VOLUME

Building a Reading Nation

Despite its ability to enhance health, knowledge, and wellbeing, support for embedding reading in our daily lives is often overlooked. With national literacy and reading rates declining for children and adults alike, it’s time for urgent action.

By exploring effective approaches to encouraging reading alongside insights into advocacy from other industries, Australia Reads’ VOLUME symposium provided a platform to untangle the issues affecting reading engagement. 

The symposium looked at how we might tell a strong, unified story about the benefits of reading, and considered how we might work with partners and government to create a nation of readers.

VOLUME took place on Thursday 21 September 2023 and was supported by Creative Australia.

Watch VOLUME

Program & Speakers

10:00-10:15
Introduction & Welcome to Country
Our symposium MC, Jess Scully, welcomes attendees to VOLUME and invites proud Wiradjuri woman, Savannah Fynn, to deliver a Welcome to Country.
10:15-10:35
Opening Keynote
Yuwaalaraay author and performer, Nardi Simpson, delivers an inspiring opening keynote about the relationship between reading, storytelling, and place in Australia.
10:35-11:00
Reading in Australia: Where we are now
Australia Reads representative, Anna Burkey, sets the scene for reading in Australia, and outlines the challenges – and opportunities – we face as a sector.
11:00-12:00 Roadblocks to readingNational literacy and reading rates are declining, along with the number of adults and children reading for pleasure, but why is this? The reasons are complex and may not be what you would expect. 

Panel:
Dr Jan Zwar (Chair) – Faculty Research Manager and book industry researcher, Macquarie Business School
Ben Bowen – CEO, Indigenous Literacy Foundation
Professor Robyn Ewing AM – Co-Director, CREATE Centre
Anita Planchon – Director, Strategy and Engagement, Libraries Tasmania
12:00-12:20
What works: Innovative engagement
In this series of Lightning Talks, experts share insights into innovative ways to engage with different types of readers of all ages. From immersive digital reading experiences to networks of book clubs, plus research into young readers, we get a glimpse into some of the programs making an impact in Australia.

Lightning Talk presenters:
Char McCallum – Social Media Manager, Tandem Collective
Dr Bronwyn Reddan – Research Fellow, Pathways to Teenage Reading, Deakin University
Shay Leighton – Director, Tough Guy Book Club
12:20-12:45
Lunch Break
12:45-14:00
What’s possible: UK Case Studies
By exploring three case study organisations from our sister market in the UK, we look at ‘what’s possible’ when it comes to planning and implementing successful national reading programs. From the research that drives these programs, and the partnerships that support them, explore how these organisations are each delivering diverse reading campaigns across a wide range of audiences. 

Case Study speakers:
Debbie Hicks – Creative Director, The Reading Agency (UK)
Jonathan Douglas –  CEO, National Literacy Trust (UK)
Philippa Cochrane – Head of Reading Communities, Scottish Book Trust (UK)
14:00-15:00
Elements of Success
What’s required to mount a successful social change campaign? In this panel discussion, we’ll hear from leading experts from across behavioural science, social innovation, advertising and marketing, for the latest thinking in selling ideas. Come primed with your questions ready for a Q&A session which will explore how these ideas can be applied in getting Australia reading. 

Panel:
Jess Scully (Chair) – Author, curator, city-maker
Mark Chenery – Co-Founder & Director, Common Cause
Nithya Solomon – Director, RMIT Health Transformation Lab
Sarah Kneebone  – Education Manager, BehaviourWorks Australia
15:00-15:30
Making change happen
From crafting compelling messages through to effective advocacy, what does it take to create a persuasive campaign and bring others with you? Hear from those who’ve successfully delivered social and behavioural change across a wide range of audiences and outcomes in this series of Lightning Talks.

Lightning Talk presenters:
Kathryn Gledhill-Tucker – Technologist, writer & digital rights activist
Scott Ludlam – Former Greens senator & author
Lizzie O’Shea – Chair, Digital Rights Watch
Kylie Robertson – Co-Founder, Matterworks
Sandeep Varma – Founder & CEO, SAARI Collective
15:30-16:25
Building a reading nation
A panel of speakers from across the book industry discuss what the future of Australia as a reading nation could look like. What if we had high literacy rates, a flourishing book industry, and a society that widely celebrated reading? How would this affect the social and economic life of Australia? How could we work together to shape this future?

Panel:
Jess Scully (Chair) – Author, curator, city-maker
Robbie Egan – CEO, BookPeople
Sarah Kneebone – Education Manager, BehaviourWorks Australia
Kate Larsen – Writer & arts consultant
16:25-16:30
Closing remarks
Our MC, Jess Scully, wraps up the program for the day. 

VOLUME is made possible thanks to support from Creative Australia