The Standard’s literacy campaign with Volunteer Reading Help is an inspiration
[Originally posted on Third Sector December 8 2011 by Jude Habib]
On behalf of all those who are passionate about reading, I want to offer huge congratulations to the London Evening Standard for working in partnership with the national charity Volunteer Reading Help to put a spotlight on literacy among Londoners.
I know that many of you reading this aren’t necessarily based in London, but over the last 18 months our free evening paper has been creating quite a stir in terms of how it campaigns on a particular issue. Last year it focused on exploring the stories behind poverty among Londoners through it’s ‘Dispossessed’ campaign.
But it’s the Evening Standard’s award-winning Get London Reading campaign that has really been an inspiration, with lots of lessons to be learnt by us all.
Its aim was simple, to get London reading by raising awareness of literacy issues and by working in partnership with a charity that would train ordinary adults to go into London’s most deprived primary schools to provide one-on-one reading support for struggling pupils.
Their ask was also simple, “volunteer today, donate today – and change lives.” People responded in their thousands. I would say the key things that have driven this campaign from its inception were its simple storytelling and powerful use of case studies. But there are some other elements that have ensured it has made a real impact, despite the issue being what many might consider unexciting. Those elements are:
1. It has been passionate, emotional, thought provoking and moving
The daily digest of first-hand case studies about ordinary Londoners who have been affected by literacy issues moved me to tears. The articles captured just what it means to be unable to read and write in a compelling way that made you want to keep reading. Every day there was a different case study highlighting the magnitude of the issue. I had simply not thought about it before. I am sure neither had many commuters.
2. It was unmissable – the campaign WAS the headline news
The editor put the campaign on the front page practically every day for months. It wasn’t sidelined to the middle pages but was a key part of their editorial. Pages of newspaper and online space were given to the campaign which allowed it to develop and breathe.
3. The right charity partnership
The Standard worked in partnership with Volunteer Reading Help, which trains volunteers to provide one-to-one reading in schools. So this wasn’t just a literacy awareness-raising and fundraising campaign. It was also encouraging volunteering. Double tick!
4. Corporates were clambering to be involved…
….as were celebrities, members of the Royal Family and other high profile names, many of whom had their own story to tell. It was fascinating to read about business people who had got to high positions without being able to read and write. For many of them, this was the first time they had been compelled to share their story. These were extremely honest and sympathetic portraits – again, extremely powerful content.
5. They adopted a school
A lovely twist on adopting villages in developing countries or sponsoring children overseas. This was in London, on our doorsteps, and people wanted to make a difference.
6. In it for the long haul
They have been running this campaign for months. Always with a different twist or a different angle. They’d make direct links to the lastest news stories to keep the campaign relevant.
I could probably write a thesis about this campaign. It didn’t use any tricks or gimmicks. It just used first hand evidence to tell the story. It recently won the People’s Prize for Literacy Development at the Brit Writers’ Awards for its “inspirational contribution to the promotion of literacy and creative writing”. The judging panel said: “Of all the literacy projects and campaigns we considered, we felt that the Evening Standard’s campaign has had the highest impact and has been most effective in achieving the aim of getting people into reading and writing. The Standard has encouraged people at every level of society to get involved to make a tangible difference in their schools and communities.”
I couldn’t agree with them more.