The Vital Link libraries and adult literacy conference for the National Year of Reading

A passion for reading: where does it fit into Skills for Life?

Wednesday 12 March 2008, 10.00am - 3.30pm
(registration and refreshments from 9.30am)
In the Garden Suite at The Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 3TR

Organised by The Reading Agency and the National Literacy Trust, in association with LLU+ at London South Bank University

Delegate fee : £185 for 1, £340 for 2

online booking	map to Botanical Gardens
printable booking form	programme

A major event to mark the National Year of Reading (NYR) for senior managers and policy makers from Skills for Life and public libraries.
Key speakers include:

• Honor Wilson-Fletcher, Project Director for the National Year of Reading
• Helen Sunderland, Assistant Director, LLU+
• Jill Harrison, National Year of Reading Coordinator, Tameside
• Liz Lawson, Team Leader, Access & Progression, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
• Ela Piotrowska, OFSTED
• Geoff Bateson, Manager, Birmingham Core Skills Partnership
• Liz Smith, Director, unionlearn
• Carol Taylor, Director of Literacy, Language, Numeracy & Workplace, NIACE
• Gilda O'Neill, author of East End Tales for Quick Reads 2008

2008 has been designated a National Year of Reading and adult literacy learners are one of the priority audiences. This is excellent news for The Vital Link programme which encourages partnership working between public libraries and learning providers in order to promote reading for pleasure. Research shows that creative reading activity with the support of libraries can engage and motivate adults with low literacy and help them to improve their skills. Working with libraries and Skills for Life practitioners, The Vital Link has identified the right books, gathered the ideas and produced the tools to make this a reality for all adult literacy learners. The NYR provides the moment to ensure that reading for pleasure finds its place in the Skills for Life strategy.

Come to this important national conference to find out about:

• New opportunities for weaving reading for pleasure into literacy provision
• The library offer for adult literacy learners – including the new national Six Book Challenge
• The changing policy context for Skills for Life
• Partnership working to reach priority groups such as young parents, offenders and employees with low literacy
  

Who should attend?

• Skills for Life senior managers and practitioners
• Skills for Life policy makers and researchers
• Skills for Life funders
• Family learning coordinators
• Prison education managers
• Union learning representatives
• Chief librarians and senior managers

Any further details please contact Ronan Cahill on 020 7820 6258 or ronan.cahill@literacytrust.org.uk