Göteborg, Young Reader Roundtable: Tips from Aralynn McMane

Posted by Ebba Strömqvist on June 1, 2008 at 9:56 AM

Aralynn McMane is the Director of WAN Young Readership Development. At the 15th World Editors Forum she gave 25 tips for the audience to bring back home.

McMane says that newspapers are not going anywhere and that we should not reinvent the wheel. WAN is urging newspapers to celebrate International Literacy Day (8 September) with a story or a cartoon to inspire youths. Newspaper reading is, in fact, cool.

One way to reach youths is through their parents and teachers, and by using newspapers in education, a practice that should start before the children are 13 years old. Press freedom is of course a basic aspect of using newspapers for educational purposes.

Below are some other of the 25 tips to bring back home:

Teach about press freedom. WAN has done it through Bono and the Dalai Lama

Give young people a chance to be reporters.

Start thinking more about the environment, giving new life to old newspaper by recycling them.
Combine youth, newspapers, and tech. "You have got to involve young people."
Meet the team at the conference face to face or through social networks.
The deadline for the World Young Reader price is 31 July, 2008.