Justice Minister Naomi Long marked Book Week NI with a visit to the library at Hydebank

Transcript

00:00Prison libraries are an important hub of learning for people in custody.

00:03They're a calming space for anyone and everyone, from people just learning to read,

00:08right through to those who read multiple books every week,

00:10to those who are studying and actually want to learn new things.

00:14The Book Week initiative just shows that reading is not just a skill that we learn in school.

00:19It's something that can help support personal growth,

00:21help people deal with challenges in their lives, and help expand their horizons.

00:25And what a great way to be able to expand your mind with a book.

00:29During Book Week, the young men and women here at Hyde Bank

00:32took part in activities designed to make reading more engaging.

00:36They were involved in book folding, which is very popular, especially among the females,

00:41participated in creative writing classes,

00:43and even some recorded a storybook for their children.

00:47Book Week is an important opportunity to highlight the importance

00:50of making reading accessible to everyone,

00:53regardless of their background or current reading ability.

00:56In prison, reading can be a useful tool for learning, passing time, and managing stress.

01:01By offering a variety of activities and approaches to reading,

01:04Prison Service is helping prisoners build skills

01:07that can benefit them both inside and outside of the prison.