Individual NNI publishers have been involved in educational initiatives for many years. Recently, NNI newspapers have come together through the NNI Young Reader Committee with a view to using newspapers to promote literacy amongst young people.

Press Pass is the first initiative to come out of this committee that school-goers will become familiar with.

Press Pass is aimed at transition year students. It will enable them to discover more about newspapers and journalism, without cost to their school. Press Pass will take place during the last week of September and the first week of October 2012.

In advance of the beginning of the programme time, schools that have registered to take part will receive a workbook. This workbook will contain exercises that aim to improve literacy levels by increasing engagement with newspapers and through extra-curricular work. In conjunction with the exercises set out in the workbook, during the first week of September (the first week of Press Pass) the same schools will be entitled to collect free copies of each of the NNI newspapers from their local newsagents.

One of the most exciting elements of Press Pass is a national writing competition. Students will be invited to write an essay or article and the best entries will be published in all of the daily NNI titles in early 2013.

The initiative has already garnered widespread support and has been backed by the Department of Education. Registration is currently open to schools with transition year programmes and 150 schools have already registered.

The deadline for registration for Press Pass is May 04 2012.

Make sure that your school knows about Press Pass and takes part in this exciting new initiative.

Schools can register here.