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Six Book Challenge 2010 in the Workplace

Six Book Challenge 2010 in the Workplace

Want to get learners motivated?
Try the Six Book Challenge

The Reading Agency's Six Book Challenge invites adult literacy learners and less confident readers to read six books and record their reading in a diary in order to receive a certificate and incentives along the way. Nearly 9000 adults across the UK took part in 2009, more than 1000 in workplaces through the support of union learning reps. The Challenge use books such as the Quick Reads* series to bring adults back into reading, or picking up a book for the first time. It's a great way to engage people in informal adult learning and develop their skills at the same time.

'This is the first time I've done anything like this. I was very reluctant to start but now I can't wait for each book' Brenda Shaw, ancillary worker at Corus Steelworks, Scunthorpe.

ULRs at Fletchers Bakeries in Sheffield used the Challenge to bring reading for pleasure & learning opportunities to their work colleagues.

'We've had at least 50 people take up learning opportunities since the Six Book Challenge. Some of those are people who took the Challenge, some that were attracted by the higher profile of the learning centre and union learning reps due to the Challenge' Alan Oakes, ULR*, Fletchers Bakeries, Sheffield.

Case studies from Corus, Fletchers and others are published in a free booklet, Getting Reading to Work

And there is a prize!...

There will be a new prize draw just for workplaces that run both Learning at Work Day and the Six Book Challenge in workplaces in 2010. Organisations that involve a minimum of 50 employees in the Six Book Challenge, in addition to marking Learning at Work Day on 20 May, will be eligible for a national prize draw with a deadline of 30 June. The winning organisation will be offered a visit from a top name author courtesy of Transworld Publishers on a mutually convenient date in autumn 2010. See more about this and how to enter on the Six Book Challenge website .

For any information about running the Six Book Challenge in your workplace contact David Kendall mail@davidkendall.co.uk 01588 640537

'It's been a very successful initiative. What's made it work has been the support of libraries and making it visible in the workplace.'

Tracy White, Union Learning Rep, USDAW, who ran the Six Book Challenge with Tesco staff in York in 2009