Read to Lead Training

About the course

Read to Lead is our flagship training course that gives you an incredible opportunity to explore and develop your leadership and facilitation skills through the power of Shared Reading and great literature.

As a trainee, you will learn about the benefits of Shared Reading and develop the skills, knowledge and resources to bring its principles to life with confidence and impact. The course offers a powerful space for personal reflection and supports wellbeing, while strengthening your ability to listen deeply, create inclusive conversations and lead with empathy. Read to Lead will enrich your own experience and practice of what it means to be a reader, while providing innovative, transferable leadership and facilitation skills that can benefit your work, your team and the people you support. For those who wish to take this further, the training also gives you all the skills to lead a Shared Reading group of your own.

The per trainee cost for the Read to Lead course is £495 (payment is due before the scheduled training takes place).

If you would like to find out more, or you are ready to take the first step, please do get in touch at learning@thereader.org.uk.

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89%
say that the training has been an investment in their own wellbeing
84%
report improved levels of confidence and connection
95%
report improved communication

The Training Course

Read to Lead is a series of invigorating and thought-provoking learning modules, delivered in a flexible way, including online and in-person at The Reader’s home in Liverpool, offered all year round.

You have the option of training sessions online, or in-person training at the home of Shared Reading, Calderstones Mansion House, Liverpool.

 During the training, participants will: 

Experience the joy of Shared Reading first-hand, developing understanding of how it can bring about positive changes in people’s lives. 
Learn some of the key techniques and behaviours that underpin great Shared Reading through supported practice and bespoke one-to-one feedback from experienced practitioners. 
Develop confidence in choosing literature for maximum impact. 
Develop reading, leadership, facilitation and communication skills that can benefit your life and work beyond Shared Reading.

After completing Read to Lead training, participants will become part of The Reader’s wider community, with ongoing opportunities to deepen their learning and apply Shared Reading principles within their current roles. They will also have access to The Reader’s Online Community Hub, which provides high-quality literary resources curated for use in Shared Reading, supporting those who wish to continue developing their practice or take the next step into leading a group of their own.

You will receive 12 months access to The Reader’s Online Community Hub. If you should wish to access the Hub beyond this time, then a small membership fee will apply annually after the first year.  

Practical Skills

As part of your training, you’re guaranteed to learn practical skills for your development:

Confidence

Shared Reading offers those in the group and the Reader Leader the opportunity to read aloud to help people connect and share experiences using stories and poems. This will support you to build confidence in presenting, sharing and speaking to others.

Leadership

This a unique way of learning leadership skills and will give you confidence to direct and lead others. You will learn how to make decisions about the literature in a Shared Reading group and guide conversations to support the group dynamic.

Facilitation

The training will teach you how to create a safe space to allow for open and honest conversation so the group can collaborate, solve problems and reach their own conclusions about the chosen literature.

Giving and receiving feedback

Read to Lead training gives you the opportunity to receive feedback from experienced practitioners as well as receive and give feedback to your peers.

Communication

Shared Reading creates a safe space for open conversation which requires Reader Leaders to actively listen, engage and be respectful. Good communication is how we can connect our ideas and feel understood.

How to apply

95%
of group members report improved wellbeing 
94%
of group members feel a sense of belonging
91%
report improved confidence and connection 
83%
report improved social connection with others

Benefits for those attending Shared Reading groups

For trainees who go on to lead a Shared Reading group in their community or organisation, the skills learnt on Read to Lead will go on to benefit everyone you read with. Our simple model brings people together to read aloud great stories and poems – creating powerful moments of connection. Shared Reading inspires and supports people to connect with each other through the sharing of stories. Led by trained Reader Leaders, it connects people in weekly groups where great literature is read aloud and made accessible to all. There is no pressure for group members to read aloud or speak until they are ready – they control their own level of involvement in a safe, inclusive space where people feel valued and at home. 

The impact of Shared Reading stems from the model itself, which is: 

Regular – offering much needed structure in sometimes lonely lives (groups must meet weekly)

Group based  – bringing people together, building a network of support 

Inclusive  – texts are read aloud, no prior reading is required, therefore barriers to access are low. This includes accessibility for people for whom English is an additional language and those with low literacy. 

Safe  – the slow, calming pace of skilful facilitation coupled with a relaxing environment 

Stimulating  – working through quality literature together in creative and engaging way opens up new thoughts, feelings and language, developing the confidence and self-esteem of group members. 