MyVoiceUK

Teen boy reading

MyVoiceUK is a new programme shaped and led by young people.

MyVoiceUK opens up creative reading and writing opportunities to 30,000 disadvantaged young people aged 11 to 19 in England who would not usually use their library. It supports the government's ambitions around its cross-departmental youth policy Positive for Youth.
Working with libraries to create opportunities for young people.

We are delighted to be able to launch MyVoiceUK, working with 18 library authorities in four regions across England. At a time of great pressure on libraries, this is a heartening vote of confidence for their vital community work. With our library partners, creating 6,000 new volunteering opportunities as part of accredited award schemes, supporting links into employment and apprenticeships for young people in the areas of creative writing and literacy.

Library services are working with young people from Roma communities, Not in Education, Employment and Training (NEET), Pupil Referal Units (PRUs), Looked After Children (LAC), Black Minority Ethnic Communities (BME), Young Offender Institutions (YOI), teenage parents and young people excluded from school. Young people co-create reading promotions for other young people and advise on book, DVD, games and CD purchasing.
The goal is to encourage better life chances through a programme of training and life skills development, building on research that confirmed reading for pleasure improves people's skills whilst increasing their motivation to read and learn.

We know from research by the National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy, that reading for pleasure improves people's skills whilst increasing their motivation to read and learn more.

What we are doing

  • Six thousand young people will work with libraries, schools and youth clubs to manage existing reading spaces and develop 60 new reading spaces - Reading Hubs.
  • An additional 6000 young people each year take part in 18 MyVoiceUK creative writing and reading events across the country to encourage other young people to join in.
  • A minimum of 20 young people will be supported in 2012/13 by professional writing mentors.
  • Developing 6000 local and national volunteering opportunities that support young people to get involved in all aspects of planning and running library spaces and activities.
  • All 18 library services are running a programme of 38 events/activities (760 in total) planned, promoted, run and co-produced by young people.
  • At least 30,000 young people will visit the MyVoiceUK website and 6000 young people will publish their work on the website and use it to run and promote projects such as book festivals, poetry competitions.

Participating libraries

We are delighted to be working to support the work that the following libraries do with young people through MyVoiceUK.

London

Ashburton Library, Croydon
Shoreditch Library, Hackney
CentreSpace, Hounslow
Pollards Hill Library, Merton
Sutton Central Library, Sutton
Church Street Library, Westminster

North East

Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead
Newcastle City Library, Newcastle
Cleadon Park Library, South Tyneside
City Library & Arts Centre, Sunderland

North West

Halton Lea Library, Halton
Morecambe Library, Lancashire
Central Library, St Helens
Padgate Library, Warrington
Oldham Library Service

South East

Lord Louis Library, Isle of Wight
Kent Library Service
Carnegie Library, Portsmouth

Background

A large part of MyVoiceUK has grown out of our Headspace project, funded by BIG until April 2010 by the Young Person's National grants programme.