Our learning programmes
Not being able to read or understand numbers affects more people than you think. Learning can be a powerful springboard into so many other opportunities.
Shannon Trust believes that nobody should be left out of learning. We help people to overcome the barriers to learning, so that everyone has the chance to learn, regardless of their circumstances or background.
Our learner-led programmes are flexible and tailored to individual needs. By providing different options for those who want to learn, our informal programmes suit those who have never read a word before, as well as those who want to improve their existing literacy or numeracy skills.
Innovation is one of our core values, so we are constantly looking for ways to improve our programmes and our services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Jen’s story
“Numeracy has helped me and it’s also made me realise, with my mentor’s help, that my reading could be better, so to look at that too. So with me it’s a double bonus.”
Learning is a brilliant thing, it...
- helps people positively change their lives
- is a gateway to new possibilities
- helps create and nurture relationships
- can bring joy, as well as helping people 'get by'
Turning Pages, co-created by literacy specialists and adult learners, has helped thousands of people become readers since its launch in June 2015. An academic review by Birmingham City University confirms its effectiveness in teaching adults to read, even if they have never read before.
Count Me In, launched in January 2024, was developed with numeracy experts to cover key aspects of the entry-level adult curriculum. It focuses on the practical numeracy skills needed for daily life.
Both programmes were designed to be neuro-inclusive and can support people with a range of learning needs.
How our programmes work
Our current learning offer includes the Count Me In numeracy programme and the Turning Pages reading programme.
Both programmes are made up of 5 manuals that learners work through at their own pace, with support from a specially trained peer mentor or coach. Turning Pages is supported by a set of activity books, ‘Write Now’, which give learners the chance to practise their writing and comprehension skills, and include a selection of reading books.
Our programmes focus on the key practical skills that people need in their daily lives, to help them build their independence, both in the criminal justice system and beyond.
Learners are encouraged to undertake regular, short sessions of around 30 minutes, at a time and a place of their choosing. The activities within the manuals are designed in a way that learners see rapid progress, so that their confidence builds alongside the improvement in their numeracy and reading skills. Progress checks at the end of each manual section gives learners a meaningful way to track their own development while they are engaged in our programmes.
All of our learning programmes are available to buy – just click on the button below to order from our online shop.
If you're ordering from outside the UK, need to order on behalf of a prison or one of our partner organisations, or want to discuss a wholesale order, please get in touch so we can talk more about your specific requirements.
You can email us at
communications@shannontrust.org.uk
or call us on 0203 7645 250
Our programmes work because...
- anyone who can already read and do basic numeracy can support someone who wants to learn one to one
- a learner can choose their own pace and there are no exams and no classrooms
- learners see a real difference in their skills, often very quickly
- learning is kept interesting through a range of interactive activities
- progress checks encourage learners, and reading for pleasure is introduced early
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