Give a Book is a charity dedicated to promoting books and the pleasure of reading in the hardest places. Our main work is in prisons, schools and with disadvantaged children. Prison Reading Groups (PRG) was set up to promote reading development in prison through informal groups with an emphasis on sociability and the pleasure of books. From two groups in 1999, we now fund and support more than 110 nationwide in over 80 prisons. They foster respect and mutual support which can be hard to find in prison. PRG groups build confidence and ambition and help prisoners rethink themselves.
'When I read a book it gives me the chance to escape to another world. I love the group because it’s great to share that' -PRG member
Overall, literacy levels in prison are poor and this makes it even more difficult for prisoners to get jobs on release or to support their children’s education. In 2022 Ofsted produced a very critical report on formal reading education in prisons and called for more and better interventions, especially for beginner readers. One of our new initiatives is Reading the Way, a partnership project spearheaded by PRG to create groups for emergent readers to build motivation and confidence. The 2022 pilots were very successful and new groups are starting throughout the country:
‘I’m much more confident reading in front of others, and this could help me, maybe in a job interview.’
‘I feel more like someone who can read.’
-Reading the Way participants
The Ministry of Justice’s own research shows that, for a prisoner who receives visits from a partner or family member, the odds of reoffending are 39% lower than for prisoners who had not received such visits. Supportive relationships with family members and significant others give meaning and all important motivation to other strands of rehabilitation and resettlement activity.
'If I don’t see my family I will lose them, if I lose them what have I got left?’
“Good family relationships are indispensable…prisoners who report improved family ties are significantly less likely to re-offend”
-Farmer review 2017.
Books and reading connect us with one another and enable us to participate more fully in society.
We align with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
