Award-winning Scottish writer Allan Bissett delivered a workshop at Spartans Community Football Academy’s Alternative School at Fet Lor Youth Centre on Friday.
Allan is frequently asked to read in schools to reluctant male readers, and his session offered an opportunity to share ideas and to hear about the raps the students have been writing. The S3/4 students are referred from City of Edinburgh Council High schools and attend a part time alternative provision at Spartans Alternative School for part of their week. The focus of this provision is to improve their literacy and numeracy attainment and develop the employability and personal skills required for the work place.
The event was joint funded by the Spartans Community Football Academy and Creative Scotland’s Live Literature Funding, which is managed by Scottish Book Trust. The fund exists to bring the work of Scottish fiction writers, playwrights, poets, storytellers to every corner of Scottish society including schools, libraries, writers groups, additional support needs organisations, community groups and literary organisations. The scheme subsidises up to 1,200 writer events around the country each year, reaching an average annual audience of over 50,000 people.
Manager of the Alternative School, Emma Easton said: “We are delighted Allan was able to come and engage our students in writing and reading. These young people might not perceive themselves as writers but they have been confidently composing and delivering raps and it is important for their voices to be heard, and for them to find books and other texts that will capture their imagination.
“Live Literature funding is a very valuable resource for The Spartans Community Football Academy’s Alternative School as it enables us to increase our young people’s ability, confidence and enjoyment in reading and writing and encourage them to extend their world view, empathy and access to books. SCFA also gifted each student with a signed copy of Allan’s novel – The Incredible Adam Spark.”
Caitrin Armstrong, Head of Writer Development at Scottish Book Trust, said: “By subsidising events featuring writers, illustrators, and storytellers throughout Scotland, Live Literature funding encourages organisations of all kinds to include authors in their programmes. The scheme also widens the audience for contemporary writers and storytelling by increasing the amount of literary activity and by providing financial support in such a way that groups pay the same per session whether they are based in Orkney or Edinburgh.”
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