About London Literacy Champions

This exciting initiative recruits volunteers from communities across London to boost parents’ confidence in supporting their children’s literacy development. It also aims to generate greater community involvement in improving literacy in London.

The project is delivered by the National Literacy Trust in partnership with 12 local authorities. London Literacy Champions is part of theTeam London programme funded by the Mayor of London and the Reuben Foundation. (Find out more about Team London at www.london.gov.uk/teamlondon) The partner authorities are Barking and Dagenham, Brent, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Sutton, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.

Why will it make a difference?

Parents’ involvement in their children’s learning positively affects performance at school but many parents are not aware of the difference they can make. The National Literacy Trust’s work has demonstrated that friends, neighbours and other community members can help parents to support their own children’s development. With nearly one third of all London children struggling with literacy at age 11*, the project has the potential to make a huge difference to families in the capital.

How does it work?

500 volunteers are being recruited to work with 2,000 families with young children aged two to five years.

360 specially trained London Literacy Champions work with families in need of literacy support at children’s centres, schools and libraries from September until May 2012. Through one-to-one sessions, the volunteers encourage parents to make sharing books and talking with their children part of their daily lives by introducing fun learning activities that inspire a love of reading and develop good communication skills.

140 volunteer London Literacy Ambassadors promote positive engagement in literacy in their community by encouraging parents with young children to take part in activities in their local area. These could include rhyme time or story time sessions at the local library. This opportunity will be available later in the year.

Aims of the project

• To engage volunteers to promote the importance of literacy in their communities.
• To empower parents to find ways of supporting their children’s learning by increasing their awareness, confidence and day-to-day interactions.
• To increase children’s enjoyment of books and print, contributing to their early literacy development.

*Centre for Policy Studies, So why can’t they read?, July 2010