Who are we?
The Association European-Reading-Network (EU-LE-NET) is a non-profit organisation, aiming to improve the reading skills of children and young people. It was founded in 2002 by the former director of the Austrian Book Club for Young People, Professor Robert Machacek. The European Reading Network cooperates with parents, pupils, students on the one hand and teachers, schools, university departments, libraries, bookstores, editors, writers on the other.
The “EU-LE-NET” association brings together institutions and individuals working with children and young people: Teachers, teacher trainers, experts in children's literature and reading education, librarians and publishers. The association has its headquarters in Vienna, but maintains many international contacts.
Some members and teachers who cooperate with the association have produced research work, teaching and learning materials for schoolwork with children's and youth books. These materials are published in book form or on the Internet. In addition, the association organizes workshops, lectures, national and international conferences and initiates reading projects.
Between 2010 and 2013, EU-LE-NET was a partner in two EU-Comenius projects: EPBC II (European Picture Book Collection II promoting reading education through picture books from all EU countries) and EUMOF (European Mobility Folk Tales, promoting reading through folk tales from EU countries).
Since 2018, the association has been working together with GTEMS Vienna 1220, Anton-Sattler-Gasse, on the EU-Erasmus + EUROCHANGE project as a partner of some other institutions from several EU states. This project focuses on the joint action of the pupils (Children inspiring children). The European Reading Network (EU-LE-NET) has extensive experience in supporting the voices of children and young people, protecting human rights throughout Europe, promoting the social integration and inclusion of children and the intercultural skills of children and young people. This expertise in the EUROCHANGE project areas of Collaborative Storytelling and Poetry, Collaborative Artmaking and Intercultural Internet Pedagogy will contribute to the achievement of the project objectives, inter alia through the development and testing of teaching models:
- Students awareness of their cultural heritage.
- Inclusion of all students.
- Contribution to a multicultural, child-friendly Europe.