Brimbank Mayor Cr Ranka Rasic recently met with Member for Sydenham Natalie Hutchins MP, and local kids at the Sydenham Library to celebrate ongoing funding for the Premier’s Reading Challenge.
The Premier’s Reading Challenge happens each year and engages and encourages children and students to read a set number of books and record their efforts online. Since the Challenge first began in 2005, more than 4.3 million students have read over 60 million books.
“The $25,000 State Government grant will help us to provide more books for children who are reading as part of the Premier’s Reading Challenge. Reading is a life skill which can improve the social and economic outcomes of individuals and the community,” said Mayor Cr Ranka Rasic.
“Thanks to this ongoing grant from the State Government, children in Brimbank can access reading materials that have been written specifically for them. Reach out to your school if you or your child wants to take part in the Premier’s Reading Challenge 2024.”
Last year, this grant allowed Brimbank Libraries to include over 2,500 extra junior items in the library collection. This gives the community access to a broader range of titles, in both physical and digital formats – encouraging children to read and enjoy stories in a format that matches them.
In 2022-2023 there were over 88,000 loans of junior fiction titles across Brimbank Libraries. Children who are starting their journey of lifelong learning, are supported by Brimbank’s Libraries and Lifelong Learning Strategies.
The funding enables Brimbank Council to support schools and students with resources and books.
Schools that want to participate in the Premier’s Reading Challenge can register here: Premiers’ Reading Challenge | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au). If you have a child who would like to participate in the Challenge, speak to your school for more information.
