BookBite
Bookbite was run by Booktrust, an independent charity empowering people of all ages and cultures to enjoy books, reading and writing. Booktrust runs a range of national programmes, prizes and campaigns.
Bookbite aimed to:
- engage and consult with older people across England to develop a magazine and website resource to encourage and support people over 60 to engage with reading and creative writing;
- offer competitions to inspire older people to get involved in reading and creative writing;
- promote Bookbite to library services and other informal partners across the third sector via publicity and events;
- offer training and project familiarisation sessions to partners and volunteers;
- encourage 200,000 older people to get online to enjoy reading and writing activities in addition to gaining new skills for online learning; and
- offer support for participants to access the website and establish reading/writing groups.
Booktrust worked in partnership with WRVS, a national service provider that promotes health and independence for older people, and UK online, a network of centres set up by government in 2000 to provide public access to computers.
The project designed and launched a website, created biography templates for participants, produced a booklet and CD-ROM, and a range of interactive online resources.
Three learning champions were involved with the project, working with a range of partners including 163 library services.
169,000 older people accessed the magazine and 32,470 people used the website, thereby increasing their participation in learning. Bookbite also received over 1200 entrants for the Bookbite competitions.
Do not underestimate how much older learners will want to interact with your organisation. Booktrust has been surprised, delighted and overwhelmed by the response to Bookbite.
The use of competitions encouraged people to engage with the project. People loved them and they proved to be a useful way of engaging people in a fun, inspiring, interactive way.
Booktrust
Book House
45 East Hill
London
SW18 2QZ
Kate Lawton: Project Manager
Contact: 020 8875 4829
Found In...
Resources
Bookbite case study
The Bookbite Website
The Bookbite website includes a writing tips blog from online writer in residence Gervase Phinn, booklists, a number of guides including how to set up writing clubs and reading groups, storytelling tips, and family and local history research tips.
