Book club for people with intellectual disabilities launched in Echuca

A book club for people with intellectual and development disabilities has launched at a local library in Echuca in northern Victoria, reports the ABC.

A group of about eight meet once a week for the Next Chapter Book Club Affiliate Network program, which was founded in the US in 2002. The aim is for participants is to read a story each week out of the supplied book, with participants sharing the reading.

Library services manager Jenny Mustey said she partnered with a local respite service to deliver the program, after looking at ways to make the library more inclusive. ‘I want people to feel that they can come to a place and feel comfortable, that they can join together have a good time, read together and just enjoy the written word as anyone else would do in a book club,’ said Mustey.

The program is open to older teens and young adults who have a disability, including autism, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy and other types of intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Category: Library news