NZ Government Citations relating to Reading Together®

Evidence-based and community-led projects

Associate Minister of Education Jan Tinetti:

The investment the Government has made into evidence-based and community-led projects is delivering positive results evidenced in the latest evaluation from the Reading Together® programme, that supports parents and whānau to encourage strong literacy at home. An example in the Samoan community, evaluation showed a positive change in reading habits for families, with almost 90 percent of parents feeling more confident in helping their children learn to read.

Source: 1 September 2022 New Zealand Parliament Hansard (Debates) - Volume 762.

Taonga mō ngā Tamariki

Associate Minister of Education Jan Tinetti discussing Taonga mō ngā Tamariki (which is based on the Early Reading Together® and Reading Together® Te Pānui Ngātahi programmes):

Taonga mō ngā Tamariki is an intergenerational whānau reading and literacy programme for tamariki who have whānau in the care and management of Corrections. The programme has a positive impact by providing books and resources for children and parents, with over 90 percent of participants reporting enhanced knowledge and skills to constructively support their children's enjoyment of reading.

Source: 1 September 2022 New Zealand Parliament Hansard (Debates) - Volume 762.

Expanding Reading Together® Te Pānui Ngātahi Partnerships

Announced in the 2021 New Zealand Government Budget was an expansion of the "highly successful" Reading Together® Te Pānui Ngātahi. An excerpt from Vote Education Summary of Initiatives 2021:

This initiative supports literacy success and child wellbeing by providing funding for the expansion of Reading Together® Te Pānui Ngātahi and Duffy Books in Homes to increase children's literacy and educational achievement with focus on Māori, Pacific, migrant, and refugee learners. This funding will improve literacy and wellbeing outcomes for over 73,000 children across New Zealand by giving 37,000 parents effective strategies to support their children as they learn to read and providing books for children in their homes.

Christchurch Learning Community Hubs supporting ethnic families

"It's so important we continue to support the victims and those affected by the March 15 terror attacks and help parents and families to partner with schools -  Learning Community Hubs have given them the confidence and knowledge to do so," Jan Tinetti said.
The Learning Community Hubs help to connect schools and learning opportunities with members of Christchurch's ethnic community. They were established in Terms 3 and 4 of 2020 in response to requests from ethnic communities after the March 15 2019 terror attack.
"Parents and children were overwhelmingly positive about how the hubs have helped families understand the education system here in New Zealand.
"Parents say their involvement has improved their relationships with teachers, encouraged them to read more with their children, and enabled them to understand how homework works in this country."
Support looked like delivering Reading Together® to support children improve their literacy skills ...
From an initial 10-week pilot programme, there are now seven Learning Community Hubs in Christchurch, which supported 158 families across 18 ethnicities, including 270 early childhood and school aged children across Christchurch. The model will be rolled out in Auckland and Wellington later this year.

Source: Christchurch Learning Community Hubs supporting ethnic families (NZ Government Release, 14 July 2021).

Literacy programme to benefit more communities

An extra $2.4 million of operating funding over the next four years will go to the Reading Together Programme so it can expand to include more than 140 decile 4 and 5 schools. ...
"Research has identified Reading Together as a low-cost, high-impact programme with strong evidence of effectiveness. For example, children have gained a full year in their reading level within 12 weeks of starting the programme."
Dr Sharples says expanding Reading Together beyond the decile 1 to 3 schools funded since 2011 gives more families the opportunity to share the programme's benefits. "It's not just the child who benefits from this programme. Their brothers and sisters do, as well as their parents, whānau and school community. One of the real strengths of this programme is the focus on whānau. Now more communities can be a part of that."

Source: Literacy programme to benefit more communities (NZ Government Release, 15 May 2014).

Sharples welcomes cross-party support for reading programmes

'Reading Together' looks at reading as a whānau issue and it gets great results because whānau and schools work together, said [Associate Education Minister] Dr Sharples.

Source: Sharples welcomes cross-party support for reading programmes (NZ Government Release, 10 Sept 2012).