NORTH ISLAND – NDP MLAs Michele Babchuk and Ronna-Rae Leonard say funding boost to community-based Indigenous, adult and family literacy programs will help people gain skills in reading, writing, math and digital literacy.
Reading is something that many of us take for granted and don’t realize the challenges people face without that ability,” said MLA Babchuk. “Investing in adult literacy benefits everyone. A more educated workforce is safer and more efficient, and families are able to share the joys of reading with their young kids.”
In the Comox Valley, the Comox Valley Lifelong Learning Centre will run the Comox Valley Community Adult Literacy Program and Comox Valley Community Family Literacy Program. In Campbell River, the Campbell River Community Literacy Association will provide the Adult Literacy Program, Family Literacy Program, and Indigenous Family Literacy Program – Homalco Nation. In Port Hardy, the Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society will provide the Port Hardy and Region Community Adult Literacy Program for Port Hardy and the northern division of Mount Waddington Regional District.
“Difficulty reading can make the whole world daunting and less accessible,” said MLA Leonard. “Developing adult and family literacy can open up a whole new world for people who’ve struggled with reading until now, and I’m excited to see our government’s continued support for the work of our incredible community organizations.”
The New Democrat government is investing $2.9 million in the Community Adult Literacy Program which includes a one-time investment for 2021-22. This support will fund 97 programs, delivered by 66 organizations in 128 communities throughout the province.
Community based Indigenous, adult and family literacy programs are provided free of charge and delivered by community organizations, Indigenous-led organizations, and public-post secondary institutions. Literacy programming typically includes one-on-one tutoring and small-group instruction which supports all levels of literacy. In 2020, many programs shifted to online service delivery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn more: Adult literacy programs receive funding boost