10 reasons to support the NLT

1. In the UK, 20% of 11-year-olds fail to reach basic standards in reading and writing. In the most deprived communities, this figure rises to 60%.

2. Reading The Game uses the power of sport to engage disadvantaged young people by challenging their perceptions, removing barriers and inspiring them to learn and participate in their community. RTG reaches over 10,000 people every year with on-the-ground sport-related literacy projects.

3. One in five adults in the UK struggles to read and write. The Vital Link initiative, run by The Reading Agency in partnership with the NLT, brings libraries and adult basic skills providers together to reach out to adult learners.

4. Children need to have books in their homes. Reading Is Fundamental brings over 72,000 books to over 24,000 children in disadvantaged areas each year.

4. The greatest cause of low literacy skills is poverty - poverty of circumstances as well as poverty of aspiration. The NLT targets areas of deprivation with our projects - reaching the hard to reach.

5. Sharing good practice is vital to improving standards across the UK. The NLT provides information to thousands of teachers, librarians and other practitioners - over 16,000 visits are made to www.literacytrust.org.uk every day.

6. Schools are vital in developing children's potential. The NLT supports over 2,000 schools through Reading Connects - a project which brings together all the partners needed to build a whole-school reading culture and community.

7. Recent international research (OECD, 2002) shows that one of the most effective ways of developing children’s literacy skills is to engage them in reading for pleasure. This is exactly what the NLT achieves with our innovative on-the-ground projects.

8. Statistics show that boys are performing less well at all stages of their education. However, when dads get involved, their children can make great progress. The NLT runs Reading Champions - using male role models from celebrities to people in the local community to promote reading to boys.

9. Early language development is the key to future learning. The NLT organises Talk To Your Baby - providing resources for parents and practitioners to encourage better communication with babies and toddlers.

10. Research by the KPMG Foundation (2006) found that literacy difficulties are linked to: truancy, exclusion, social consequences such as teenage pregnancy and alcohol or drug abuse, reduced employment opportunities, increased health risks, and a greatly increased risk of involvement with the criminal justice system. The long term costs of literacy difficulties is over £2 billion per year. By tackling these difficulties, we aim to contribute towards an inclusive and cohesive society.

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