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2018 Reading Well aims to combat mental health stigma with books by Matt Haig, Sathnam Sanghera and Ruby Wax

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2018 Reading Well aims to combat mental health stigma with books by Matt Haig, Sathnam Sanghera and Ruby Wax

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"Initiatives like this make people with mental health conditions and their carers feel less lonely."

Sathnam Sanghera (Reading Well author, The Boy with the Topknot)
5 June 2018: The "life-saving" 2018 'Reading Well for mental health' titles from The Reading Agency and Society of Chief Librarians will be celebrated today at a flagship event at the Wellcome Trust (5 June). Each title will offer invaluable support to people with mental health needs and their carers, who are at increased risk of loneliness according to recent research.

2018's powerful book list, which will help people to understand and manage their mental health, is penned by bestselling and highly-regarded authors including Matt Haig (Reasons to Stay Alive); Cathy Rentzenbrink (A Manual for Heartache); Sathnam Sanghera (The Boy with the Topknot); Ruby Wax (A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled) and many more. The expert-endorsed reads, which also include self-help titles, are available free in libraries across England.

"An absolutely brilliant scheme"

Matt Haig says:

"Reading Well is an absolutely brilliant scheme that recognises the true proven therapeutic power of words. It will help people facing mental struggles to feel understood, and to get help. This scheme will improve, and maybe even save, many lives."

Since its launch in 2013, the Reading Well programme has impacted the lives of over 778,000 people in the UK. Katie Clarke-Day, who lives with multiple long-term conditions, has helped to co-produce the scheme with The Reading Agency, Society of Chief Librarians and health professionals. She was engaged in everything from book selection, to shaping the language and images used in Reading Well materials. Katie believes this scheme has the power to save lives and combat isolation.

Katie Clarke-Day, Reading Well co-producer from the Coalition for Collaborative Care, says:

"Mental health issues are still shrouded in stigma. They are also by their nature isolating and scary. There is a lot of information contained within these books that could save lives, sometimes just the simple recognition that the way you feel has a name or that other people felt this too. I don't think we can underestimate the power of this list ... I also have a lot of respect for libraries both in terms of the wealth of knowledge stored in the books they contain but also in the community space and hub of activity they provide for so many people across the country."

"It's important to see schemes like this which encourage people to talk and help reduce stigma"

Jackie Doyle-Price, Minister for Mental Health and Inequalities, says:

"We know that some people can be hesitant to access support, or may be looking for advice on how to help someone else dealing with a mental health issue - Reading Well is a welcome initiative to help empower people and inform everyone about their own mental health. This Government is committed to improving mental health across the country and it's important to see schemes like this which encourage people to talk and help reduce stigma."

The list is curated with mental health experts and includes books to support people undergoing talking therapies, as well as guided and unguided self-help and cognitive behavioural therapy titles.

This year the government appointed a Minister for Loneliness to address the growing "loneliness epidemic", and in April 2018 the Office for National Statistics released a report raising awareness of the link between health and isolation. People with a health condition are 56% more likely to report loneliness than those without, and those with caring responsibilities were 37% more likely to be lonely.

Journalist and author Sathnam Sanghera experienced first-hand the challenges of growing up with relatives living with mental health conditions: his father and eldest sister had schizophrenia. His experiences inspired his touching Sunday Times bestselling memoir, which was adapted for television - The Boy with the Topknot. It has been chosen as one of the 2018 'Reading Well for mental health' books.

Sathnam Sanghera, Reading Well author, says:

"It is said that we read to know we are not alone, and this is especially the case with mental health. Hopefully initiatives like this make people with these conditions and their carers feel less lonely."

"1 in 4 of us will face a mental health issue at some point in our lives"

Debbie Hicks, Creative Director of The Reading Agency, says:

"We are delighted to be launching the new strand of this life changing programme, which uses the proven power of reading to help people manage their mental health and wellbeing. 1 in 4 of us will face a mental health issue at some point in our lives; this scheme, quality assured by medical professionals and people with lived experience, provides a much needed, trusted source of information."

