An Ghluaiseacht Free To Be Me
Tá sé níos tábhachtaí anois ná riamh ár ngealltanas i bpáirt i leith domhan cothrom, éagsúil agus uilechuimsitheach a léiriú. Ní mór dúinn teacht le chéile chun timpeallacht chuimsitheach a chothú mar ar féidir le gach duine bláthú. Tá Leabhair Pháistí Éireann ag teacht le chéile i gcomhpháirtíocht le brandaí a bhfuil tionchar acu ar an saol chun leabharlanna Free To Be Me a bhronnadh saor in aisce ar scoileanna ar fud na hÉireann le cinntiú go mbraitheann páistí agus a dteaghlaigh go bhfuil fáilte rompu, go bhfuil meas orthu agus go ndéantar iad a cheiliúradh.
Join the Free To Be Me movement, supporting a more inclusive society through the power of reading.
The Free To Be Me movement aims to foster inclusion in communities through the power of reading. Children’s Books Ireland partners with socially impactful brands to gift Free To Be Me Little Libraries of diverse and inclusive books to schools all over Ireland. By giving school communities access to brilliant books that showcase the richness and diversity of modern society we celebrate positive representation and inclusion and build a more equitable world for all.
Since 2008, Ireland has had no sustained funding for school libraries. As a result, the books found in classrooms are often old, outdated, and not reflective of the richness and diversity of the student population. The Free To Be Me programme envisages a society where every child can see themselves represented in a book, feel like they belong and learn about the lives of others whose experiences and perspectives may differ from their own.
Our vision with the Free To Be Me programme
At Children's Books Ireland, we believe every school in Ireland deserves a Free To Be Me Little Library and we need organisations that are committed to nurturing inclusion to join us in our mission to help every child in Ireland see that they belong.
To date, we have gifted over 192 schools across the island of Ireland with Free To Be Me Little Libraries. That’s over 22,713 diverse and inclusive books reaching 47,187 students.
According to Elaina Ryan, CEO of Children’s Books Ireland: 'Free To Be Me is a way to level the playing field. When we give the gift of excellent, inclusive books, we are giving children access to books and ensuring that they have the opportunity to become a reader, unlocking all the advantages and benefits that come with reading regularly. As we live through challenging times, the Free To Be Me programme is a chance to unite around the shared conviction that reading is essential for democracy, and that the kind of books our children read matter.
Books can help a child to feel that they belong by reflecting their own or their family’s identity back to them. Books can provide a window onto lives unlike a child’s own, allowing us to walk in someone else’s shoes and understand their perspective. Supporting the Free To Be Me programme is a way for companies to demonstrate in a tangible, visible and powerful way, their commitment to equity and inclusion.'
Did you know?
Research shows that children who read for joy grow up healthier and happier, experience better mental health, empathy and self-esteem and have a greater opportunity to overcome socioeconomic disadvantage.
When children read diverse stories:
- they are more accepting of those that are different to them
- they feel accepted and a sense of belonging
- they interact better across different backgrounds
- their critical thinking skills grow
‘As a member of the LGBT community myself it was positively overwhelming setting up the library because I know our children of today will get so much comfort and education from these books. These books will have such a positive impact on so many young people.’
- Teacher
