The document discusses the Summer Reading Challenge in Scotland. It provides statistics on participation in 2017 that show over 276,000 children participated with support from Tesco Bank. The 2018 Challenge is expected to have higher participation. A review of the Challenge identified priorities like simplifying management, increasing school and family engagement, and exploring new funding models to ensure future sustainability. Discussion focused on the review findings and securing a new national sponsor to continue supporting the important goal of encouraging children to read.

1. The Summer Reading Challenge
Scotland
“I enjoyed the summer reading challenge because it challenges
you to read different books. I also enjoyed collecting all the
stickers and solving the mysteries.”
Child, Perth and Kinross
“I enjoyed reading with my boys over the summer as a family
and getting us all together. I have even started reading myself
again.”
Parent, Renfrewshire

2. Aim of Session
Share the key findings and recommendations from
the SRC Review
Discuss your views on what needs to be done
moving forwards in the context of:
• national and local policy drivers and ambitions
• last year of Tesco Bank sponsorship
Update Scottish library sector about the 2018
Challenge and the Beano 80th anniversary
celebrations
Show you the great film….

3. Working with our partners,
including the national library
network, our aim is to make
reading accessible and
enjoyable to everyone.
We change lives by engaging
over 1.4 million people every
year in reading activities. By
encouraging reading, we
contribute to improved
confidence, mental health and
social interaction, and better
literacy and numeracy skills
“We believe everything
changes when we read…”

4. With 96% of UK authorities participating and
organising events, workshops, and
competitions it is the largest programme of its
kind. The Summer Reading Challenge
encourages children to read one book at a
time, making a big difference to the lives of
the children who participate.
It’s all FREE for families, and easily accessible
to everyone, including support for visually
impaired children and families with English as
an additional language; plus many libraries run
dedicated Autism Friendly sessions.
The Summer Reading Challenge
Every year our flagship programme, The Summer Reading Challenge,
inspires over 730,000 children age 4 to 12 to join their local library and read
six books over the summer holidays and over 25,000 children under 4 to
take part in the Mini Challenge

5. The rationale and context
We all care about literacy and reading for pleasure; we know the difference
being able to read well makes to children’s lives and long term success
Curriculum for Excellence sets out the ambitions in Scotland. Libraries
have a powerful role to play in helping to achieve these goals:
• Successful learners - Libraries inspire children to read for pleasure
and give them the tools for independent learning and creative
thinking.
• Confident individuals - Reading inspires children’s own ambitions
and helps build their emotional intelligence and communication
• Effective contributors - Taking part in reading and library activities
encourages children to interact and contribute positively and
creatively.
• Responsible citizens - Using libraries are great ways for children to
participate in community and cultural life.

6. The rationale and context
Tackling these challenges requires creativity, partnership working, long
term investment and ambition:
– Government’s Read Write Count campaign delivered with Scottish
BookTrust and recently expanded to children in Primaries 4 to 7 and is
about encouraging families to read to and with children
– 4-2-4 reading challenge which Scottish Book Trust is running with the
Scottish Professional Football League Trust, 14 SPFL clubs and over 200
local libraries
– Summer Reading Challenge which runs in 29 out of 32 authorities across
Scotland, as well as in England and Wales.
We know that The Summer Reading Challenge has to be fun -
something children and families want to do

7. Snapshot of Scottish participation 2017

8. Since 2011, generous support from
Tesco Bank has helped more children
in Scotland benefit from the Summer
Reading Challenge than ever before.
TESCO investment has helped the
Challenge reach over 276,000
participants
2018 will be the last year of this
investment.
Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge
Scotland

9. Participation 2018
Participation is likely to be up for 2018
29 out of 32 authorities taking part 91% (one up on 2017, Fife re-joined)
Aberdeenshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire are not taking part but run local
schemes, and have done for many years.
Overall, 2018 orders by up by 54 packs on 2017 (enough for an extra
5,400 children); mostly the Fife effect.
Total packs ordered, including the 3 free packs per authority via Tesco
Bank support is 495 (potentially enough for up to 49,500 children to
part)

10. Extending reach with Tesco Bank:
• In addition to the core packs purchased by library services,
each receives 3 free (enough for 300 children) through the
Tesco Bank sponsorship
• For 29 authorities that’s is a further 87 packs = enough for
8,700 children
• This correlates to supporting/enabling 18% of Scottish
participants to take part.
• Some additional free materials* are also included. *
invitations, certificates, medals, bookmarks, promo stickers,
Book Bug cert, posters, family leaflets, Braille certificate.

