Shared Reading: It’s all about connection
“It gives you a sense of hope for the world” Alex – Shared Reading Participant
It’s all about connection
At Shared Reading NSW, we believe that one of the biggest problems affecting our society is loneliness and isolation. We live in a fast-paced world where connections are hard to make and keep. And it’s not just connections with other people that are eroded by the daily grind, it’s a connection with ourselves. At Shared Reading NSW, we bring people together to read aloud. It’s simple, but it’s powerful. When people come together to read something beautiful, they have a rare opportunity to connect with themselves and with others.
A new social enterprise, we are proud to have made some wonderful alliances, having started shared reading groups with employment services, hospitals, neighbourhood centres, aged-care support services and with local councils since we began in 2014. Those who’ve participated in our shared reading groups will tell you that they’re like medicine for the soul. They represent a safe haven: a place where feelings can be expressed without inhibition; a place where everyone’s thoughts count.
A place to connect
We are proud of the impact we at Shared Reading NSW have made in a few short years. But we see a pressing need to give Shared Reading a home, where members of the community can come together to make connections with others, and with themselves. We are raising money to establish a Centre for Shared Reading in the heart of Parramatta. Our centre will offer people:
- a community bookstore selling books at affordable prices
- a safe and friendly space for people to participate in shared reading experiences
- one-on-one services, for people to strengthen their reading or extend their reading horizons
- an innovative learning environment for people wanting to become facilitators
- a base for people to contribute to our growing social movement
- a cultural centre, where stories can be shared and reading events held
- a collaborative space for cultural workers, to share ideas about how we connect.
Why Parramatta?
We see Parramatta a logical home for Shared Reading NSW and we have already spoken with Parramatta City Council about bringing a centre to the area. We are passionate about taking stories out of the academy and into the community. At its heart, Shared Reading NSW is about democratising literature. We see books as tools – tools that give people an opportunity to take pause, and to consider their feelings. In a society where up to 50% of the population will experience a mental health issue, we believe that shared reading represents preventive medicine for the ailments associated with social fragmentation, and the loneliness and isolation it brings. Parramatta City Council sits in the geographical heart of Sydney and boasts an incredibly diverse population. We want to take Shared Reading NSW to everyone – and everyone is represented in Parramatta City Council.
How you can help?
Any support you give Shared Reading NSW brings us closer to realising our vision of a connected community. Established by a team of passionate volunteers, we’ve made steady gains because other people have continually shared their time and money to help us grow. We’re incredibly grateful to those who’ve helped us along the way, and we have come up with lots of fantastic rewards for people who donate to our cause now. We’d also love people to share our video and our story of hope and healing with friends and colleagues. Yes, we want to raise as much money as we can, but we also want to get our message across that our simple model of shared reading can transform people's lives.
