News: Rotherham businesses urged to help increase the literacy levels of children

Business in the Community, a national charity, are working with Inspire Rotherham to place business volunteers into local primary schools to help increase the literacy levels of Rotherham children.

Children in Rotherham suffer from one of the lowest levels of attainment in literacy in the UK. Though the Right to Read programme, Business in the Community can train, CRB check and place business volunteers into Rotherham primary schools, at no cost to the business.

Research has shown that reading with a child for 10 minutes per week for one term can raise their reading age by up to one academic year.

The Right to Read programme aims to support students in their literacy development, while improving their confidence, communication skills and attitude towards reading. The interaction with business employees is seen as an opportunity for children, often from deprived backgrounds, to be introduced to the world of work and spend time with a role model that is a non-authority figure.

Funded by Yorkshire Forward, Inspire Rotherham is a dynamic, new approach, being managed by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, which provides opportunities to raise aspirations and develop innovative, inspirational approaches to building skills and confidence in communication within young people, families, carers and practitioners across Rotherham.

For further information please contact Business in the Community on 0114 201 3307 / michelle.dickinson@bitc.org.uk

BITC website
Inspire Rotherham website

Images: BITC