Start Your Military Community Book Club with Reading Force

Have you ever thought of running a book club for kids or adults in your military community?Book clubs in military communities are being encouraged and supported by Reading Force, thanks to a grant from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Force for Change program. They are helping these book clubs start and offering free books to participants. Would you like to lead a book club with our assistance? We're seeking coordinators for book clubs catering to various age groups, including children, teens, and adults with a military connection (serving, reservist, veterans, and family members). These book clubs can be held in your local community or online.

Potential coordinators could include Welfare Officers, Community Development Officers, Choir Leaders, Military Kids Club Leaders, Service Children’s Champions, and more. We propose three age categories: Junior (around 8-11 years old), Senior (approximately 12-16 years old), and Adult. Each club should consist of around 10 members, meeting monthly.

As a coordinator, you'll receive support from Reading Force, including free books for the group for three months, suggested book titles, guidelines on starting and running a book club, discussion materials, and ongoing assistance.

Setting up a book club can foster a sense of community and combat feelings of isolation, whether it's conducted locally or online. Reading the same book promotes connection and meaningful discussions, offering fresh perspectives and expanding horizons.

Coordinator responsibilities encompass inviting around ten people with military connections to join, organizing monthly meetings, maintaining communication between meetings, handling book distribution, preparing for and hosting meetings, and obtaining parental permission for participants under 16.

Now is an excellent time to take on this challenge and connect with your community through shared reading!

Reading Force, we are passionate about using books to bring Forces children and families closer together. Our shared reading initiative encourages families to read, talk, and scrapbook about a book, improving communication and enriching relationships with books and each other – one page at a time.