Beth YeomansIndependent charity Vinspired has launched a new campaign to improve literacy amongst children through the power of stories. The scheme will aim to encourage young leaders and volunteers across the UK to inspire children to read.
10% of children aged between 8-16 say they don’t like reading and 25% of children in the UK do not think reading is important.
Team V York is dedicated to helping young people volunteer. The talented volunteers want to change the world and aim to encourage children aged 7-11 to read, holding storytelling, creative writing sessions with young carers and funfishers out of school club, as well as running a creative writing competition.
One in three children do not own a book Team V, led by Rebecca Wellock, hope to inspire children to read in three ways, they will hold story telling sessions, reading books by popular children’s authors, using puppets to add more interest. The second way will be by running creative writing sessions locally using crafts, swapping stories and letting children be detectives. The third way will be by running a competition for 7-11 year-olds. The children will have to write a 500 word story around the theme Change The World For The Better. Three local judges will choose a winner who will receive a £25 voucher for book. The competition is free to enter; the top three children will receive prizes, encouraging children to carry on reading and writing.
Reading books is said to improve self-confidence and self esteem, stimulates the imagination, improves vocabulary, grammar and writing skills.
Schools Minister Nick Gibb notes the importance of reading; “The difference in achievement between children who read for half an hour a day in their spare time and those who do not is huge. As much as a years education by the time they are 15.”
Team V is a new programme powered by young people aged 18-25 they aim to encourage positive change in their communities. So far leaders and general volunteers have tackled social issues such as food poverty and loneliness in older people. Leaders get brilliant training to get them going.