Neil MacInnes, President of the Society of Chief Librarians, says:

"Since its launch in 2013, Reading Well has reached hundreds of thousands of library users and helped to demonstrate how much libraries contribute to health and wellbeing at a local and national level. We are immensely proud to work with The Reading Agency to deliver this new strand of the programme, which has been widely endorsed by health professionals, as part of our Universal Health Offer in libraries."

Reading Well is funded by Arts Council England and Wellcome. Simon Chaplin, Director of Culture and Society at Wellcome says:

"Public libraries are amazing places, with a vital role to play creating healthier communities. By bringing together the role of public libraries as trusted providers with expertise from across the health sector, Reading Well has the potential to improve people's lives, and Wellcome is proud to be a partner in the scheme."

Mags Patten, Executive Director Public Policy and Communication at Arts Council England says:

"At Arts Council England, we believe that reading helps people to understand and manage their health and wellbeing. The Reading Well scheme is a prime example that shows the value of reading and how libraries can be safe spaces for people with mental health conditions. The scheme is making a real difference to people's lives and I am thrilled that we were able to invest in this scheme."

Get involved
Click here to learn more about Reading Well

Browse the booklist on the Reading Well website

Share your Reading Well stories with us via Twitter. You can also donate to The Reading Agency through our Just Giving page here

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2018 Reading Well aims to combat mental health stigma with books by Matt Haig, Sathnam Sanghera and Ruby Wax

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"Initiatives like this make people with mental health conditions and their carers feel less lonely." Sathnam Sanghera (Reading Well author, The Boy with the Topknot) 5 June 2018: The "life-saving" 2018 'Reading Well for mental health' titles from The Reading Agency and Society of Chief Librarians will be celebrated today at a flagship event at the Wellcome Trust (5 June).

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Ofqual: (Final) Decisions on Functional Skills reform: Decisions on rules and guidance for newFunctional Skills Qualifications in English and mathematics

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Ofqual: (Final) Decisions on Functional Skills reform: Decisions on rules and guidance for newFunctional Skills Qualifications in English and mathematics

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Published 28 June 2018
Final section is equality impact assessment on pages 22-26. All concerns re: disability equality and maths raised in consultation have been overridden as have most raised in relation to English.

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Access for All: Six principles for principals to consider inimplementing CCSS for students with disabilities.

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Access for All: Six principles for principals to consider inimplementing CCSS for students with disabilities.

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American guidelines for principals produced in 2012 by naesp. Not necessarily for adults either but makes role of principals clear and therefore provides straightforward explanations (rather than specialist SEN & D) which may be useful for developing/usingnew resources.

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Historical English, mathematics and ESOL resources from old sites (pre-ETF) 

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Historical English, mathematics and ESOL resources from old sites (pre-ETF) 

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The old Readwriteplus site is closed. All linked learner material, teacher’s notes and audio files are available in zip files in the ETF Excellence Gateway repository at: http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/  and via links in the attached document.

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Ofqual: Improving Functional Skills Qualifications research report (2015)

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Ofqual: Improving Functional Skills Qualifications research report (2015)

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Found aspects of the (2010) FSQs  needed to be improved. As a result, awarding bodies were required to make changes in 4 areas:

1. improving the quality of assessment materials

2. reducing the risk of malpractice and maladministration

3. strengthening standard setting procedures

4. evaluating better how far qualifications are meeting user needs

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Ncfe reasonable adjustments and special considerations policy 

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Ncfe reasonable adjustments and special considerations policy 

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LWI Citizens’ Curriculum Participatory Resource Pack

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LWI Citizens’ Curriculum Participatory Resource Pack

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Practical guidelines on how to use participatory techniques to support and add value to the Citizens’ Curriculum approach.

