Read Up is about reading towards empowerment. It is a resource for young people aged 15-24 to help guide their thinking about things that matter: sexuality, relationships, gender, minds and bodies, and diverse cultures.

An initiative of the Stella Prize and the Victorian Government, the series of reading lists aims to promote gender equality and respectful relationships through recommending reading that challenges stereotypes, provides positive role models and inspires change.

There are five lists — Diverse Cultures, LGBTQI+, Respectful Relationships, Minds & Bodies, and Feminism — each containing a wide range of titles, as well as related thinking points, that encourage young people to reflect on issues of representation and equality.

The lists prioritise works by Australian women, particularly those writing from marginalised groups or intersections, and the focus is on titles that speak to the realities of young people from minority and/or disadvantaged backgrounds.

Each list includes a variety of styles and genres, and caters to a range of reading abilities. From fiction to memoir, verse to comics, these are accessible texts that will engage, enlighten and empower young people.

Now available: Printed copies of the Read Up reading lists

Read Up is also available as a hardcopy booklet. If your school, bookstore, library or organisation would like to distribute printed copies of the Read Up resources for young people, please contact us to request your copies.

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Write Up

Write Up delivers specifically designed programs for small groups of young people who are currently outside of the traditional education system. These unique residential events seek to foster confidence and a sense of belonging, and to equip participants with the skills and self-belief to share their own stories.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WRITE UP

Watch: Stella Schools Manager Bec Kavanagh discusses Read Up on ABC News Breakfast