Reading Friends Australia

25/05/2026

“Read more” is too vague to work.
The most effective strategies to encourage reading are specific:
→ Read for 10 minutes before bed ⌛
→ Use a library app to find your next book 📚
→ Pick something that genuinely interests you 💙

Clear, achievable actions beat abstract encouragement every time. 👏🏻

21/05/2026

It’s wonderful to see the dedication of our Reading Helpers being recognised during Volunteer Week. A special thank you to the Coniston Public School community for this thoughtful acknowledgement. 🙏

We are currently looking for more volunteers in the Southern Highlands to assist children with reading practice during school hours. If you think you can help or would like to know more, please get in touch today on this page 🙂 📚💙

Bundanoon Public School
Burrawang Public School
Mittagong Public School
Moss Vale Public School
Hill Top Public School

21/05/2026

Bravo 👏 👏 👏 to our Volunteers supporting students and staff at Stroud Public School - We are incredibly proud of you 💙📚

We are so thankful to all our community volunteers for making our school the best place to be! From our amazing Reading Friends Australia volunteers, canteen helpers each Friday and our amazingly dedicated P&C, your time and dedication to our school allows us to provide so many opportunities and experiences for our students.

Thank you! 💚💛💚

19/05/2026

What actually gets people reading? 🤔
It’s simple things like:
• Knowing what to read next 👉
• Having easy access to books 📖📖
• Feeling like “this is for me” 🤩

When reading feels easy and personal, people are far more likely to start—and keep going. 💙

14/05/2026

It was with great sadness that we received the news of the passing of our beloved volunteer, Alessandra L. earlier this year.

Alessandra had been reading with students at Marrickville Public School sharing her warmth, kindness, patience and love of learning with every child she met. She made a lasting difference in the lives of so many students and was a valued member of our volunteer community.

We are deeply grateful for the time, care and compassion Alessandra gave so generously. She will be remembered fondly and greatly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her.

Our thoughts are with Alessandra’s family and loved ones at this difficult time.

14/05/2026

💙📚

In Professor Larissa Behrendt AO's powerful opening keynote for the ALIA 2026 National Conference, she explores why libraries are spaces of hope, how reading strengthens social cohesion, and why we need a coordinated national reading strategy.

“A national reading program would strengthen the entire cultural ecology. It supports writers by building audiences. It supports publishers and booksellers by sustaining demand. It supports libraries by deepening engagement. And most importantly, it supports social cohesion by creating a shared space where ideas, stories and perspectives can be encountered with depth and with care.”

Read the full keynote via our website and join the call to support reading in the next National Cultural Policy.

12/05/2026

Most Australians want to read more—but don’t. 🤷‍♀️
New research shows the problem isn’t motivation, it’s follow-through.
The fix?
💙 Make reading easy
Make it feel relevant
Make it doable.
Small behavioural nudges can turn good intentions into real reading habits. 📚

07/05/2026

Back in March we were looking forward to the release of the study "Reaching Australian Readers: Testing behavioural strategies to increase recreational reading" by Monash University. We will share the findings of this report with you over the next few weeks, with pratical suggestions on how we effectively reshape the reading landscape in our communities 💙📚

Australia Reads Creative Australia

06/05/2026

📚 The Magic of a Book
A book is a door you open wide,
To worlds where wonders live inside.
With every page you turn and see,
New lands appear so magically.

You sail with pirates on the sea,
Or climb a mountain tall and free.
You meet new friends, both bold and kind,
And keep their stories in your mind.

A quiet chair, a cozy nook,
Is all you need to read a book.
No ticket, train, or plane to ride—
Just open up and step inside.

So take a book and start today,
Let words and dreams just lead the way.
For every story that you read,
Plants in your heart a tiny seed. 🌱

06/05/2026

It is wonderful to see our volunteers supporting their communities on all fronts 💙 True role models for the students they work with. 🙏

The clock is ticking. Here's how you can help secure a vital new cancer centre.

https://www.southernhighlandnews.com.au/story/9238324/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=post