11. The Summer Reading Challenge Review
The aims of the review were to:
• identify what is needed to ‘future proof’ the SRC as a core library offer running
across the whole of the UK and encouraging more children to read for pleasure
and join the library.
• explore what might be needed to:
• ensure its future growth and sustainability
• extend its reach and develop new audiences
• increase its impact
• secure new partnerships and new investment.
The review has been sector led. It has involved both a policy review and
consultation with:
• library partners led by SLIC and YLG Scotland in Scotland, ASCEL in
England and ASCEL and Welsh Books Council in Wales
• consultation with parents and carers and children
• teacher survey
• individuals and organisations we work with or might in the future e.g..
BBC, Child Poverty Action, Wimbletech
• diversity specialist

12. • Strong sector support for the challenge
– affirmation of the impact of participation on
children’s enjoyment of reading and reading skills
– strong commitment to maintaining its reach and
impact in challenging financial times.
• Drive to ensure that it remains creative and sustainable
for future generations - recognition that we will need to
fundraise to achieve this
• Willingness as part of this to be open to new
partnerships and new ways of working
• Recognition of the need to “future-proof” the challenge
for a digital generation
Key findings

13. Key findings
4 main areas:
• Simplify the management and delivery
– make the Challenge easier to deliver and run freeing up capacity nationally and locally
– develop the co-creation model for the Challenge
– sustain and develop the young people’s volunteering offer
• Partnerships and delivery channels
– identify ways of reaching new audiences
– promote the challenge more effectively to schools and families working with new partners;
– review content and approach to ensure the challenge meets the needs of diverse
communities
• Planning for the future: new business models
– play to the strengths of a paper-based model in a digital world
– explore new delivery models
– secure new investment. Licensing; sponsorship, paywalls etc. have all been suggested as
areas for further investigation which might help to ensure future sustainability
• Communicating and marketing
– promote and market the Challenge more effectively both nationally and locally.
– use 2019 to do this because it is the 21st Challenge

14. Priorities 2018-19
Management and delivery of the Challenge
• Simplify the model by making more items generic and reducing the number of
items
• Maintain a volunteering offer for young people as part of the Challenge
• Review membership of the SRCSG and hold one meeting a year with external
partners which is focused on policy/development.
Partnerships and delivery channels
• Prioritise schools’ engagement, particularly in areas of deprivation.
• Prioritise seeking commercial sponsorship for the Challenge.
Planning for the future: new business models
• Explore new delivery models for the Challenge as well as ways of securing new
investment. Possibilities include licensing, sponsorship, paywalls, and so on, which
might help to ensure future sustainability
Communications and marketing
• Use the 21st anniversary to raise the profile of the Challenge with parents, local
politicians and potential funders

15. Funding ideas being explored
• Asking parents/carers for donations to support participation
• Crowdfunding
• Selling premium items to families to cover costs of core pack
• Working with other cultural organisations to promote the
challenge, forge partnerships, sell materials
• Linking the theme to local/national policy imperatives e.g.
healthy eating theme, exercise/sporting theme, cultural theme
• Seeking a national sponsor for the Challenge to help us
implement the ambitions of the review
• Supporting libraries in seeking additional local sponsorship

16. Discussion
• What is your response to the review findings, priorities and
ambitions?
• What have we missed?
• What other thoughts do you have ?
• What do you see as the priorities for your service?
• You have had 8 years of Tesco Bank sponsorship support. Do
you think we should be seeking another national sponsor?
• Given that sponsorship what do you think:
– has worked well?
– was a problem or barrier?
– we can offer to a sponsor in return for their investment?
• Any other thoughts ideas?

17. 2018 Challenge

19. Michael Stirling
Head of Beano Studios Scotland