We hosted our 2020-2023 Literacy Special Initiative Symposium on Monday 4 December, focused on reading and writing for pleasure in young people (5 to 13-years old).

Over the past three years the Mercers’ Company, as trustee of The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, has funded charities working with children in London to develop literacy skills by promoting reading and writing for pleasure.  Alongside this we commissioned the Open University as our learning partner to establish: 

 “The approaches that seem to be effective in inspiring and encouraging children and young people to read and/or write for pleasure.” 

At the symposium, the Open University discussed its findings and Framework for Practice, a research-informed basis for developing practice that nurtures young people’s reading and writing for pleasure. It drew insights from international research literature and data from six London-based literacy programmes – led by Doorstep Library, Literacy Pirates , Ministry of Stories, Primary Shakespeare Company, World Book Day and the National Literacy Trust together with the  Reading Agency, that jointly led ‘Get Islington Reading’.

Read the Framework for Practice and the Executive Summary of the Research.

To find more about our Young People & Education programme and Literacy Special Initiative here.