Duffy Books in Homes Role Models visit more than 540 low decile schools twice a year to deliver the charity’s key message – ‘It’s cool to read and cool to achieve.’
While ‘Duffy kids’ look forward to receiving two free books each during the next three weeks, they are just as excited to hear from an inspirational role model during a special school assembly.
Role Models visiting Duffy schools include Shortland Street’s Alison Quigan, Tonight presenter Greg Boyed, authors Tony Williams and Alistair McIntyre, Newstalk ZB newsreader Niva Retimanu, TV presenter and model Jo Holley, storytellers Rhubarb, entertainer Adrian Kirk and netballer Linda Vagana .
They make the connection between their careers and their love of reading and show children, some of whom have never owned a book in their lives, that reading provides a pathway to success.
Much like the Lucky Book Club, kids in Duffy schools choose books from a catalogue at the start of term and then wait patiently for their book presentation assembly. The big difference is that their books don’t cost them or their families a cent.
Since the official launch in 1995 with 80 schools, 16,000 students and 14 sponsors, the Duffy Books in Homes programme has grown to encompass 541 schools, around 100,000 students and more than 200 sponsors in 2011. More than seven million books have been distributed to children in low-decile schools since its inception and the programme now distributes more than 600,000 books annually.
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