope all sectors can join with our partners as together we can really improve literacy levels in the North East.”
Read North East aligns with the "Read On. Get On" strategy, a coalition campaign to get all children reading well by the age of 11 by 2025.
Joanna Prior, managing director, Penguin General Books, said: “We are happy to be working with the National Literacy Trust and local partners to help bring the fun and excitement of books and reading to children in the North East. Penguin Random House UK is committed to helping every child read well by the age of 11. We know that a love of reading can literally change lives for the better and our books, authors and illustrators can make that magic happen for every child - wherever they live and whatever their circumstances.”