Focus on language (ESOL) and literacy learning

Provides inspiration for TLA around other Citizens’ Curriculum capabilities.

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Citizens' Curriculum Participatory Resource Pack | Learning & Work

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Time-poor working clients would only engage on their own terms and at a time that was suitable for their individual and household circumstances – but could benefit from support when the time was right.

Those starting with qualifications at level 3 and upwards also had larger earnings gains than those starting with lower qualifications.

Clients with additional or complex needs risked disengaging with the support or not being able to overcome their barriers and achieve an outcome.

A key benefit of the Skills Escalator programme was to keep people in work.

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Phase-2 interim report: http://www.learningandwork.org.uk/resource/citizens-curriculum-phase-2-interim-evaluation-report/

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e.g. on ETF Excellence Gateway at: https://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/content/import-pdf4392-0

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ETF Excellence Gateway Exhibition Site: Starter kit for creating accessible learning materials

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ETF Excellence Gateway Exhibition Site: Starter kit for creating accessible learning materials

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Created by JISC TechDis, merge  pedagogical and technical advice where previously these were scattered.

8 sections:

1. Users who have difficulty seeing things

2. Users who have difficulty hearing things

3. Users who have difficulties understanding things

4. Users who have difficulty concentrating

5. Users who have difficulties handling and manipulating things

6. Users who have difficulties communicating with others

7. Users who have difficulty accessing text

8. Users who are dyslexic

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Starter kit for creating accessible learning materials | Excellence Gateway - Toolkits

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Created by JISC TechDis which was the leading UK educational advisory service in accessibility and inclusion, this starter kit is designed to enable teachers and trainers to create effective, engaging and accessible learning materials for their learners.

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ETF Excellence Gateway exhibition site toolkit: Dyslexia Starter Kit

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ETF Excellence Gateway exhibition site toolkit: Dyslexia Starter Kit

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To help teachers and providers:

To increase the number of dyslexic adult learners identified and supported

To improve equality, diversity and inclusion for people with dyslexia

By providing information with regard to screening and assessment issues;

By promoting whole organisation approaches to dyslexia support for people in different settings and contexts,

By providing links to online CPD materials for teachers and support staff;

By providing information about research and legislation

By highlighting multisensory teaching and learning approaches to support dyslexic learners.

7 sections - resources for teachers are in 4 and 5.

1. Introduction – definitions and characteristics of dyslexia

2. Policy and background

3. Research background

4. Planning provision

5. Assessment

6. Resources for assessment, teaching and learning

7. Developing staff skills – awareness-raising and CPD

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Dyslexia Starter Kit | Excellence Gateway - Toolkits

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The Dyslexia Starter Kit aims to help you review your provision for dyslexic learners, or to help less experienced providers develop dyslexia support from scratch.

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Excellence Gateway Toolkits Exhibition Site: Functional Skills Starter Kit 

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Excellence Gateway Toolkits Exhibition Site: Functional Skills Starter Kit 

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Guidance and resources:

To support full implementation of the 2010 qualifications by September 2012

For managers, teachers and workplace assessors new to functional skills

For transition from adult literacy and numeracy provision

For providers delivering functional skills.

Some content/links are now out of date, e.g.

References BIS

Brings together nationally developed resources from the Functional Skills Support Programme, and the Being functional site, as well as some provider-developed resources produced through the LSIS Skills for Life Support and Support for Literacy, Language and Numeracy programmes, both largely superseded by the services and materials the awarding bodies offer.

6 sections:

1. Functional skills key policy messages

2. Self-check and action planning

3. Developing effective practice

4. Resources to support effective practice

5. Case studies

6. Continuing professional development

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Functional Skills Starter Kit | Excellence Gateway - Toolkits

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This starter kit aims to support providers in their delivery of functional skills by providing practical guidance and resources. The starter kit is useful for managers, teachers and workplace assessors new to functional skills or in transition from adult literacy and numeracy provision, as well as those currently delivering functional skills.

