1. Community–based book clubs for
adults with intellectual disability
Grace Hillis
05/04/13

2. Overview
 Who our clubs are for
 How our clubs work
 Benefits
 Challenges
 Hopes for the future

3. Who our clubs are for
 Adults with moderate, severe or profound intellectual disabilities
 May or may not have literacy skills
 May or may not speak
 Some have physical disabilities
 Attend day services
 Interested in books

4. Next Chapter Book Club
Main ideas:
 Meet in a community setting (no libraries!)
 Meet for an hour once a week
 Two facilitators
 Read a chapter a week, each person takes a
turn
 Members to take ownership, e.g. by
voting on what book they want to read
 Stay and socialise
 Order a drink

5. Sample books read

6. Equipment
 Props – figures, pictures
 Communication aids

7. Our Clubs
Star Book Club Tolka Book Club

8. Benefits
 Pleasure
 Independence
 Creating a positive view of people with disabilities
 Exercise
 Tour of Dublin

9. Challenges
 Staffing
 Culture – easier to have it in-service
 Staff / servicer user ratio
 Reading / being read to
 Noise

10. Hopes
 Volunteer facilitators
 Mixed ability groups
 More groups
 More ownership by the members
 That the members have fun
 Keep going 

11. It started with a search!
Mmm…what are the benefits for adults with
intellectual disability in maintaining their
literacy skills?
Community Nurse
Speech and Language Therapists

12. Summary
 Enjoyable
 A work in progress
 A new chapter in community inclusion for people with intellectual disability