We developed a unique training program to foster the reading mindset in youths. It uses an innovative approach for stimulating reading by writing. We paid attention to the motivation of the youth for reading by additional bite-sized content. A booklet with the existing good practices for reading motivation was developed. The booklet is accessible online and provides information on developing reading and writing skills. The program for youth workers helps them to educate youths on how to develop reading and writing skills and intrinsic motivation for reading. We created a video library with interviews of people who love reading books. We developed an eLearning resource for learning which is accessible online. The resource includes different modules on developing reading and writing skills. We developed new digital budgets to measure and inspire the learning process. Budgets is used to create an interactive application that allows young people to track their reading progress. For the youth trainers, we developed a pre-and post-assessment tool that helps them measure the progress of their trainees. The tool is based on the reading mindset methodology developed by the project.
We wanted to develop a positive reading mindset in young people after their first formative years in life. Mechanisms for fostering a passion for reading are not included in the school curriculum. The priority for school education is to teach children to read like hard skills, but this cannot improve the reading skills of the youths. Nowadays, fewer and fewer young people read books. The primary needs that the project addressed was the lack of reading and writing skills in youths. The project helped youths develop a reading mindset and improve their reading skills, leading to better academic results and a more positive assessment of their life after graduation. It was necessary to approach in a specific to ignite the interest in reading by forming positive attitudes towards it. Youth workers needed convenient methodology to help young people to be involved in reading . They also experienced the lack of new training methodologies (non-formal education and problem-based learning) and suitable training content. Partners’ organisations needed to develop their capacity to be more effective in working with young people. This involved exchanging and developing new practices and methods, sharing experiences and confronting ideas.