21 November 2007
Literacy charities hit the headlines
For many of us, reading is a basic skill. Like breathing it is something we do but don’t have to think about. However, for many children literacy is a constant struggle.
New Philanthropy Capital has been alerting donors to the needs of children with literacy problems in its report, Read on, and now The Independent has echoed this message. Last week, The Independent published a story on one of our recommended charities Springboard for Children, which focuses on building the literacy skills of disadvantaged children.
The article focuses on Springboard for Children's remarkable work with dyslexic children. Springboard for Children uses volunteers and intense one-on-one tutoring for up to two years to achieve its fantastic results with inner-city kids—after its programme, 90% of students were able to return to mainstream reading lessons within their age group.
Springboard for Children’s largest successes have come in deprived areas, like the Oliver Goldsmith primary school in Peckham. Now the charity is fundraising in order to spread its winning techniques through its “10/10” campaign, so called because it is working to expand the charity’s work to ten more cities in the next ten years.
Springboard for Children is not the only literacy program NPC has championed. In Read On, our guide for donors interested in the field of child literacy, we recommend not only Springboard for Children but also charities such as Reading Matters, which supports pupils in secondary school and Every Child a Reader which works with the poorest readers in primary schools.
Just as there are many types of books for children of all ages to enjoy, there are many ways to make sure the joys and benefits of reading are passed down to the next generation.
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