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Increasing provision in English and mathematics through planning (2015)

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Increasing provision in English and mathematics through planning (2015)

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An Ofsted good practice example showing how some providers have increased provision in English and mathematics to meet the rising demand.

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Research and analysis

An Ofsted good practice example showing how some providers have increased provision in English and mathematics to meet the rising demand.

Documents

Details

The 16 to 19 study programmes for all young people of this age group, apart from apprentices, require that all students without a GCSE at grade C or above in English and/or mathematics should continue to study these subjects. This has been a condition of funding for each of these students since September 2014.

Most providers have, therefore, had to cater for a considerable increase in the number of students requiring provision in English and mathematics.

These case studies describe how four general further education colleges tackled this issue through thorough strategic planning. They have adopted very different, but successful, approaches to building their staff capacity and creating a culture where all staff are motivated to support their students and all students are keen to develop their skills in English and mathematics.

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Increasing provision in English and mathematics through planning

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Research and analysis An Ofsted good practice example showing how some providers have increased provision in English and mathematics to meet the rising demand. The 16 to 19 study programmes for all young people of this age group, apart from apprentices, require that all students without a GCSE at grade C or above in English and/or mathematics should continue to study these subjects.

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Tackling the Challenge of Low Numeracy Skills in Young People and Adults

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Tackling the Challenge of Low Numeracy Skills in Young People and Adults

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Ofsted full report, 2011

Highlights common features of effective numeracy teaching and learning:

1. developing learners’ ability to tackle numeracy-related problems by setting them in purposeful contexts

2. showing learners how to build on their previous knowledge and skills to develop their understanding

3. providing opportunities for learners to work out the most appropriate approaches to problems individually and with other learners

4. encouraging learners to tackle their misconceptions by analysing incorrect answers

5. developing learners’ conceptual understanding of numeracy through activities which helped them reach the stage where they could explain why a specific method worked

6. enabling learners to apply mathematical techniques in their training, at work or in their personal lives.

Also looks at:

Key features of effective practice

Most commonly identified reasons for underperformance

Main challenges faced by providers in securing further improvement

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Tackling the Challenge of Low Numeracy Skills in Young People and Adults | STEM

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This resource from Ofsted is a full report and summary of the findings, published in April 2011, which evaluates the quality of numeracy provision for young people and adults seen in visits between May and November 2010, to 59 providers including colleges, independent learning providers, local authority providers of adult and community learning, prisons and Probation Trusts.

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There are 9 qualification levels.

Entry level

Each entry level qualification is available at three sub-levels - 1, 2 and 3. Entry level 3 is the most difficult.

Entry level qualifications are:

entry level award

entry level certificate (ELC)

entry level diploma

entry level English for speakers of other languages (ESOL)

entry level essential skills

entry level functional skills

Skills for Life

Level 1

Level 1 qualifications are:

first certificate

GCSE - grades 3, 2, 1 or grades D, E, F, G

level 1 award

level 1 certificate

level 1 diploma

level 1 ESOL

level 1 essential skills

level 1 functional skills

level 1 national vocational qualification (NVQ)

music grades 1, 2 and 3

Level 2

Level 2 qualifications are:

CSE - grade 1

GCSE - grades 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 or grades A*, A, B, C

intermediate apprenticeship

level 2 award

level 2 certificate

level 2 diploma

level 2 ESOL

level 2 essential skills

level 2 functional skills

level 2 national certificate

level 2 national diploma

music grades 4 and 5

O level - grade A, B or C

Level 3

Level 3 qualifications are:

