South Dunedin Communities of Readers project

South Dunedin community of readers

The South Dunedin community is working together to increase the number of young readers inspired to read for pleasure and well-being. The project is called ‘Read Share Grow. In phase one the focus was children aged 3 to 7 — a period of transition from early learning environments to primary school.

Based on feedback from community members, we’re including children up to age 12 in phase two, which began mid-2021. This is an important age of transition from primary/intermediate school to secondary.

The vision for the project is to strengthen the communities by reading together.

The partners in the project, working with many local community organisations, services and businesses are:

• distributing books to tamariki in South Dunedin

• running a targeted public communications campaign about the value of reading for pleasure and wellbeing

• providing support and professional development for schools and ECEs who are important conduits for the project

• contributing to local community events and offering programmes and activities for whānau.

Thanks to Otago Corrections woodworking team, South Dunedin Blokes Shed and Mitre 10 Mega, Read Share Grow has delivered children’s bookshelves and purpose-built children’s book stands to children at events and to organisations to display books.

Read Share Grow

A communications campaign for the project, Read Share Grow | Te Mana o te Kupu, was developed in Dunedin with a strong local theme that acknowledges the area, land, water, and community.

Its messages about the joys and benefits of reading include:

• Te mana o te kupu: The power of the word

• He iwi Pānui: A tribe of readers

• Read Books, Share Stories, Grow Together

• Read, share, laugh

• Read, share, love

• Read, share, learn.

Meaning/story behind the logo

This graphic represents the areas of Ōtepoti where the project is located. The patterns tell the story of the lands, animals, nature, whānau and those who came before us. The design acknowledges the area, the land, water, and community that will interact there. Influenced by Pasifika and Māori, the design pays tribute to the founders of this land, but is representative of all cultures in South Dunedin, without being too specific to one culture. The graphics support the logo and help tell a chapter of a story.

Project partners

Partners working with National Library in the South Dunedin project include:

• Dunedin City Council, including the Dunedin Public Library and UNESCO Dunedin City of Literature

• Ministry of Education Otago/Southland Regional Directorate

• Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou and Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki

• Methodist Mission Southern

The distribution of books

By September 2021, more than 15,000 books had been distributed in the South Dunedin area through schools, early childhood centres, businesses, community groups and events.

Community engagement

The project has engaged and connected with more than 120 local community organisations. The partners attend local events and have organised hui for whānau and educators in the South Dunedin community. These are opportunities to distribute books, share information about reading for pleasure and reading with children, and to invite and discuss ideas for the project.

Get involved

You can help grow a community of readers in a variety of ways:

• support Read Share Grow on social media and invite whānau and friends

• give books as gifts and donate to an ECE or school – ask them what they need first

• take your children to your local library to borrow books or for events and challenges

• attend City of Literature and Writers and Readers events and festivals

• be a reading role model — read, talk about books, read with children in your whānau and community, chat about your reading, be seen reading.

Facebook — @readsharegrow.nz
Instagram — @readsharegrow.nz
Email — kiaora@readsharegrow

South Dunedin project research report

You can find out more about the first phase of the project and early findings in the South Dunedin Community of Readers report by Point Associates, Lead researcher, Alex Woodley; May 2021.

Covering the period from mid-2019 to April 2021, it focuses on:

• the ambitions of the South Dunedin Community of Readers project

• what the project achieved

• early outcomes, and

• what we have learned, in particular success factors and challenges that might help others establish a community of readers.

Read the South Dunedin Communities of Readers Project report

A further research report on the second phase of work will be available in early 2024.