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Read to Lead Training

Written by Mike Butler, 27th July 2011

The Reader Organisation's Training Manager, Casi Dylan, describes the benefits of attending our Read to Lead Residential courses

Since 2008, Read to Lead training has successfully embedded the practice of shared reading into a variety of different professions – from librarians to probation workers to nurses to firefighters. Over 400 professionals have so far been trained through Read to Lead, and they are all extending the ethos and practice of the Reading Revolution through their day-to-day work.

But the success of the training also works on a personal level. It is only by investing in deep personal development that Read to Lead passes on the ethos of shared reading. Over the next few weeks we’ll hear from a variety of Read to Lead trainees - now running shared reading groups themselves – and of the impact that Read to Lead had on them as a professional and, crucially, as a person.

Ann Jones

Ann is Principal Librarian at Monmouthshire Libraries. She attended a Read to Lead course hosted by Monmouthshire Comprehensive School in August 2009.

It isn’t an exaggeration to say that Read to Lead training was a life-changing experience for me: as well as learning the practical tools needed to deliver shared reading sessions, I found myself sharing a lot of personal stuff, and being shared with by others. Even though I didn’t really know anyone, I felt like an equal member of the group. I’d never experienced anything like it.

Speaking from a professional point of view, Read to Lead fits into our new strategy - Libraries Inspire - which has shifted its focus away from information and education and towards reading. We are especially interested in reading for pleasure with children and families, adults with learning needs and reading for health and wellbeing.

Read to Lead re-energised me. You can get so bogged down, ticking other people’s boxes, but this helped me to focus on what is important and helped to build what we hope will be lasting partnerships. I’m currently working on a bid to get many more librarians in Monmouthshire trained.

Visit our training pages to learn more about Read to Lead training.

5 thoughts on “Read to Lead Training

Sue Garner-Jones says:

Interested in ‘adults with learning needs’? Like dyslexia from which Jamie Oliver whom you mercilessly mocked on this very blog suffers? Do me a favour!

I contacted you publicly and privately about this because people with dyslexia have a hard time and suffer low self esteem as I know from working with many who struggle with it so mockery is the last thing they need but no action was taken and no apology offered. If that’s taking an interest, I’m the Queen of Sheba!

Also, the people doing the training at The Reader were never trained themselves, they were teachers and have learned organically as we all do: ‘rebels with a cause’. The work of TRO is being replicated all over the world: quietly and without financial support from all and sundry. These courses cost a fortune and the full cost should be made known to all because I’m guessing many would be horrified that in a recession, the Lottery Fund, for instance, prefer to be using their money to help organisations like this not the poor, ill and those in basic need.

Moderation and a ticking off from ‘the boss et al’ await, I guess, but I’m angry and I believe in free speech so I regret and will retract nothing!

aquamarine says:

We are all ‘poor, ill and in basic need’, as far as I can understand The Reader Organisation is there to help.

[…] Ann Jones’s story about her experience of our Read to Lead training, we take a look at another example of […]

louise says:

OH dear not like you to be so angry althogh can see your point insome ways , I have not long ago completed a volunteer reading course and at first though all this is just common sense you dont have to teach a dog to wag its tail but after awhile I began to pick things up that I have not thought of but as a whole think it is a natural thing . Ithink as a whole the courses are very expensive for the vast majority but then so is most things in life that is why their is so much exclusion in life for people like myself on benifit have to think of the coming winter and heating one of the reasons a libary is full in winter !
I vaguely remember the Jamie Oliver remark on the blog and although can see how hurtful these remarks can be as a whole society we can hardly say or do anything , lots of times i hear comments about diabetics need ing a fix but just laugh it off !!!
their is a lot of misconceptions of dyslexics being stupid but I know they are not they just see words differently from others, I have a similar thing but in maths just simply 2+2 dont always make four !!
umm hope you are fealing calmer now and hope you did not get into any trouble with bosses , I spent alot of time in school asleep!!but as far as I know we won the war and the right to free speech

Sue Garner-Jones says:

Thanks, Louise, for your lovely, sensitive comment. I really appreciate it.Take care.

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