The Reading Together® programme, Te Pānui Ngātahi, (Reading Together®) is a research-based, four-session workshop programme that supports parents and whānau to effectively raise their children’s reading achievement. This proven programme has a high impact on parents, children, school leadership, teachers, and the wider community (Robinson et al., 2009). From participating in Reading Together® multiple valued outcomes occur for children, parents and whānau as well as for school and library communities.

Te Tāhuhu o te Mātuauranga – Ministry of Education wished to capture the valuable learnings from 38 years of previous research and evaluation to support revitalised implementation of the programme. We were commissioned to develop a Reading Together® Te Pānui Ngātahi summary of evaluations and implementation as part of the Iterative Best Evidence Synthesis (BES) Hei Kete Raukura reporting. The analysis of the research reports used an evidence-based policy approach coupled with a Māori potential approach and systems-thinking framing.

This project was unique. It is not often we get the chance to review programme delivery over decades. This research offers valuable insight for others implementing programmes both within an education setting and in other settings where relationship building is essential.

To ensure use of the findings by a wide range of readers, as well as a substantial summary report we developed four communication tools as A3’s to highlight key findings.