P.E.T.R.A. Publishing stands for Parents Engaging To Raise Aspirations. It is a small social enterprise that writes children’s storybooks with local community groups. Through funders, partners, storytellers, illustrators, graphic designers and most importantly parents, P.E.T.R.A. Publishing is able to give parents the opportunity to be involved in writing their own book. This builds confidence, helps the individuals personal growth and empowers parents to become role models to their families and the greater community.

 

The writing of these books also helps by giving the participants transferable skills, for example: reading, creative writing and storytelling. Supporting literacy in our earliest years builds the foundations for our children and young people to achieve throughout their lives. The project believes that by raising the aspirations of the parent it will in turn raise the aspirations of the child.

​

The aim of P.E.T.R.A. is to support carers to engage, raise their own aspirations and that of their families by writing and publishing a children’s storybook.

 

This project works closely with creative writers and various illustrators to support local community groups to write their own children’s storybook, many of which are based on issues that have affected the group ie. bullying, anger management, dementia etc.

 

The project aims to:

 

• Create a library of books written for families by families.

• Ensure basic standards of literacy of participants are reached.

• Raise levels of reading by parents to their pre-school and early years children.

• Create a culture of wanting to read and encouraging reading amongst communities.

• Break down barriers to reading and remove fear of books. 

• Bring parents into schools, libraries and groups to encourage other parents.

• Raise parents self esteem and aspirations to enable them to have a voice in their community supporting the development of services that meet the needs of their family.