Adult Literacy Trust
Essential Skills Award, sponsored by The British Army
The Adult Literacy Trust has won a national award for helping adults build vital reading skills, confidence and independence through one-to-one support.
The charity received the Essential Skills Award at the Get the Nation Learning Awards 2026, held on Wednesday 4 November at The Royal Society in London. Sponsored by the British Army, the award celebrates organisations giving people the skills they need for life and work.
Judges praised Adult Literacy Trust’s personalised support for adults who need extra help with reading. Its trained volunteer Reading Coaches work one-to-one with learners at partner providers, combining focused support alongside classroom learning. By working in areas with high levels of deprivation, including Tower Hamlets, Newham and Hackney, the trust helps adults overcome barriers and open up new opportunities.
The impact is clear. An independent review found that more than 90% of learners saw benefits in their personal, family and everyday lives, including using technology. Almost all (99%) said the sessions increased their confidence in reading and encouraged them to keep learning. Learners also reported improved wellbeing, stronger social connections, and employment-related gains.
The Get the Nation Learning Awards are part of Get the Nation Learning Week, running from 2–6 November. Led by Learning and Work Institute and backed by more than 220 organisations, the Get the Nation Learning campaign celebrates the power of lifelong learning to change lives, strengthen communities and support better work.
Robert Glick OBE, Founder and Chair of the Adult Literacy Trust, said:
“We are delighted to receive the Essential Skills Award from Learning and Work Institute. It belongs first and foremost to the many adults who have taken the courageous step of asking for help, and to the hundreds of our volunteer Reading Coaches who support them. Recognition like this really helps bring adult literacy into the spotlight, and it highlights what becomes possible when people receive the personalised support they need and deserve.”
A learner with the Adult Literacy Trust, said:
“I am learning but in an enjoyable way, and in a different way. It’s friendly. I am learning without stress; there’s room for mistakes and for saying anything. When the course ends, I can still keep on reading. It’s just the beginning of something that can go on forever.”
Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of Learning and Work Institute, said:
“Essential skills like literacy and numeracy matter for people’s job and career prospects, their access to public services, and for everyday life. Yet, according to the OECD, 8.5 million adults in England have low skills in literacy and/or numeracy. The Adult Literacy Trust shows how tailored support can meet learners at the right point in their literacy journey, helping to transform lives and communities. It is a real privilege to award them our Essential Skills Award at the Get the Nation Learning Awards this year.”
Colonel Alex Burt, DACOS Learning and Development at Headquarters British Army, said:
“The Adult Literacy Trust’s volunteer one-to-one model already offers huge value to learners and has great potential for further expansion. The Army is proud to sponsor the Essential Skills Award and hopes that it will help the Adult Literacy Trust in their drive to reach more learners and communities.”
