Shared Reading and WELLIES: growing welcoming reading spaces together

This month, Derby Book Festival’s Shared Reading team delivered tailored volunteer training for the WELLIES team, supporting staff and volunteers to lead Shared Reading sessions within WELLIES and create even more opportunities for connection, confidence and wellbeing.

We were delighted to spend the day with the WELLIES team for a Shared Reading training day designed around the people and communities they support. The energy in the room was brilliant - thoughtful, open and full of practical ideas about how stories, poems, letters, articles, quotes and shared discussion can help people feel more connected, included and confident.

This training builds on a partnership that’s already making a real difference. Shared Reading was first piloted with WELLIES in a floristry group, supporting learning while opening up wider conversations through carefully chosen texts and discussion. The pilot proved so successful that Shared Reading was rolled out across all seven WELLIES groups, reaching over 200 people each week.

Over time, WELLIES participants have shared that Shared Reading has helped them overcome anxieties about reading aloud (often linked to difficult experiences of reading at school), and has boosted confidence to express themselves. They’ve also spoken about how listening to others read can help them feel grounded and present, creating space for reflection and calm.

A training day shaped around WELLIES’ context

The training day was practical, interactive and tailored around the realities of WELLIES groups. There was a focus on building engagement with people who may feel unsure about reading, may feel low in confidence, have mixed literacy levels, or carry difficult experiences of reading from earlier in life. 

Across the day we explored:

• The principles behind Shared Reading and what good facilitation looks like in practice
• How to choose engaging, relatable materials (including for groups where reading confidence and literacy levels are low)
• How to make sessions accessible and inclusive, so people can participate without pressure
• How to respond to common challenges with care, calm and clear boundaries

Feedback from attendees captured exactly what we hoped the day would offer:

“The training gave us a clear sense of purpose for Shared Reading together with the ‘nuts and bolts’ of running a session; and quiet, gentle, positive confidence to have a go.”

“This training covers all aspects of setting up and running a Shared Reading group, giving you the tools and confidence to run your own sessions.”

“Great introduction to the ideas and how to facilitate a session.”

“This was affirming and encouraging.”

Crucially, everyone left the day having made a practical commitment to run their first Shared Reading session within their WELLIES group, helping turn learning into action.

Partnership working that strengthens wellbeing

WELLIES (Wellness, Education, Learning, Laughter, Inspiration, Environment, and Skills) has long recognised the value of Shared Reading alongside its wider therapeutic and learning-based work. At the heart of this partnership is a shared belief that reading aloud together without pressure or judgement can support wellbeing and connection, especially for people who have felt excluded from reading in the past.

Could Shared Reading work in your organisation?

Training like this is a powerful way for organisations to create their own welcoming Shared Reading spaces, shaped around the people they support whether that’s in community services, healthcare, education, workplaces, or voluntary sector settings.

If you’re part of an organisation or workplace and would like to explore tailored training, a taster session, or running Shared Reading in your setting, we’d love to start a conversation.

Email: katie@derbybookfestival.co.uk