A level

access to higher education diploma

advanced apprenticeship

applied general

international Baccalaureate diploma

level 3 award

level 3 certificate

level 3 diploma

level 3 ESOL

level 3 national certificate

level 3 national diploma

music grades 6, 7 and 8

T Level

tech level

Level 4

Level 4 qualifications are:

certificate of higher education (CertHE)

higher apprenticeship

higher national certificate (HNC)

level 4 award

level 4 certificate

level 4 diploma

Level 5

Level 5 qualifications are:

diploma of higher education (DipHE)

foundation degree

higher national diploma (HND)

level 5 award

level 5 certificate

level 5 diploma

Level 6

Level 6 qualifications are:

degree apprenticeship

degree with honours - for example bachelor of the arts (BA) hons, bachelor of science (BSc) hons

graduate certificate

graduate diploma

level 6 award

level 6 certificate

level 6 diploma

ordinary degree without honours

Level 7

Level 7 qualifications are:

integrated master's degree, for example master of engineering (MEng)

level 7 award

level 7 certificate

level 7 diploma

master's degree, for example master of arts (MA), master of science (MSc)

postgraduate certificate

postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE)

postgraduate diploma

Level 8

Level 8 qualifications are:

doctorate, for example doctor of philosophy (PhD or DPhil)

level 8 award

level 8 certificate

level 8 diploma

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Find the difficulty level of a qualification and compare qualifications across different countries.

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Ofqual's employer qualification perceptions survey (2017)

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Ofqual's employer qualification perceptions survey (2017)

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2,000 employers in England were surveyed to gather views on vocational, technical and functional skills qualifications.

Key findings

1. Large employers are significantly more likely than small and micro employers to:

arrange or fund training that leads to a qualification

report greater awareness and understanding of qualifications and assessments

report more positive perceptions of qualifications and assessments

report involvement in development of qualifications or apprenticeships

2. There are significant differences between employers who say they typically recruit people with, or train them in, functional skills, vocational and technical qualifications and those who do not.

3. Employers who have been involved in the development of qualifications are significantly more likely to report more positive perceptions about them.

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Research and analysis

2,000 employers in England were surveyed to gather views on vocational, technical and functional skills qualifications.

Documents

Details

Key findings

1. Large employers are significantly more likely than small and micro employers to:

arrange or fund training that leads to a qualification

report greater awareness and understanding of qualifications and assessments

report more positive perceptions of qualifications and assessments

report involvement in development of qualifications or apprenticeships

2. There are significant differences between employers who say they typically recruit people with, or train them in, functional skills, vocational and technical qualifications and those who do not.

3. Employers who have been involved in the development of qualifications are significantly more likely to report more positive perceptions about them.

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Research and analysis 2,000 employers in England were surveyed to gather views on vocational, technical and functional skills qualifications.

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Sutton Trust - what makes good teaching?

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Sutton Trust - what makes good teaching?

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February 2018

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Making maths and English work for all (2015)

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Making maths and English work for all (2015)

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Review of what employers and learners need from the maths and English qualifications taken by young people and adults

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Ofqual: Specifications in relation to the reasonable adjustment of general qualifications

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Ofqual: Specifications in relation to the reasonable adjustment of general qualifications

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First published 2011. Updated September 2017.

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Regulation

Rules for how you can adapt qualifications for students with disabilities.

Documents

Details

This document sets out rules on the changes you can and can't make to certain qualifications to cater for students with disabilities. It currently applies to:

GCSEs and entry-level certificates in GCSE subjects

A levels, AS qualifications, advanced extension awards (AEA), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge Pre-U qualifications and International IGCSEs (level 1/2 certificates)

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) qualifications

functional skills and free standing mathematics qualifications

principal learning and project qualifications

Cambridge international certificates and international baccalaureate diplomas

We set these rules using our powers under section 96 of the Equality Act 2010.

The Department for Education (DfE) has amended the list of qualifications these specifications apply to. We have updated the appendix to this document to include the revised list.

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Specifications in relation to the reasonable adjustment of general qualifications

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Regulation Rules for how you can adapt qualifications for students with disabilities. This document sets out rules on the changes you can and can't make to certain qualifications to cater for students with disabilities.