NEWCASTLE OFFICE 0191 2322574
TEESSIDE OFFICE 01642 356500
Since 1876

Raising Literacy Levels for All

Posted on 5th February, 2019

In the country’s most deprived areas, more than a third of adults lack the literacy expected of an 11-year-old. This undermines their well-being and stops them making a full contribution to our economic and cultural life.

So, last year I signed up as a partner to support the National Literacy Hub in Middlesbrough also known as Middlesbrough Reads. The aim of HUB is to bring  together partners to promote reading and improve literacy levels in Middlesbrough. Words for Work is the National Literacy Trust’s flagship literacy and employability programme. The programme gives young people from disadvantaged communities the literacy and communication skills they need to reach their potential. The programme brings schools, colleges and businesses together to take literacy from the classroom and into the workplace.

I’ll admit I was nervous at the thought of going into a secondary school to work with a group of Year 9 students. But, myself and another eight partners descended on the school, to be greeted by a few of the English teachers and two dozen students.

We all spent the next six Wednesday afternoons working in groups in the library. At each session I mentored students through carefully designed reading activities and role plays, all the time building towards a final session when each student gave a presentation to the group. It was fantastic to see a group of students, previously described by the school as not engaging in lessons and low on confidence, standing in front of the group and give a presentation on what they had learned over the previous six weeks.  It was a great experience for me; very memorable and hopefully those students who attended have taken some positives from the sessions.

I didn’t know too much about the National Literacy Trust and what the Trust does. Now I understand what a great cause this is, I will be remaining a partner and I’m already looking forward to this year’s sessions. It was great to be part of something which made a difference to those students.

Toby Joel, Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution and Debt Recovery

Most recent posts

Monthly Archive

Categories

Website ©Copyright Jacksons Law Firm 2024

The Legal 500 - Leading Firm 2019