Why?
Denmark has numerous times been named the happiest country in the word. But despite this just over 13.000 children and young people are in care in our country. Children in care are at greater risk for mental illness, teenage pregnancy, suicide, substance abuse, homelessness and crime.[1]
It’s well documented that education is the best way to mitigate these risks. And learning to read is a fundamental skill to succeed in school. Sadly, most children in care fall behind in school at a very young age and that learning gap widens over time – typically due to long-term absences, frequently changing schools and low expectations from the adults around them. Currently, just under half of children in care don’t sit their exams and finish 9th grade[2] with a leaving certificate. This can have a damaging effect on the rest of their lives.
That’s why it’s our mission to promote the joy of reading and ensure that all children in care grow up in homes with books.
Literature can change lives.
[1] https://pure.vive.dk/ws/files/1664196/Anbragte_unges_udsathed_SFI_notat.pdf
[2] https://www.kl.dk/media/24418/noegletal-udsatte-boern-2020.pdf
At-risk children and adolescents often live in a chaotic world. Studies show that reading is one of the most effective methods to reduce stress.
Frequent school change, learning disabilities and other problems are far more common among children placed in care or institutions than among their peers.
Why should at-risk children and adolescents be given books, when they could just go to a library? Find the answers here…
Why does Read for Your Life donate libraries of between 400 and 1000 books to at-risk children and adolescents – and not just smaller book collections? Our choices are based on research showing how important it is to grow up with everyday access to a lot of books. Actually, the amount of available books is…
There is no friend as loyal as a book.
Ernest Hemingway