Our Mission
We aim to connect dads in prison with their families to encourage rehabilitation; help their relationship as fathers to their children; and, stimulate their children's literacy skills at the same time. We assist with the dads reading abilities as 40% of prisoners are functionally illiterate.
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The program
How it works
We provide the children with a recording of their dad reading them a book. Both the recording and a copy of the book itself are sent to the child who can listen to their parent's voice whilst reading or looking at their book.
As one dad said to us about the program:
'It's hard to explain the feeling I get out of it when I know that at night, I'm the last voice he hears before he goes to bed'.
We started this program as a one off to celebrate the International Year of Reading in 2012 but it was so well received by the prison, the dads, and especially the kids - we've kept it going.
Two
PRISON COMMUNITIES
608
PRISONERS INVOLVED
1,322
AUDIO BOOKS RECORDED FOR CHILDREN
HELP KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER
Make a Donation
It’s more work than you'd imagine — liaising with the prison, selecting the books, recording the prisoners, editing the audio files, and sending them to the kids.
To donate, please email us and we’ll be in touch right away with our details.
Who we are
‘Read-Along Dads’ was launched by Friends of Castlemaine Library (FOCAL) in 2012 as one of several literacy programs for the local community such as ‘Books for Babies’, ‘School Outreach’ and the prison program of which ‘Read-Along Dads’ is the core.
In 2023, auspicing of the prison programs including Read-Along Dads was transferred to Castlemaine Rotary.
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It does get to be emotional. It can bring tears to your eyes because you think of the effect that it’s going to have on them when they hear it.
'Ben' / Prisoner at Loddon
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I’ve always loved reading to my kids and have seen the benefit they get - and that’s why I’m delighted that our Fund supports the Read Along Dads program.
Noel Whitfield / Director, Adroit Insurance Group
