NPTC Group of Colleges Libraries are celebrating another successful year of running the Reading Agency, Reading Ahead programme. Library staff encourage students to read for pleasure as well as for their studies, but for those students who lack confidence in their reading skills, this can often be a challenge. The Reading Ahead programme encourages reluctant readers to pick six pieces of written material and to review them in a personal reading diary. All participants who complete a diary receive a certificate of achievement and the chance to win a prize in a national prize draw. The programme is run through public libraries, adult learning organisations, colleges, workplaces and prisons.
This year, 121 students from NPTC Group of Colleges completed the challenge and were lucky enough to win two of the ten prizes on offer in the prize draw! Ryan Moule from Afan College and Ellie Higgs from Brecon College were the lucky winners. Both are students from the School of Foundation, Adult and Community Learning. On receiving her prize, Ellie said: “I was so shocked when I heard I had won, I hope this encourages more to pick up a book”.
The Group also received a Silver Award from the Reading Agency in recognition of the work carried out by Library staff to support students to successfully complete the programme. The College was one of only two Welsh colleges named on the Reading Agency’s 2019 Roll of Honour: a list of participating institutions with the highest number of challenge entries.
Head of Library Services, Lynne Evans said: “The number of NPTC students taking up the Reading Ahead challenge is increasing year on year. Library staff are committed to helping our students to improve their reading skills, gain confidence and develop a love of reading. We’re delighted that Ryan and Ellie were winners and congratulations are due to all of the students who took part.”
