Involving young volunteers in the Summer Reading Challenge is something more and more libraries are doing and it proves to have fantastic results.

In Hampshire, the library team decided to involve more young people in the promotion of this year's Summer Reading Challenge. They approached a local secondary school and began working with ten young people on a dramatic piece for three school assemblies based on this year's Mythical Maze theme.

Jan Hughes, part of the library outreach team said:

"They performed these assemblies brilliantly and we had children dashing along to the library to join up!"

The volunteers also attended training in the library so they could help with sessions over the summer holidays, talking to the children and giving out stickers.

"It was a really enjoyable experience! I loved being a part of something that would help promote reading to the younger pupils and as a fellow bookworm I feel it has really encouraged them to pick up a book (or several) this summer!" - Izzy.

Hampshire have really seen the benefit of involving young people in both the promotion and the running of the Summer Reading Challenge. They also enjoyed the enthusiasm and the sense of fun the young people brought to the Challenge.

"From our point of view it has been a tremendous success, the assemblies were very well received and its great to have all ages of volunteers chatting to the children when they return their books." - Jan Hughes.

Get involved

Find out more about the benefits of involving volunteers in the Summer Reading Challenge here.