Roger Diamond, founded Real Action in 1997: With the help of two temporary council estate security guards, he accidentally discovered two teenage gang leaders on his estate, were illiterate and were requesting help. Local people shared his concern that illiteracy led to unemployment or poverty, etc. Thousands of children from surrounding deprived communities have now transformed their fate at our Butterfly literacy classes. We also give our Butterfly classes in primary and secondary schools.
Why the community needs usLocated near the Mozart Estate, with England's highest child deprivation levels, our programmes - Butterfly reading for 5-12 year olds and English Express for teens and adults - overcome educational disadvantage. Disadvantaged children need not be educationally doomed. Real Action severs the connection. With our Butterfly classes, we give to thousands of deprived children, the mastery of literacy that enables them to become educated, confident and successful. Street life evidently not for them.
Our impact on the communityWe usually run 3 Butterfly Saturday schools, to which 400+ children from deprived communities (including Grenfell Tower) come flocking annually. A one-year reading age rise results from an average 20 hours' Butterfly teaching. At our in-school interventions 'disadvantaged' pupils do as well as their peers - or better. Children's behaviour improves, even if labelled Special Needs. Our early Butterfly pupils did twice as well in national tests as their waiting list peers. Many went to university.
Become a Butterfly Practitioner! Our Butterfly Saturday Reading Classes have over 400 eager children keen to improve their reading and spelling, as a foundation for educational attainment and success in life. Would you like to help teach them?
