WHAT IS CHILD WRITES
Child Writes Empowering Children to
navigate their future through story
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Children writing for children, supporting children... It is a simple ideology, which actually works! The Child Writes Program is a stunning project, nurturing literacy and creativity, and giving primary school aged children a voice by offering them the opportunity to write and illustrate their own children's picture books. Whether the program is run in-school, in-home or within the community, children go through the stages of writing, editing, proofreading, planning and illustrating, culminating in a finished picture book. These books are published by boutique publisher Boogie Books, complete with ISBNs, a publishing contract and an official book launch!
Copies are donated to places (such as hospitals) where children are in crisis... an empowering process for both the child authors and the children who are encouraged by the achievement and generosity of their peers. Every book is also made available for purchase online in electronic form, which means that children can actually receive royalties from the sales of their books! Child Writes is continually developing marketing and commercial opportunities to further increase the rewards for child authors and illustrators, as well as making sure their voice is heard as far and wide as possible.
The dream is to see the Child Writes program available to every child in Australia.
The word is spreading... the interest is mounting... and the excitement is building.
Will you become a part of what we're doing? To find out more about the program, go to GET INVOLVED and sign up for our newsletter, or check out our online store.
You'll be amazed when you discover what children can do!
WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
CHILD WRITES
GIVING CHILDREN A VOICE
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Child Writes is a program and an literary adventure dedicated to giving children a megaphone for their voices by using books as a platform. With a hand-holding, step-by-step process, tutors and passionate literacy advocates lead children through the entire process of creating their own children’s picture book.
From conceiving the original idea, through all the writing phases to using professional illustration tools, to the book launch and beyond! It is about giving children a voice.
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Why Child Writes?
"Why include Child Writes in your schools offering" is a question with many different answers.
There is so much good which can come out of simply giving children a voice...
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1. Promotes and Improves Literacy
The Child Writes program makes literacy fun! In every classroom where the Child Writes program has been included, a marked increase in the interest shown in literacy has been noted by teachers and staff, which also leads to increased borrowing activity and a love of reading. Books written by another child pique the interest of child readers - Child Writes titles make reading an adventure!
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2. Increases Computer Skills
As the program includes the use of word processing software and regular communication by e-mail between the author and the editor, there has been a noted increase in the computer skills of the children (and some teachers and aides!).
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3. Empowers Children
Anything is possible with a dream, some support, and hard work. Children becoming authors was once an 'impossible' dream... that is, until now! In reality, the Child Writes graduates achieve something that many adults dream of, and yet never do. Not only is the process of becoming an author incredibly empowering for the child, but it is also inspiring to other children who read their books and realise that they can, in fact, achieve their own impossible dreams! Child authors and illustrators learn habits of discipline and dedication which serve them well for the rest of their lives, giving them confidence to apply themselves to future challenges.
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4. Recognises Children
The Child Writes program publically recognises the literary and artistic abilities of its participants. There are frequent exhibition opportunities, from reading their text to the class during the story construction and showing their dummy roughs or final illustrations, all the way through to a public book launch with all the fanfare of invited media, parents, friends and the broader community recognising their work.
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5. Expands World Views
The program experience is based in reality, where children also learn about such factors as publishing contracts, printing regimes and online promotion. There are boundless opportunities for the children to step outside the classroom and expand their experiences substantially!
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6. Creates Reading Opportunities
Children's reading matter is traditionally dictated by publishers, and created by adult writers. Yet, children are capable of insightful thought and the ability to write instinctively, without the pressures of having to perform for a marketplace. Child Writes not only validates what children have to say as being equally important, but it also opens the door to a whole new world of book content and reading opportunities for children.
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7. Builds Respectful Communities
The Child Writes program was inspired by the work being done by the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), whose number one objective is to prevent child abuse before it starts. A report prepared by NAPCAN ('Towards a Better Future for Children') indicated that those communities which heard their children, also respected and supported their children. When Emma asked herself how children could better be heard, the Child Writes program was her answer! By expanding the program, we are building respectful communities, which are ultimately safer for all children.
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8. Helps Children in Crisis
The children know, when they are writing, that their ‘target audience’ are children in crisis. All Child Writes participants donate copies of their books to their local library, and most importantly to places where children are in crisis, such as children's hospital wards. This is recognised at the book launch event by representatives of the recipient organisation, thus highlighting the children’s contribution to the broader community. Child Writes participants learn to contribute to those in need and think beyond themselves to those around them. The Child Writes foundation is our ultimate goal. Click here to find out more.
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9. Provides Commercial Opportunities for Budding Authors
Child Writes is the only program providing commercial opportunities for child authors and illustrators. Every book is made available for purchase online in electronic form, which means that children can actually receive royalties from the sales of their books! Child Writes is continually developing marketing and commercial opportunities to further increase the rewards for child authors and illustrators, as well as making sure their voice is heard as far and wide as possible.
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10. Children Love it
As you can see, here are nine very good answers to the question, "Why Child Writes?" But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what the children have to say:
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Now, our question to you is, "Are you going to become a part of the Child Writes story?"
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Get involved as a donor...
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Child Writes can work brilliantly in locations where ever children are in crisis. This may mean their local community is overwhelmed (like Eidsvold, which, when we took the program there, had the unenviable tag of being the location for one of the highest suicide rates amongst its young adult males in the country or Silverton Primary, where the school’s driving ethos is ‘a postcode shall not define your future’ as it is located in one of the lowest socio-economic postcodes in the country)
Child Writes promotes reading. Every child has the right to food, shelter, education and love – and we want to add to this list – the right to be read to!
Child Writes contributes to the reading library where ever children are in crisis. We want the Child Writes titles to be available to children in oncology wards, in foster care, in children’s wards all around the country. We know children treat authors with a great deal of reverence and we believe in empowering children with the adage ‘if they can, I can too!’.
The Child Writes Fund supports International Read to Me Day, March 19th, reminding children to be part of the conversation and remind their family they would like to be read to often. It is a social awareness campaign, reiterating the importance of reading to our children, and our children sharing this skill with their peers. It takes a village to raise a child and it takes a child to inspire a village. Listening to that one voice, asking to be read to, can shift our priorities.
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The Child Writes Fund can support tax deductible donations as made possible by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal
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