Reading Roars!

Reading’s Children and Young People’s Partnership has launched a website, Every Child Matters, designed to provide information such as youth clubs, sports facilities and volunteering opportunities, to kids in Reading.

The site’s aims, according to the news release, are to help children and young people:

have access to services that will help them achieve the best they can in life

be healthy, safe, enjoy life, have a good education, have the chance to get involved in new things

have their voices heard and have the practical things they need

be able to find services they need

have a range of services in Reading that respond and develop their talents and interests

These are lofty aims. Will the site succeed?

The statement adds that young people helped devise the site content and chose an (odd-looking!) cartoon character “Hesta” to guide users on the site.

This is pleasing. It is important to involve young people in projects like these. With an opportunity such as this, kids develop a sense of responsibility and team-play. Better still, their creations are seen by many visitors. Furthermore, it is a great introduction to the wonderful world of content management! (No doubt I’ll be sifting through their CVs in ten years time).

So, does the site work? Navigation is confusing. The site is integrated into Reading Borough Council’s and the user can feel a bit lost.

Also, while the cartoon figures are cheerful enough (Professor Pixels is a funny character), and the colour scheme is pleasant, young users may expect a little more, such as animation or interactive elements. Surfers, especially the younger generation, have more discerning requirements in this broadband age and designers must respond to these needs.

This site thus doesn’t have the wow factor, but it is a good start.